15,066 Global GRIER Family Members

GRIER Family History

Recorded in the spellings of Grier and Greer, this is an ancient Scottish surname. Whether it descends as is sometimes claimed from the clan MacGregor, who were outlawed in 1603, and clan members forced to take other surnames, or whether it is a short form of 'Grierson', is not proven. However it hardly seems to matter as the Griersons of Lag, Dumfriesshire, themselves claim Highland descent from Gilbert, second son of Malcolm, who is purported to have formed clan Gregor in circa 1350. This in itself however, seems unlikely as Malcom 1V reigned in circa 1150, and the MacGregors themselves claim descent from Gregory the Great, of the 9th century - its all very confusing, but a good fable...