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Gregory Surname Meaning & Origin

What the Gregory last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.

Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Gregory coat of arms for you.

Meaning and origin of the Gregory last name

Meaning of the Gregory last name: from Greek Grēgorios, "watchful". Gregory comes from the Greek name Grēgorios, meaning watchful. It spread through Europe thanks to several popes, especially Gregory the Great. A curious detail: Gregorian chant and the Gregorian calendar we use today are both named after popes called Gregory, so the name sits behind everyday life in surprising ways.

Arms associated with the Gregory name

In English heraldry, arms belonged to one person at a time and passed down to the eldest son, a custom of the tradition the Gregory name belongs to.

Get your full Gregory family history

This is only a glimpse of the Gregory story. The full Gregory history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Gregory coat of arms. Get the full Gregory report.

Gregory name FAQ

What does the Gregory name mean?

From Greek Grēgorios, "watchful". Common variants include Gregorie, Greig, Gregson.

Where does the Gregory surname come from?

It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Ireland and Scotland.

Is there a Gregory coat of arms?

Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Gregory coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.

Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.