Surname Greives - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'G'
Greives: What does the surname Greives mean?
The last name Greives is believed to be of English origin. It is a locational surname, likely derived from some geographical feature, such as a stream, cliff, market, or the like. It is either an older name from a place in Somerset, England, or a newer area with a similar name or feature in another part of the country. The name is also spelled as Greaves and Graves.
The earliest records of the Greives surname date back to 1381 in Worcestershire, where a John Greves was noted in the Assize Court Rolls. During the early 1600s, the Greives name was located primarily in Northeastern England in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire. In the 1800s, immigrants from England with the Greives surname began to arrive in the United States and Canada.
The Greives name is thought to be derived from the Old English word greves, meaning “dweller at the grove” or “dweller in the enclosure”. It could have originally referred to settlement near a particular piece of land.
The surname Greives can be an indication of an area of origin for a family, a way to trace family history and genealogical connections, or simply an interesting tidbit in a surname search. As with any surname, its meaning will vary depending on the family and on the geographical area.
Order DNA origin analysisGreives: Where does the name Greives come from?
The surname Greives is not currently common worldwide or anywhere in particular. It is an English surname, originally from Yorkshire in northern England. It is most common in the United Kingdom, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Derbyshire.
The surname Greives also exists in North America. It can be found in the United States in places such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It can also be found in Canada, mainly in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.
The name Greives is derived from the Old English word grev, meaning a young hawk or a small raptor. It was likely a nickname for a person who had some of the same characteristics, such as strength, speed, agility, and courage.
The Greives name is not particularly common today, and you can only find a few people bearing the name in the UK and North America. However, it still has a rich history in England and other parts of the world. Thanks to the internet and genealogy databases, it is now possible to research family trees and trace the lineage to learn more about the history of the Greives family.
Variations of the surname Greives
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Greives include: Grieves/Greaves, Grieve/Graves, Grievous, Greive, Greaves, Grieveson, Grievson, Grieveson, Grevenoire, Grevior, Grivoire, Grevis/Graves, Grivy, Grivoy, Greville, Grevyn, Grevenor, and Graeville.
Grieves/Greaves is the most common spelling of the surname, with other variations including Greave, Grieve, and Graves. The name may be derived from the Old French word ‘greve’, meaning ‘grave, serious, heavy’, as well as ‘grave’ or ‘grief’ in Middle English. The name was likely adopted as an occupational name to indicate someone who worked in the custom of digging graves. As such, the surname can be found in records as early as the 13th century.
Grievous, Greive, Grevis/Graves, and Grivy are other variants or spellings of the surname. These are pronounced ‘GREEV -OHSS’ or ‘GREEV- EEZ’ and all share the same meaning and origin.
Grevyn, Greville, Grevyn, Grevenor, and Graeville are surnames derived from the earlier Greive, Greaves, and Grieves surnames. They date back to the 1500s and are believed to have originated in Scotland. The name is associated with the Scots-Irish meaning ‘son of the fierce one’ and can often be anglicised to ‘Greve’.
Grieveson, Grievson, and Grieveson are combinations of the earlier Greive and Grieves names as well as the English patronymic ‘son’. The name is thought to mean ‘son of Grieves’ or ‘the son of one who grieves’.
Finally, Grivoire and Grevenoire are also surnames derived from Greive, Greaves, and Grieves and mean ‘grave’ or ‘grief’ or ‘son of the graveman’.
Famous people with the name Greives
- Luke Grieves: Australian former rugby league footballer who played for South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, and the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League.
- Roy Grieves: British rower who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics.
- Axel Grieves: American actor in the 2019 film Kitchen.
- Stephen Grieves: Canadian playwright and voice actor best known for writing the play Peter and the Wolf.
- Joseph Grieves: Scottish tennis player and winner of the 1957 Australian Open doubles title.
- Matthew Grieves: American artist known for his digital photography and conceptual art.
- Sam Grieves: British musician and folklorist who has toured extensively in Europe and America.
- Emmy Grieves: English actress best known for her roles in the Harry Potter films, Downton Abbey, and Red Riding Hood.
- Eddie Grieves: Scottish musician, vocalist, and DJ, who has released multiple albums and collaborated with bands such as Primal Scream and Papa Roach.
- John Grieves: British actor and theater director who has worked extensively throughout the United Kingdom and China.