Graveson Family History

‘Son of the steward farm bailiff or village headman’ largely confined to northern England. From the north Midlands through Yorks to the north-west, the source is Middle English greyve, grayve, greve, a borrowing of Old Scandinavian greifi see Grave.

In Durham and Northumb, the source is Middle English greve from Old (Northumbrian) English grǣfa see Grieve. The two forms are difficult to tell apart except that the post-medieval spelling Grieve- usually reflects the Northumbrian term.

Pronunciation developments have sometimes obscured the origin of the name. Grayveson frequently lost the -v-, becoming Gra(y)son and Greeson; see Grayson.