Origin of the surname Grice

This interesting surname is of early medieval French origins. It was a nickname and one of a large group of early European surnames from that source. Nicknames were given with reference to occupation or in particular physical attributes, mental characteristics, habits of dress, or resemblance to an animal or bird. In this instance the surname has two possible sources. It may derive from the Old French word "gris", meaning grey, and would have been a nickname for a grey-haired person or for someone who wore grey clothes, perhaps a monk.

Secondly it may have been occupational for a swineherd, agains from the early Fernch word "grice", pig or hog. The surname is early with examples being Robert le Gris in the Feet of Fines of Norfolk in 1185, Leticia Grise in the Assize Rolls of Kent in 1317; and Richard Grice, a Freeman of the city of York in 1413. In the modern idiom the surname can be found as Grice, Grise, Griss, Le Grice, Legrice and Le Grys. A coat of arms granted to the family has the blazon of a gold field charged with a red chevron between three boars heads, the crest being a blackamoors head between two gold wings. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Gris. This was dated 1176, in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland, during the reign of King Henry 11nd, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

The surname Grice. Genealogy, origin, history, meaning, and significance

Discovering the historical roots of grice is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname grice is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation. We can try to trace the genealogy of the surname grice, and in addition to the original locations of grice, we can find out where people with the surname grice can currently be found.

The surname Grice around the world

Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname grice. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname grice provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations. The mobility of people carrying the surname grice has led to its presence in different countries, as you can verify.

History of Grice

The historical chronicle of grice is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname grice, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of grice developed. The history, heraldry, coats of arms, and possible nobility of the surname grice are scattered in documents across various regions and historical periods, so it is necessary to reconstruct a complex puzzle to approach the facts from a realistic perspective.

We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname grice, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about grice and send it to us, we will update it on this website. Please note that if you are in a position to provide more data about the surname grice or any other surname and its origin, we would appreciate your collaboration with us by sending us information about the origin of grice.

Notable Figures Named Grice

It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished grices throughout human history. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname grice were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. A surname like grice can connect a person to an illustrious lineage and a distinguished coat of arms. However, it must be kept in mind that it is individual people who, through their lives and actions, bring fame and recognition to their surnames.

The surname Grice and its bibliographic sources

Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of grice. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of grice are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation. We consider it highly advisable to refer to the following sources if you wish to conduct research on the surname grice, as well as many other surnames.

SOURCES

These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of grice, and at the same time, of surnames in general.

Origin of Grice