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  Greathead Coat of Arms / Greathead Family CrestThe surname of GREATHEAD was derived from the Old French word of GROSSETESTE - meaning 'great head'. The name was brought into England in the wake of the Norman Invasion and GRETHEVED (without surname) was listed as a tenant in the Domesday Book of 1086. In 1086 the compilation of the Domesday Book was ordered by William the Conqueror (1027-87), king of England from 1066. He was born in Failaise, the bastard son of Robert, Duke of Normandy, by Arlette, a tanner's daughter. On his father's death in 1035, the nobles accepted him as a duke. When Edward the Confessor, king of England died in 1066, William invaded England that Autumn, on 14th October, 1066 killing Harold (who had become King). English government under William assumed a more feudal aspect, the king's tenants-in-chief and all title to land was derived from his grants, and the Domesday Book contains details of the land settlements, and the names of the owners of such.Other records of the name also mention Agnes Gretheved of the County of Lincolnshire in 1272. Peter Gretheued of the County of Lancashire in 1327. Hugo Grethed was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379. Marmaduke Greathead and Katherine Dorrell were married in London, 1619. Thomas Greathead and Ann Spray were married at St. George's, Hanover Square, London in 1755. When the coast of England was invaded by William The Conqueror in the year 1066, the Normans brought with them a store of French personal names, which soon, more or less, entirely replaced the traditional more varied Old English personal names, at least among the upper and middle classes. A century of so later, given names of the principal saints of the Christian church began to be used. It is from these two types of given name that the majority of the English patronymic surnames are derived and used to this day. |
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