Greer Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Greer Family History

Greer Family History

The ancient origin of the name Greer was found in the irishsurnames.com archives.

Surnames developed a wide number of variants over the centuries. Many different spelling variations of the same name can be traced back to a single original root. Also, when a bearer of a name emigrated from Ireland it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books upon arrival at their new location. Some names have dozens of spelling variations. Some Surnames were also altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically, by their sound, and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another. This was especially so in Ireland where most Gaelic names were 'anglicized' at some stage.

Variants of the name Greer include and Grier and Grere. This name is a shortened form of McGregor, descended from Gregor, a son of King Alpin in the year 787. They had great possessions in Perthshire and Argyllshire and held their lands by the sword, until eventually their name was suppressed in Parliament. In the thirteenth century they held lands in Glenorchy. Patrick, who succeeded in 1390, had two younger sons, John Dhu MacGregor of Glenstrae and Gregor MacGregor of Roro. The Chieftainship then went to the Glenstrae branch. In 1502 the line of Roro was dispossessed by the Campbells. In 1603 the MacGregors overthrew their oppressors, the Colquhouns of Luss, at Glenfruin. For this they were outlawed, and their Chief, Alexander MacGregor, was executed in Edinburgh in 1604, but as late as 1774 MacGregor of Glengyle drew blackmail on the Highland Borders.

In Ireland this name and its variants were introduced into Ulster Province by settlers who arrived from England and Scotland, especially during the seventeenth century. During the 'Plantations of Ireland' in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Ireland was colonized by the English Crown with this period marking the end of Gaelic supremacy in Ireland. This period brought an influx of settlers into the country but, unlike the earlier Anglo-Norman invasion of the twelfth century that resulted in a full integration into Irish society of the new arrivals, the same never occurred with the Ulster Planters who maintained their own distinct identity.

The Greer family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Greer descendants.