Map of England showing where the Greetham arms are recorded
The Greetham 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 Greetham 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 Greetham Family in England
The surname Greetham is a locative name, which means it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a nickname. It is derived from the Old English words "greot," meaning gravel or grit, and "ham," meaning a village or homestead. This suggests that the earliest members of the family likely lived near a sandy or gravelly settlement in Northern England. By 1620, records confirm that the Greetham family was well-established in the city of York. During this period, York was a major center for trade and religious life, and families with this name were often involved in the local merchant guilds or parish administration. Because the name is tied to the geography of the landscape, it reflects a long history of families who identified themselves by the specific piece of land they cultivated or inhabited.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gretham
A village or homestead located on gravelly soil.
This name
GreethamDerived from a locational surname referring to a settlement situated on sandy or gravelly ground.
also spelled
Grethamme
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names. 1960
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M. A Dictionary of English Surnames. 1991
Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. Archbishop of York Diocesan Records: Parish Registers of York
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mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
