The Origin and Meaning of the Name GRANT: “True Grit”

[Last Update: January 2025]

A1. Preamble: The Nature of Surnames

The etymology and hence the meaning of some surnames is "obvious". Many are geographical, many refer to a trade or profession Still others are petrified patronymics (ie eg MacDonald or Donaldson where the father of the progenitor was called Donald and all subsequent generations are called Mac Donald even though their own father may well not have been called Donald).

However there a large numbers of surnames whose origins are by no means so simple and this can give rise to misrepresentation whether out of ignorance or out of malice or due to affectation, often of grandeur. The name Grant has been in this misrepresented category - which persists to this day - for which reason this exhaustive discussion and definitive explanation has become and remains necessary.

The educated/gentry enjoyed a pun no less in those days than we do today. Hence many surnames were in themselves nonsense sounds, but they were a play on real words. A few examples will serve to illustrate this:
(i) the Comyn family had the Cumin plant on their shield and they came from a place in Normandy called Comines;
(ii) the Fraser family sported strawberry plants ("fraise" in French) and came from Fresel or Freseau in Anjou, France (whence also associated names such as Frizell, Frissell).
On the other hand
(iii) The name "Cameron" actually derives from Chambron in France (their arms too clearly indicate a Flemish origin) and this is accepted by the current chiefs. However a supposed Gaelic origin - originally punned by a wag with a less than complimentary opinion of these evident outsiders - suggested a derivation meaning "crooked nose" and this was embraced over many generations by the Cameron chiefs. The move was successful not only in showing that the chief was big enough to take a joke against himself but also served to enmesh him in the community they had come in to rule over.
(iv) So too with the Campbells. (a) Early renditions of the name of the general form "de Campo Bello" (b) a continental origin is clearly indicated in the recently transcribed Dewar Papers and (c) their coat of arms show that they descend from the Counts of Flanders (they would have been censured severely had they arrogated these arms undeservedly). But again some wag has punned it into Gaelic suggesting the meaning "crooked mouth". At some very early point the Campbells found it crucial to their future to claim a Celtic origin and so for some time embraced this explanation.

A2. Context for the Name Grant

Pronunciation: We should note that the pronunciation was not as it is mostly today (ie like either way the word "dance" is pronounced). Rather it was closest to today's "ground" but with a "t" instead of a "d". Norman French words like "dance" (pronounced in the French of today's "RP" way) were twisted by Gaels and pronounced more like "downse". But everyone agrees that even the earliest Grants in England (in the early 13th Century - well within the living memory of those who had witnessed the institution of the name) pronounced their names in the Gaelic fashion (even spelling it Graunt and Grawnt). It is worth noting also that in the Chronicle of Melrose Richard Grant, Archbishop of Canterbury, is referred to as Richard "le Graunt" - powerfully adding to the support of the old texts which claim him as "one of ours". The monks at Melrose would have been Anglian (the local population) or Norman (imported eg by David I) so would have no reason to spell the name in this way by mistake.

Timeframe: As is explained in detail in "Scottish Clans..." the name Grant was adopted as a surname around 1174/5 when Aulay Grant married Devorguilla of Fife. However the name had been in use as a nickname since being adopted by Olaf Hemingsson. [in 1095 he scribed and signed the Coldingham Charter as "Grento".] Grento was already an established given name occurring twice separately in Domesday Book (1086). This is supported powerfully by the fact that Olaf's second son, Gregory, was nicknamed "Garbh" - which in broad terms is "Grant" translated into Gaelic. The name continued to be used, but informally, by the proto-Grants until 1175 when it was formalised.

This was far from being the first surname in Scotland, but rather earlier than most due to the specific circumstances in which they found themselves. By comparison, the Moffats had adopted "de Monte Alto" in 1095 were probably the first; the Stewarts formalised theirs in 1204. But others survived with patronymics for several more decades - in some cases centuries.]

B. Meaning of "Grant"

As indicated above and as explained below, the name "Grant" has a specific meaning: "granular" - ie "gravelly" or "grainy". We may reasonably take this metaphorically to imply that Grants are (or should be!) characterised by showing "true grit". However the progenitor who adopted the name was very well read (indeed a writer) and so was also very much alive to word play - punning potential.

A.1 Direct Meaning Elements

1. Tradition: Grant tradition suggests that the name comes from Sliabh Grianais - the moor above Aviemore - understood to be the first land in Scotland occupied by the Grant progenitors. Both elements of this tradition have been questioned - dismissed - by more recent 'academics'. In the case of the name, they claim that it is not possible for the name Grianais to mutate into Grant. In the case of the landholding, the Anglo-Norman brigade assert that Stratherrick was the first Scottish land held by the family (but see the conclusive arguments against this elsewhere on this site). As will be seen below, however, the "traditional" explanation of the name will be seen to stand up very well to even the closest scrutiny. As will be seen elsewhere on this site, we may be confident that the "homeland" tradition, articulated even by General Sir Patrick Grant of Tullochgorm in 1872 (see Fraser Vol I) is also the case.

