Grinden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Grinden family

The surname Grinden was first found in Warwickshire at Grendon, a parish, in the union of Atherstone, Tamworth division of the hundred of Hemlingford. 1 The place name literally means "green hill" having derived from the Old English word "grene" + "dun." 2 The are other places that include the name "Grendon" usually as a prefix. Some date back to the Domesday Book of 1086 as in Grendone (Northamptonshire and Warwickshire) and Grennedone in Buckinghamshire. 3

"This soldier of the Conquest received as his share of the spoil a fair lordship in Warwickshire, and thence assuming a surname, founded a knightly family, which obtained Baronial rank in the reign of Edward I., when Sir Ralph de Grendon had summons to Parliament, A.D. 1299. His only son, Robert, second lord, being of weak intellect, much litigation arose regarding the lordship of Grendon, with Sir Roger and Sir Philip Chetwynds (who were allied to the family by marriage), and endured for a considerable time. At length an agreement was entered into, under which the estate passed to the Chetwynds, by whose descendant, Sir George Chetwynd, Bart., it is now held." 4

Conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Grendon, held Thurstan from Henry de Ferrers, a Norman Baron, who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. The village held a Mill at that time. Notable is Grendon Hall.

Grinton is a small village and civil parish in the Yorkshire Dales, in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. "The church is a very ancient and spacious structure in the early English style, and in excellent repair; the chancel is divided from two side chapels by a carved oak screen of very early date, and the windows present the remains of some choice specimens of stained glass. " 1

Robert de Grendune was a Knights Templar in Lincolnshire in 1185 and later, Randulf de Grendon was listed in Northumberland in 1242. Over one hundred years later, Robert de Grendon was found in the Feet of Fines for Warwickshire in 1345-1346. 5

Early History of the Grinden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grinden research. Another 160 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1291, 1299, 1510, 1600 and 1982 are included under the topic Early Grinden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grinden Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Grendon, Grendown, Grentown, Grendone, Grenton, Greynton, Grendown, Grindon, Grinton, Grinden and many more.

Early Notables of the Grinden family

More information is included under the topic Early Grinden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Grinden family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)