This interesting surname translates as the son of "Gondri" or "Gundric", a once common old French personal name from the Germanic elements "gund", battle and "ric", poser. This personal name, introduced by the Normans to Britain, went through a few transformations to Gundred or Gundry in the 12th and 13th Centuries to Grundy in more recent times. The surname itself is a patronymic from this source, found originally in North Shields, Northumberland. The first recordings of the surname date from the early 17th Century (see below). The personal name exists from the early 12th Century when Gundrea Mowbray, is recorded in the "Cartularium Abbathiae de Whitby", in 1138 and a Gundreda Giffard is mentioned in the "Calendarium Genealogicum; Henry 111 - Edward 1" in 1335. On September 28th 1668 at St. Dunstan, Stepney in London one Anne, daughter of Rowland and Anne Gunderson was christened, and on September 12th 1670 their son John was christened there also. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Bartholomew Gunderson, (marriage to Jane Alborne), which was dated September 21st 1628, at St. Dunstan, Stepney, London, during the reign of King James 1 of England and Scotland, 1603 - 1625. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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