Recorded as Greg, Gregg, Greig, Grigg, (Anglo-Scottish) and Grieg (Norwegian), this is ultimately a surname of Greek origins. It is a diminutive of the given name Gregory, from the Greek Gregorios, meaning to be watchful. Later, in its Latin form of Gregorius, it came to be associated by folk etymology with "gregis", meaning a flock or herd, and thus was interpreted as the Christian image of "The good shepherd". The name was a Crusader introduction. That is to say a name brought back to Northern Europe by returning Crusader knights from the Holy Land in the 12th century. It generated a number of spellings in different parts of Europe being mainly Greig and Grieg in Scotland, and Gregg or Grigg in England. Greig is a popular surname in Fifeshire and along the east central coast, whilst Grieg is the Norwegian form and much associated with the great composer who descended from John Grieg of Fraserburgh. Sir Samuel Greig (1735 - 1788) became Admiral of the Russian navy, by appointment of Tsarina Catherine the Great. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Walter Greg, and dated circa 1214 - 1226, in the charters of the earldom of Morton, Scotland, during the reign of King Alexander 11nd of Scotland", 1214 - 1249. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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