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History identifies the
surname GREGG as having English or Scottish origins. In regards to the
English origins, the first record of the name was GREGGE (Old English
variation) in 1234 during the reign of Henry II, within the Liber feodorum
more aptly called the Book of Fees. Another instance of the name was in 1306
contained within the Feet of Fines, which was an archival copy of an
agreement between two parties in an English lawsuit over land.
As for the Scottish origin, the name GREGG is a variant that emerged from
the Highland Scottish Clan MacGregor. The MacGregors were direct descendants
from an ancient Celtic royal family through the Abbots of Glendochart, hence
the clan’s motto “My race is royal.” The Clan MacGregor was constantly
embroiled in conflicts. None more so than the Battle of Glen Fruin which
began on February 7,1603 between clan MacGregor and Clan Colquhoun. The war
was waged after two MacGregor clansmen were ordered executed by the chief of
the Clan Colquhoun.
Two months after the Clan MacGregor’s slaughter of the Clan Colquhoun, an
edict was issued by King James VI of Scotland and the Privy Council, which
declared the name of MacGregor as altogidderabolisheed. In other words,
anyone who bore the name must surrender it or be put to death. The MacGregor
chief and eleven of his chieftains were executed in 1604 because they
refused to renounce their name. Consequently, the Clan Gregor dispersed,
with men adopting other names such as Murray or Grant.
In 1617, an Act of the Scottish Parliament ordered that the name MacGregor
be abolished and anyone with that name had to renounce their name and adopt
a different name. In essence, having the name MacGregor and its variation
Gregor became illegal and anyone not adhering to the law would be executed.
As a result, many adopted the surnames Murray, Graham, Stewart, Grant and
Campbell.
The oppression and cruelty directed to clan MacGregor did not end until
1774, when the laws against them were abolished and the surname was fully
restored. However, by that time, many of the people bearing that name had
fled their homeland escaping persecution, scattering across Europe and the
Americas. As they dispersed, they either adopted completely new names or
variations of their original name MacGregor. Many of the arrivals in the
Americas chose the name GREGG. Arriving to the New World, they primarily
settled in the British’s main colonies, America, Jamaica and Barbados. As
the other islands became more colonized, the GREGGs branched out, leaving a
lasting impact and legacy.
The Gregg Family History Project
By Alexander D. Gregg (pdf) |
