Origin of the surname Grimshaw

This is an English and Lancastrian surname. It is locational and originates from a now much diminished medieval village formerly called Grimshaw, and now known as Grimshaw Park, near the town of Blackburn. The place name means 'Grim's wood' with Grim being a popular first name in ancient times. Locational surnames were traditionally given either to the lord of the manor and his descendants or to former inhabitants who for whatever reason, left their original homes and moved elsewhere. In so doing they were given as easy identification, the name of their former home.

In this case the surname is also very popular in the adjoining county of Yorkshire. Many villages were 'diminished' and several thousand actually totally 'lost', between the 14th and 18th centuries as a result of plague and 'clearance' to facilitate sheep farming. Grimshaw was clearly one of them. Early examples of the surname recording include Adam de Grymshawe of Tottington in Lancashire in the year 1317, whilst Alice Grimshaw of Great Harwood is recorded in the Wills Register at the city of Chester in 1547. That the name spelling at this date was still not 'locked' is shown by the recording of Nicholas Grymeshaw of Clayton-on-the-Moors, Lancashire in 1623.

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

The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname grimshaw is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation. We can try to trace the genealogy of the surname grimshaw, and in addition to the original locations of grimshaw, we can find out where people with the surname grimshaw can currently be found.

The surname Grimshaw around the world

The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname grimshaw 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 grimshaw has led to its presence in different countries, as you can verify.

History of Grimshaw

For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname grimshaw, 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 grimshaw developed. The history, heraldry, coats of arms, and possible nobility of the surname grimshaw 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 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 grimshaw 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 grimshaw or any other surname and its origin, we would appreciate your collaboration with us by sending us information about the origin of grimshaw.

Notable Figures Named Grimshaw

Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname grimshaw were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. A surname like grimshaw 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. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname grimshaw who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.

The surname Grimshaw and its bibliographic sources

The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of grimshaw 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 grimshaw, as well as many other surnames.

SOURCES

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

Origin of Grimshaw