Show ContentsGrundy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Grundy has a rich and ancient history. It is an Anglo-Saxon name that was originally derived from Gundred and variants such as Grundy and Gundreda. The personal name Gundred is an old Germanic name which meant "battle ruler," and became common in England in the centuries following the Norman Conquest as a new wave of immigration from continental Europe swept England.

Early Origins of the Grundy family

The surname Grundy was first found in Yorkshire where Aicusa filia Grundi, who was recorded in 1204. [1]

However, we did find and older listing of the name, but in its Latin form: Gundrea, mater Rogeri de Moubraie, 1138, called by Young the historian of Whitby, 'Gundrey Moiwbray.' [2]

In Scotland, Robert Grundy de Neuton, Roxburghshire, rendered homage to King Edward I in 1296, and Adam Grondy was juror on inquisition made at Roxburgh, 1303. [3]

Early History of the Grundy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grundy research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1701, 1711, 1720, 1729 and 1754 are included under the topic Early Grundy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grundy Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Grundy include Grundy, Grundie, Ground, Grounds, Groundey and others.

Early Notables of the Grundy family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • Thomas James Grundy (1711-1729), a burglar who was recorded in the book "Lives of the Most Remarkable Criminals."

Grundy Ranking

In the United States, the name Grundy is the 7,152nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [4]


United States Grundy migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Grundy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Grundy, who settled in Virginia in 1635
Grundy Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • George Grundy, who was naturalized in Norfolk, Virginia in 1793
Grundy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Samuel Grundy, who arrived in New York in 1811 [5]
  • Samuel Grundy, who immigrated to New York in 1820
  • Edmund Grundy, who took an oath of allegiance in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1828
  • Hamer Grundy, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1876 [5]
  • Grundy, aged 29, who immigrated to America from Stoke on Trent, in 1892
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Grundy Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Charles George Grundy, aged 0, who immigrated to the United States from Liverpool, in 1904
  • Albert Vincent Grundy, aged 27, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1907
  • Alice Grundy, aged 39, who settled in America from Westhonghton, England, in 1908
  • Annie Grundy, aged 22, who immigrated to the United States from Hurst, England, in 1910
  • Clarence Grundy, aged 10, who landed in America from London, England, in 1910
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Grundy migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Grundy Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Oswell Grundy, who was recorded in the 1871 census of Ontario

Australia Grundy migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Grundy Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Robert Grundy, English convict from Chester, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia [6]
  • John Grundy, aged 23, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "China" [7]
  • William Grundy, aged 21, a tinsmith, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "David McIvor"

New Zealand Grundy migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Grundy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Grundy, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Queen Bee" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 10th January 1872 [8]
  • Isabella Grundy, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hermione" in 1883
  • William Grundy, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hermione" in 1883

West Indies Grundy migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [9]
Grundy Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • James Grundy, who settled in Barbados in 1681

Contemporary Notables of the name Grundy (post 1700) +

  • Reginald Roy "Reg" Grundy AC, OBE (1923-2016), Australian entrepreneur, media and television mogul, creator of such shows as Wheel of Fortune and Blankety Blanks and the soap operas Neighbours, Sons and Daughters and The Young Doctors
  • Anthony Montreace Grundy (1979-2019), American professional basketball player from Louisville, Kentucky who played at both the point guard and shooting guard positions
  • Stephan Scott Grundy (b. 1967), American author, best known for his modern sagas
  • Joseph Ridgway Grundy (1863-1961), American textile manufacturer and politician, United States Senator from Pennsylvania (1929-1930)
  • Felix Grundy (1775-1840), American politician, 13th United States Attorney General (1838-1840)
  • Rebecca Grundy (b. 1990), English cricketer for the England women's cricket team
  • Hugh Grundy (b. 1945), English musician, best known for his work as the drummer of the English rock band The Zombies in the 1960s
  • Patrick Michael Grundy (b. 1917), English mathematician and statistician, co-developer of the Sprague–Grundy function
  • Sydney Grundy (1848-1914), English dramatist, known for his adaptations of European plays, notably Haddon Hall
  • Sir Edward Lindley Grundy (1795-1875), English immigrant to South Australia on 23 December 1847 aboard the Enmore, founding member of Gawler's "Humbug Society," editor of the Gawler Bunyip in 1871
  • ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Hood
  • Mr. Frederick E Grundy (b. 1921), English Wireman serving for the Royal Navy from Reading, Berkshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking [10]
North Sea Flood
  • Leonard Grundy, British worker aboard the trawler "Michael Griffith" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. George Grundy, English Leading Fireman from England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking [11]


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. 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)
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  6. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
  7. South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CHINA 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/china1852.shtml
  8. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  10. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  11. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 10) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


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