Ground History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Etymology of Ground

What does the name Ground mean?

The name Ground is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from Gundred and variants such as Grundy and Gundreda. The personal name Gundred is an old Germanic name which meant "battle ruler," and became common in England in the centuries following the Norman Conquest as a new wave of immigration from continental Europe swept England.

Early Origins of the Ground family

The surname Ground was first found in Yorkshire where Aicusa filia Grundi, who was recorded in 1204. 1

However, we did find and older listing of the name, but in its Latin form: Gundrea, mater Rogeri de Moubraie, 1138, called by Young the historian of Whitby, 'Gundrey Moiwbray.' 2

In Scotland, Robert Grundy de Neuton, Roxburghshire, rendered homage to King Edward I in 1296, and Adam Grondy was juror on inquisition made at Roxburgh, 1303. 3

Early History of the Ground family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ground research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1701, 1711, 1720, 1729 and 1754 are included under the topic Early Ground History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ground Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Ground include Grundy, Grundie, Ground, Grounds, Groundey and others.

Early Notables of the Ground family

Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ground Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ground migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Ground Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Augusta Ground, aged 39, arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Westernland" from Antwerp, Belgium 4
William Ground, aged 23, arrived in New York in 1894 aboard the ship "Spaarndam" from Rotterdam, Netherlands 4
Anna Ground, aged 21, arrived in New York in 1894 aboard the ship "Spaarndam" from Rotterdam, Netherlands 4

Ground migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 5

Ground Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Robert Ground, (b. 1612), aged 22, British settler travelling from London, UK arriving in St Christopher (St. Kitts) on 5th January 1634 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Ground (post 1700) +

Sir Richard William Ground (1949-2014), English judge in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
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)