So before looking for elements of meaning for the word "Grant", we need to examine Grianias (now Granish). In his "Placenames: Highlands and Islands of Scotland" (p182), Alexander MacBain has this to say:

"Granish (Duthil) G Grèanais (Grèn-), for older Gràniais, apparently from gràin, abhorrence; but likely Pictish, denoting 'rough place', from the same root and stem, The place figures in Druid lore and writings on account of its stone circles, and is consequently called Grianais, 'Sun-place', which does not agree with the modern pronunciation."

The context/detail for MacBain's "rough"-ness can be found in Dwelly's Gaelic Dictionary which has "Grean" meaning "Gravel". This perspective is supported implicitly by WJ Waltson ("The Celtic Placenames of Scotland", p 141) referring, inter alia, to "Balgrenadh" - 'Gravelly stead' and to "Greanaich" for Grennich, 'Gravelly Place' in Strath Tummel.

Thus tradition tells us that the name Grant should mean "Gravelly" or "Gritty", but how can this be? For it is surely impossible for Grèanais to mutate into Grant.......

2. Old Celtic/Brythonic: From pre-Roman times at least until the Norman Conquest, the name of the river Cam (or Rhee) running by Shepreth (now in Cambridgeshire), one of Heming Hakonsson's holdings during the reign of Edward the Confessor - and possibly Olav Hemingsson's base in the period 1052-7 was the Grant(a). As in the placename Grantham (Lincolnshire), the word means "Gravelly". The pre-Norman (and current Welsh) name for Grantchester is Caer Grawnt.

3. Coincidence: (a). We noted above Granais as the key part of Olaf Hemingsson's first land-holding in Scotland (which is also why he chose the nickname Grento). But it is also the case (see "Scottish Clans..") that Yriar in Norway was the first holding of his direct line ancestor, Haakon Guthrumsson. Yriar, too means "gravelly".
(b) There is another strand to this coincidence. We have already seen the way Olaf held St Patrick in extremely high regard (see the page on the arms and a full explanation in "Scottish Clans"). St Patrick was born in and lived his early years at Gretna on the Solway Coast (his capture by Irish pirates was on Gretna Hill) - and Gretna means..... "gravelly"!

Thus we can see very easily how Olaf would have felt that somehow fate had dealt him this hand, how he was destined to i habit this place and so he embraced it.

This is the main thread and is particularly supported by spelling. In early documents the name Grant is very often spelled Graunt or Grawnt. This ties in perfectly with the Old Celtic (ie Pictish) of the Grianais above. Thus the connection with Grianais is not a matter of pronunciation, but one of meaning and the sophomore objections are void.

A.2 Punning Elements

Having thus established very precisely what the name means, we have also noted that punning was enjoyed and there can be no doubt that Olaf enjoyed a pun.

4. Old Norse: The Old Norse word Gran means Fir Tree. Given that the pine tree is the plant badge this pun must have been in Olaf's mind.
[Norse Cognates: In passing we should note some derivative Old Norse cognates of "gran". Variations on the word inter alia mean (a) beard (the allusion to the whiskeriness of the beard to the needles of the pine tree is obvious), (b) comb (again the shape of the needle and the tooth of the comb), (c) precise or accurate, even pedantic (the sharpness of the pine needle), (d) tight fisted, mean (the narrowness of the pine needle) and green etc. It will be for readers to decide how far any of these qualities are to be found amongst bearers of the name!]

5. Norman French: As we can see from discussion of meanings above, there can be no direct connection between "Grant" as a surname and the Norman French word "grand" meaning "big" or "tall" or even "great". However it has to be acknowledged that the word "grand" was represented as "grant" in the Scotland of those days. Part of what is now Dalton in Dumfriesshire, for example - previously "Meikle Dalton" - was represented on the Ragman Roll (just before 1300) as "Grant Dalton".

One source of confusion is that many of the early Grants were indeed tall. Archbishop Richard le Graunt's height was the subject of comment and - if we are to believe the MacGregors - his brother Gregory was knicknamed "Mor" (or "Big Yin" as we have it today). And there is further confusion. Aulay Grant, our first chief had a brother Malcolm who chose the surname Mitchell. This is actually a corruption of the name Michael and was taken because the lands he held in Glenurquart had been named by St Columba after St Michael (whence Loch Meiklie survives to this day). But Meikle is very easily confused with "mickle" (and "muckle") meaning "great" or "big".

