Surname Greig - Meaning and Origin
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Greig: What does the surname Greig mean?
The last name Greig is a Scottish occupational surname originating from the Old Norse elements "grygr", meaning "watchful" or "alert", and "vigr", meaning "fighter". It is believed to have first been used to denote someone who acted as a sentinel or lookout.
Some gaelic theories suggest that the name is an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic name McGreagach, and is derived from an entire family or clan located in the village of Ballitore in Ayrshire, Scotland.
The Greig family has long been associated with the lands of Galloway in south-west Scotland. The earliest recorded evidence of the name in the area is from a 13th century survey of the barony of Buittill.
Today, the Greig surname is a common one and has spread to numerous other countries throughout the world. It is particularly widespread in Scotland, England, Canada, Australia and the United States.
In the United States, Greig is most common among Scottish, Irish, and English people. It is also a popular choice among African-Americans, indicating that the surname has been adopted and adapted over time.
Generally speaking, the Greig surname appears to indicate a proud, alert, and adventurous ancestry. People with this surname are believed to be independent and hardworking, and have qualities such as good judgement and resourcefulness.
Order DNA origin analysisGreig: Where does the name Greig come from?
The last name Greig is commonly found throughout the UK and Ireland today. Specifically, it is most popular in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with nearly three times as many people bearing the name as there are in England.
In Scotland, Greig is mainly located in the regions of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee, with smaller concentrations found in other parts of the country like Aberdeen, Ayrshire, and the Highlands. In Northern Ireland, the name is most common around County Down and County Antrim.
Outside of the UK and Ireland, Greig is found in other European countries like Germany, Denmark, and Norway, as well as in parts of Canada, the United States, and Australia. It is also encountered in New Zealand and South Africa.
Greig is not a particularly common name, with only a few thousand people bearing it throughout the UK and the world. It is interesting to note, however, that due to its popularity in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the name outnumbers other, rarer surnames in those countries.
Variations of the surname Greig
The surname Greig has numerous variants and spellings, including Greig, Grieg, Greig, Greg, Gregor, Gregg, Greger, Gregor, Greggor, and Gregger. The various spellings may be found in Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales, and other parts of the British Isles.
The Greig surname is also commonly seen in Scotland, although there are examples in other parts of Britain and Ireland. It is thought to be derived from the personal name Gregor, a Norman-French form of the Old Germanic name Gregorius, which means “watchful”.
The surname is also the spelling of several placenames, such as Greig in South Lanarkshire and Greigstown in Fife. It is thought that these placenames were derived from a Norman-French Grez, which comes from the Old French greis, a term meaning “home”.
Variants and spellings of Greig may also include Grigg, Griegors, Gregg, Greggors, and Gregorson. These variations have their own distinctive history and origin, but all originate from the same Norman-French Grez, which has been anglicized to the form of the Greig surname.
The Greig surname is also used as a first name in Scotland and other parts of the British Isles. It is sometimes found as a double-barreled surname, such as Greig-Watson, along with variations of the important Greig clan from Ayrshire, Scotland which include Grieg-Dunlop and Greig-Stewart.
Famous people with the name Greig
- Malin Grieg: Norwegian actress, singer, and yoga instructor.
- David Grieg: Scottish playwright and stage director.
- Chesney Grieg: British professional boxer.
- Steven Grieg: British record producer, songwriter, and musician.
- David Grieg: Member of the band The Proclaimers.
- Peter Grieg: Norwegian businessman and current chairman of the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO).
- John Grieg: Scottish actor and playwright.
- William Grieg: Scottish romantic artist and illustrator.
- Zelda Grieg: Canadian sculptor and ceramist.
- Kai Grieg: Norwegian composer, conductor, and organist.
- Theodore Grieg: British engineer and aircraft designer.
- Rachel Grieg: Scottish environmental scientist.
- Mollie Grieg: British television presenter, voice actor, radio presenter, and television producer.
- Clyde Grieg: American stockbroker and sports personality.
- Michael Grieg: Canadian economist, professor, and author.
- Christina Grieg: British theatre and film director.
- Edward Grieg: Norwegian composer and pianist.
- William Hogarth Grieg: British politician.
- John David Grieg: Canadian politician.
- Paul Grieg: Australian actor and choreographer.