Grierson (name)

Grierson is a surname of Scottish origin.[1] The name is possibly a patronymic form of the personal name Grier or Grere, which may have reflected the Scots pronunciation of Gregor.[1] The earliest known spellings are Grersoun[2] and Greresoun.[3] It was common practice in SW Scotland, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries, for the name to be abbreviated to Grier, and there are many instances of the two forms being used in reference to the same man in the same document. This usage was further modified to Greer by a cadet branch of the Lag family who migrated to Ireland.

  1. ^ a b Grierson Name Meaning and Origin Retrieved on 2007-11-26
  2. ^ Bannatyne Club: Registrum Honoris de Morton, Vol. I, Original Papers, p. 204, no. 216
  3. ^ Hamilton-Grierson, Sir Philip: The Lag Charters (1958), p. 9, no. 3