| ![Show Contents]() Gryer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of GryerWhat does the name Gryer mean? The Gryer family history stretches back to the clans of the Dalriadan kingdom on the sea-swept Hebrides islands and mountainous western coast of Scotland. The name Gryer is derived from the given name Gregor. The personal name Gregor, which is the Scottish form of Gregory, is derived from the Latin name "Gregorius" and from the Late Greek name "Gregorios," which mean alert, watchful, or vigilant. The name is "generally considered to be a shortened form of Macgregor." 1 Early Origins of the Gryer familyThe surname Gryer was first found in Dumfriesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Dhùn Phris), a Southern area, bordering on England that today forms part of the Dumfries and Galloway Council Area, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. The coat of arms for the family includes the coat of arms for King Donald MacAlpin (d. 864), King of Alban, the United Kingdom of the Scots and Picts in the top left of the shield. It denotes the heritage of the family through the MacGregors. Early History of the Gryer familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gryer research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1542, 1598, 1669, 1754, 1780, 1831 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gryer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Gryer Spelling VariationsMedieval translation of Gaelic names could not be referred to as an accurate process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and names in documents from that era are riddled with spelling variations. Gryer has been written as Greer, Grier, Grear, Grerar, Greir, Greerr, Grearr and many more. Early Notables of the Gryer familyAnother 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gryer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Gryer family to IrelandSome of the Gryer family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 165 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Gryer migration to the United States | + |
The descendants of the Dalriadan families who made the great crossing of the Atlantic still dot communities along the east coast of the United States and Canada. In the American War of Independence, many of the settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Clan societies and highland games have allowed Canadian and American families of Scottish descent to recover much of their lost heritage. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Gryer or a variant listed above include:
Gryer Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- William Gryer, who landed in Virginia in 1650 2
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Memor esto
Motto Translation: Be mindful.
- 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)
- 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)
 |
