Surname Grigsby - Meaning and Origin

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W. Grigsby

Grigsby: What does the surname Grigsby mean?

The surname Grigsby has English origins and is considered to be a locational surname derived from a place. In the case of Grigsby, the place is a small village named Grigsby located in the county of Lincolnshire, England. The village name "Grigsby" is believed to be derived from the Old Norse personal name "Grígr" and the Old Norse word "býr," meaning farmstead or village, translating to "Grígr's village" or "Grígr's farmstead." Locational surnames were typically given to the lord of the manor or to individuals who relocated from their place of origin to another place as a means to identify them. So, people bearing the name Grigsby likely have ancestral ties to this geographical location. It is also worth noting that Old Norse name "Grígr" translates to "cricket" or "ghost," implying that Grigsby could have unique meanings within different contexts.

Grigsby: Where does the name Grigsby come from?

The surname Grigsby is of English origin, derived from the village of Grigsby located in Lincolnshire, England. The name is locative in nature, which means it originally identified families hailing from this particular locale. The Grigsby village is believed to have been named in Old Scandinavian as "Grjot's village". In the given context, Grjot is a personal name and "by" refers to a village or a farm in the Old Scandinavian language.

In the United States, the Grigsby name began to appear in records during the 17th century with immigrant families settling primarily in Virginia. The Grigsby family established roots and grew substantially within the state, later migrating more widely across the southern and midwestern states like Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, among others. Today, the surname Grigsby can be commonly found throughout the United States, within England, as well as in other English-speaking nations around the world such as Australia and Canada. However, it is still more frequently found in America than anywhere else.

Variations of the surname Grigsby

The surname Grigsby is of English origin and is thought to be a locational surname referring to a specific place in England; Grigsby in Lincolnshire. This surname has various spellings including Grigsby, Grigsbie, Grigsbee, Grigsbey, and so on. The name can be broken down to "grig", meaning a cricket or a shrimp (definitely a small creature), and "by", typically used in Scandinavia to mean a farmstead or a small settlement. Thus, one could interpret the name Grigsby to mean a farmstead or settlement where small creatures such as crickets are found. It is also suggested that it could refer to individuals or families living in or around Grigsby. In terms of variants, there might be less conventional spellings based on phonetics or amalgamations due to marriage. Other variants could include Greigsby, Griegsby, Grygsby, etc. The surname Grigsby would not usually have patronymic versions (like Johnson) or metronomic versions (like Pearson), as it is based on a place name and not on a father's/mother's name. There might be a rare chance of a totally different surname having the same origin as Grigsby, due to the complex nature of surnames development.

Famous people with the name Grigsby

• Scott Grigsby: A famous American actor known for his roles in "The First Power" (1990), "Death Becomes Her" (1992), and "The Ring" (2002).
• Brock Grigsby: Retired American professional soccer player who featured for clubs like Harrisburg City Islanders and Hershey Wildcats.
• Carl Grigsby: American songwriter who wrote chart-topping tracks for international artists in the 80s and 90s.
• Pierce Grigsby: American director known for his work on "KG Bird," "Bite," and "The Mousetraps."
• Isaac Grigsby: U.S. political figure who served as a member of California's State Assembly in the mid-1800s.
• Will Grigsby: An American professional boxer and former IBF World Light Flyweight champion.
• Nate Grigsby: A former American football linebacker; he played for the Kansas State Wildcats football during his college career.
• Jon Grigsby: A professional golfer who participated in the PGA Tour. Please note that the term 'famous' is relative, and some of these individuals may not be universally known. They have, however, earned recognition in their respective fields.

Other surnames

GrigsonGrigston