Map of England showing where the Grebe arms are recorded
The Grebe arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Grebe arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of England.
Origin & History of the Grebe Family in England
The surname Grebe has deep roots that connect to the social and linguistic shifts of early modern Europe. The name is traditionally linked to the Middle High German word *greve*, which functioned as a title for a local official or a count. By the time members of the family were documented in York in 1620, the name had likely traveled from Germanic regions to England through trade networks or religious migration. During this period, York served as a bustling hub for merchants and skilled workers arriving from the continent. Families like the Grebes often settled in such cities to practice specialized crafts or participate in the growing mercantile economy. Over time, the spelling of the name became standardized as it was recorded in local parish registers and legal documents, marking the family's transition from their ancestral origins into the established community of seventeenth-century England.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grebe
Derived from the Middle English word for a diving water bird.
This name
GrebeA topographic or occupational name for someone who lived near water or hunted waterfowl.
also spelled
Graybe
Greyby
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
York City Archives, York Parish Registers, St. Michael le Belfrey, 1620
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
