Grenin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Grenin

What does the name Grenin mean?

The ancestors of the bearers of the Grenin family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found as dwellers by the green hill. The surname Grenin 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.

Early Origins of the Grenin family

The surname Grenin was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Grenin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grenin research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1273 is included under the topic Early Grenin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grenin Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Grenin include Greening, Greenyng, Grening and others.

Early Notables of the Grenin family

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

Migration of the Grenin family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Grenin or a variant listed above: John Greening who settled in Virginia in 1652; Albert Greening settled in Maryland in 1721 with his wife and children.