A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Greive family of England.
Reg. 8408 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
buckleFidelity, and a bond firmly held
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ar. a fesse engr. voided gu. betw. three square padlocks of the second”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Greive Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Greive arms are recorded
The Greive 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 Greive 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 Greive Family in England
The surname Greive is an occupational name that originated in Northern England and Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word gerefa, which translates to a reeve or a local official who managed land and collected taxes for a lord. By the time the family was firmly established in York in 1620, the name had evolved from a formal job title into a hereditary surname used to identify specific households. Families with this name often held positions of local responsibility, acting as overseers on large estates or serving as trusted administrators in their communities. As the family settled into the urban environment of York, they became part of the growing merchant and artisan classes that defined the city during the early seventeenth century. This transition from rural land management to city life allowed the Greive name to persist through generations as a marker of their ancestors' long history of service and civic duty.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gerefa
Old English term for a reeve, steward, or administrative official.
This name
GreiveAn occupational surname for a person who served as a local official or overseer.
also spelled
Grieve
Greeve
Greave
Greyve
Related arms
Greavessimilar arms
Greevevariant spelling
Greyvevariant spelling
Grievevariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
York City Archives, York City Chamberlains' Accounts, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
buckleFidelity, and a bond firmly held
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
buckleFidelity, and a bond firmly held
