Reedgrave History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Reedgrave

What does the name Reedgrave mean?

The name Reedgrave is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived at Redgrave, a village in the county of Suffolk. Reedgrave is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. In this case the place-name was originally derived from the Old English terms red meaning reed and graf meaning ditch or grove. Therefore the original bearer of the surname Reedgrave lived in an area that was near a reedy grove or ditch.

Early Origins of the Reedgrave family

The surname Reedgrave was first found in Suffolk where they held a family seat from ancient times, as Lords of the manor of Redgrave, originally "Regrava," before the Norman Conquest by Duke William in 1066 A.D. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book survey in 1086 A.D. the land was held by the Abbott of St. Edmunds who may have been a member or a scion of the family. At this time Redgrave was a large village with its own church, and the Domesday classification was, twelve beasts, thirty pigs, and thirty goats.

Early History of the Reedgrave family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Reedgrave research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1344, 1477 and 1801 are included under the topic Early Reedgrave History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Reedgrave Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Reedgrave are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Reedgrave include: Redgrove, Redgrave, Reedgrave, Reedgrove and others.

Early Notables of the Reedgrave family

More information is included under the topic Early Reedgrave Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Reedgrave family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Reedgrave or a variant listed above: John Reedgrove who landed in Massachusetts in 1780.