Grissoom History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient history of the Grissoom name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in the village of Gresham in the county of Norfolk. 1 2 3

Early Origins of the Grissoom family

The surname Grissoom was first found in Norfolk at Gresham, a parish, in the union of Erpingham, hundred of North Erpingham. "Gresham gave name to the family of which Sir Thomas [Gresham] (c. 1519-1579), the founder of the Royal Exchange and of Gresham College, was a member." 4

The same Sir Thomas is again mentioned in the same source in Battisford, Suffolk. "The framework of the late Royal Exchange, London, erected by Sir Thomas Gresham, was made here; Sir Thomas residing in the adjoining parish of Kingshall, and having considerable property in this." 4

Another family seat was found at Barnby-Upon-Don in the West Riding of Yorkshire. "The church [of Barnby-Upon-Don] is a well-built structure of very ancient date, with a chancel the property of the Gresham family, which contains some handsome monuments to their ancestors and others." 4

Ancient rolls give typically give a glimpse of the many spellings in use over the years, but this name is the exception as William de Gresham was registered in the Pipe Rolls for Norfolk in 1199 and Thomas Gresham was recorded in the Assize Rolls for Lancashire in 1446. It wasn't until the 16 century to find a variant, that of Richard Gressam listed as a Freeman of York in 1551. 5

Early History of the Grissoom family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grissoom research. Another 186 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1485, 1495, 1519, 1537, 1549, 1556, 1579, 1626, 1627, 1649, 1660, 1696, 1709, 1718 and 1776 are included under the topic Early Grissoom History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grissoom Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Grissoom include Gresham, Gressam and others.

Early Notables of the Grissoom family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir John Gresham (1495-1556), an English merchant, courtier and financier who worked for King Henry VIII of England, Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell, Lord Mayor of London and founded Gresham's School, Holt, Norfolk; Sir Richard Gresham (c.1485-1549), an English mercer, Merchant Adventurer, Lord Mayor of London, and Member of Parliament who was descended from an ancient family which long resided in the village...
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Grissoom Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Grissoom family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Grissoom or a variant listed above: Edward Gressam who settled in St. Christopher in 1635; Joe Gressam settled in Virginia in 1635; Ed. Gresham settled in Virginia in 1650; Andrew Gresham arrived in Philadelphia in 1858..

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)