Coat of Arms & Family Crests Store
Grams Coat of Arms / Grams Family CrestThis Danish surname of GRAMS was of two-fold origin. It was a topographic name for someone who lived on a patch of meadowland, originally derived from the Old Danish word GRAME meaning grass, pasture. The name was rendered in early documents in the Latin form GRAMEN. Surnames derived from placenames are divided into two broad categories; topographic names and habitation names. Topographic names are derived from general descriptive references to someone who lived near a physical feature such as an oak tree, a hill, stream or a church. Habitation names are derived from pre-existing names denoting towns, villages and farmsteads. Other classes of local names include those derived from the names of rivers, individual houses with signs on them, regions and whole countries. The name was also given as a nickname for an irascible person, from the Danish word GRAM meaning angry. Surnames having a derivation from nicknames form the broadest and most miscellaneous class of surnames, encompassing many different types of origin. The most typical classes refer adjectivally to the general physical aspect of the person concerned, or to his character. Many nicknames refer to a man's size or height, while others make reference to a favoured article of clothing or style of dress. Many surnames derived from the names of animals and birds. In the Middle Ages ideas were held about the characters of other living creatures, based on observation, and these associations were reflected and reinforced by large bodies of folk tales featuring animals behaving as humans. The practice of adopting surnames spread to Denmark and Norway from Germany, during the late Middle Ages, but until the 19th century, they were neither fixed nor universal. The Danish state has in recent years been encouraging the adoption of a wider range of surnames. A notable member of the name was Hans Christian Joachim GRAM (1853-1938) the Danish bacteriologist, born in Copenhagen. Professor at Copenhagen, he established in 1884, a micro-biological staining method for bacteria. In the Middle Ages heraldry came into use as a practical matter. It originated in the devices used to distinguish the armoured warriors in tournament and war, and was also placed on seals as marks of identity. As far as records show, true heraldry began in the middle of the 12th century, and appeared almost simultaneously in several countries of Western Europe. |
Orders over $90 qualify for Free Shipping within the U.S. |
