Gristian History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

Etymology of Gristian

What does the name Gristian mean?

The root of the ancient Dalriadan-Scottish name Gristian is the Latin given name Christianus, which means "belonging to Christ." Christianus was also the name of the 12th century Irish saint and Bishop of Candida Casa, and brother of St. Malachy of Armagh. Thus, the surname Christian became an extremely popular name, particularly in regions of Celtic or Irish influence such as Scotland, northern England, and the Isle of Man. It was also a common given name amongst the Danes and was the name of several Danish kings.

The name is "very common in some parts of Scotland. Sir Walter Scott tells a story of an unsuccessful gaberlunzie woman who in the bitterness of her disappointment exclaimed: "Are there no Christians here?" and was answered: "Christians! nae, we be a' Elliots and Armstrangs !" 1

"Christianus was the name of a bishop of Candida Casa (Whithorn) who died at Holm Cultram in 1186." 2

Early Origins of the Gristian family

The surname Gristian was first found in the north of England, "a familiar North-English font-name, though not wholly confined to the North." 3

As one would expect the early rolls had mixed entries for the name as both a forename and surname. By example, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Jordan filius Cristine, Kent; Agnes filius Cristine, Cambridgeshire; Brice Cristian, Somerset; and Cristina Alayne, Buckinghamshire.

Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Cristiane Lyttester; and Cristiana atte Tounead. 3

We would be remiss if we didn't mention the Christian family from the Isle of Man in more detail. On the infamous side, the mutineer Fletcher Christian was from this stock, but notably, the rear-admiral Sir Hugh CloBerry Christian (1747-1798), the Max writer Thomas Christian (d. 1799) and William Christian (1608-1663) the Receiver-General of the Isle of Man claimed the Isle of Man as their homeland.

Early History of the Gristian family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gristian research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1608, 1643, 1663 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gristian History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gristian Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name Gristian include many spelling variations. They include They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. Christian, Cristian, McChristian, McChristianston and others.

Early Notables of the Gristian family

William Christian (1608-1663), receiver-general of the Isle of Man (famous in Manx history under the name of Illiam Dhône, 'Brown-haired William'), born on 14 April 1608. "He was the third son of Ewan Christian, one of the deemsters or judges of the Isle of Man and deputy-governor of Peel Castle. In 1643 his father made over to him the estate of Ronaldsway. The circumstances of this transaction throw some light on Christian's subsequent conduct. The landed property in the Isle...
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gristian Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gristian family to Ireland

Some of the Gristian family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gristian family

Descendents of Dalriadan-Scottish families still populate many communities across North America. They are particularly common in Canada, since many went north as United Empire Loyalists at the time of the American War of Independence. Much later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highland games and Clan societies that now dot North America sprang up, allowing many Scots to recover their lost national heritage. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Gristian, or a variant listed above: William Christian who settled in Virginia in 1652; Captain Christian settled in Boston in 1763; Francis Christian settled in Barbados in 1769 with his wife and son Matthew.

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)