The Normans themselves were clearly confused by the name/word. Look, for example, at what they did with the word Grant:
(a) the river Grant became the "Cam" and Cambridge came from Grantabrigga through Cantebrigge;
(b) Grantham was also mangled by the Normans. Immigrants to Scotland who came from Grantham gave themselves the name "de Graham" or "de Graeme".

So the Normans could not handle the word "Grant" as a placename or a personal name - and changed it wherever they could. Early documents refer to the Grants as "dictus Grant" or "dicti Grantes" which can be translated as "crazy name, crazy guy" or, "we haven't got a clue what this is all about, but this is how it sounds". If the Norman scribes had thought they understood the name, there would have been no need for any of this "dictus" stuff! Moreover, if it had been a descriptive nickname, there would have been no need for the gratuitous tautology of remarking (as Norman people did) upon Richard le Graunt's tallness!

There is a final irony which should be brought to the reader's attention. Those desperate to seek a Norman French origin for the Grants and their name often try to invoke one of William the Conqueror's main henchmen: Hugh de Grandmesnil. The word element "mesnil" means "small mansion" (it is cognate with the word "demesne"). So "big small mansion" is silly from the start. But the minute we look into it we find that the correct spelling is "Grentemesnil". Grentemesnil (now Grandmesnil, of course) lies some 25 miles SE of Caen in Normandy. However there is another place "Mesnil au Grain" which lies just 13 miles SE of Caen. Just to be sure I spoke to the owners who kindly confirmed that "Grain" means "grain/wheat". So we can be fully confident that when Hugh took part in the invasion of England his surname was was the "of the grain mansion" and had nothing to do with being "big". Thus are the Norman fantasists hoist on their own pétard!

B. Elements upon which the name is NOT based

6. Not Irish Gaelic: The first occurrence of a word spelled "Grant" is to be found in the Annals of Tigernach (for 717), which records the death of "Conal Grant". It would be all too easy to call this a "surname" and to try to invent a derivative line, but in this context the name is a surname only in the sense of soubriquet and means "grey-haired" - as such it was not heritable (unless the condition was!!). There is no clear indication of how the word was pronounced, but in the Annals of Clonmacnoise for the same year the word is rendered as "Graint" - and this would imply quite a different pronunciation from that we have discussed above. [I am especially grateful to Dr Alex Woolf of St Andrews University and Dr Katharine Simms of Trinity College Dublin for their advice in this matter.]

7. Not Scots Gaelic: Dwelly lists an old Gaelic word "Grant" which means grey or green, and this is clearly analogous to the Irish Gaelic above.

8. Not Scots Gaelic: At a much later stage, the Macgregors, at substantial pains to try to claim a superiority to the Grants suggested that "Grant" was not the otherwise perfectly acceptable, albeit inaccurate, Gaelic word, but, instead, a variation on another word "Graund" which they claimed to be Gaelic and to mean "ugly". Purists will readily see that it just does not work anyway: Dwelly, for example, does give Grannda, Grànda or Gràinde meaning, inter alia, "ugly" - but not "Graund".

The purpose of the Macgregor claim was an effort (falsely) to assert their precedence over the Grants by suggesting that the Grants descended from one of their own: "Gregor Mor Graund" by which they wanted us to understand "Big ugly Gregor". The context of this was a meeting held in the 1600s to consider the merging of the clans. They intended this as a reference to Gregory Grant, second Chief (c 1180 - 1249). For their purposes it was necessary to suggest "graund" as a nickname instead of "Grant", the already adopted surname. [It should be pointed out that the current Clan Gregor Society would give no houseroom to this old claim.] One good thing that comes out of this claim, however is that the meaning "Grant" as the Norman French "Big" or "Great" was clearly not generally understood - as "Gregor Mor Grant" would have been tautology ("Big Big Gregor")!

Other problems with their proposition are: (i) that it seems generally agreed that the name "Gregory" had not yet been Gaelicised to "Gregor" or "Griogar" etc. at the time in question; (ii) the name MacGregor had not been adopted as a surname by that time.

9. Frequently Mistaken Connections: The place name Granton (now part of Edinburgh) appears to have no direct family connection with the Grants. Two apparently mutually exclusive explanations of this placename seem to be offered: (i) "Gren don" - green hill and (ii) "Grant Tun" - gravelly farmstead; as we can see also with Grantham in Lincolnshire (etc.) there is a connection of meaning, but that is all. Of the Granton alternatives, given that the Angles controlled the area for so long it is far more likely that "farmstead built on gravel" is the correct explanation.