Show ContentsLegrande History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Legrande

What does the name Legrande mean?

The Legrande surname comes from the Old French word "grand," which in turn comes from the Latin "grandis," meaning "large" or "tall." As such, Legrande is though to have was originally been a nickname for a large or tall person, which later became a surname. There is also a village of Lagrand in the Department of Hautes Alpes that dates from early times; some instances of this surname may have come from the name of this village.

Early Origins of the Legrande family

The surname Legrande was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne), an administrative and historical region of east-central France where this eminent family held a family seat from very early times.

The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Robert, Richard, Serlo, Roger and Nicholas Grand as living in Normandy 1180-95. 1 Similarly in ancient Britain, Grand was a personal name in the Domesday Book. 2

Early History of the Legrande family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Legrande research. Another 232 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1521, 1545, 1555, 1560, 1572, 1582, 1598, 1626, 1629, 1655, 1669, 1699, 1789 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Legrande History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Legrande Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Grand, Grands, Grande, Grandes, Gron, Gronde, Grons, Grondes, Legrand, Legrands, Legrande, Legrandes, Legron, Legronde, Legrons and many more.

Early Notables of the Legrande family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Legrande Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Legrande family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: John Grand, who settled in Virginia in 1650; Joost Grand, who settled in the New Netherlands in 1662; Mary Grand, who settled in Virginia in 1639; Richard Grand, who settled in St. Christopher in 1654.


Contemporary Notables of the name Legrande (post 1700) +

  • Larry Edwin LeGrande Sr. (1939-2023), American Negro American League professional baseball catcher and outfielder from Roanoke, Virginia
  • Ray LeGrande Riley (1874-1953), American Republican politician, Druggist; California state controller, 1921-37; Candidate in primary for U.S. Senator from California, 1938 3
  • Brigadier-General LeGrande Albert Diller (1901-1987), American Aide to Commander in Chief South-west Pacific Area (1942-1945) 4
  • LeGrande II Rouse, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from South Carolina, 1964 5


The Legrande Motto +

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: In variis nunquam varius
Motto Translation: Never varied in various


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  4. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, January 24) LeGrande Diller. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Diller/LeGrande_Albert/USA.html
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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