Griffith

Griffith
This ancient Welsh surname derives from the Old Welsh personal name "Grippiud", which gradually developed into "Griffudd", and "Gruffudd", and the early standard form "Gruffydd". The normal pronunciation of the name in South Wales became "Griffidd", and those medieval scribes who were not Welsh generally wrote "Griffith", as being the closest phonetic spelling within their writing system. This form, Griffith, and Griffiths the patronymic came to be used almost universally, as forename and surname, throughout Wales. The first element of the name, "Griff", is of uncertain origin, but is thought to mean "strong grip", with "(i)udd" the second element meaning "chief, lord". The first recording of the surname in England occurs in 1524, when one Jone Gryffyth is listed in the Suffolk Subsidy Rolls. One Richard Griffiths was an early emigrant to the New World colonies, leaving London on the "Hopewell" in February 1634, bound for the Barbadoes. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of David Gryttyth, which was dated 1295, the Lordship of Oswestry, during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Griffith — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Alan Arnold Griffith (1893−1963), britischer Ingenieur Anastasia Griffith (* 1978), britische Schauspielerin Andy Griffith (* 1926), US amerikanischer Schauspieler, Schriftsteller und Produzent Arthur… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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  • GRIFFITH (A.) — GRIFFITH ARTHUR (1872 1922) Fils d’une longue lignée d’imprimeurs, Arthur Griffith fut un redoutable journaliste de combat. Sa plume fit plus pour mettre fin à la présence britannique dans le sud de l’Irlande que toutes les révoltes nationalistes …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Griffith — may refer to:In people: * Griffith (surname)In places: * Griffith, Indiana, United States, town in northwest Indiana, and suburb of Chicago * Griffith, New South Wales, city in Australia * Griffith, Australian Capital Territory, suburb of… …   Wikipedia

  • Griffith — Griffith, Arthur Griffith, David Wark * * * (as used in expressions) Griffith Joyner, (Delorez) Florence Delorez Florence Griffith Griffith, Andy Andrew Samuel Griffith Griffith, Arthur Griffith, D(avid) W(ark) Griffith, Emile (Alphonse) John… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Griffith —   [ grɪfɪθ],    1) Arthur, irischer Politiker, * Dublin 31. 3. 1872, ✝ ebenda 12. 8. 1922; Drucker, später Journalist, 1905 als Vorkämpfer der irischen Unabhängigkeit maßgeblich an der Gründung der Sinn Féin beteiligt; stand 1919/20 an der Spitze …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Griffith — Griffith, IN U.S. town in Indiana Population (2000): 17334 Housing Units (2000): 6990 Land area (2000): 7.169677 sq. miles (18.569377 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 7.169677 sq. miles (18.569377 …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Griffith, IN — U.S. town in Indiana Population (2000): 17334 Housing Units (2000): 6990 Land area (2000): 7.169677 sq. miles (18.569377 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 7.169677 sq. miles (18.569377 sq. km) FIPS …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Griffith — Griffith, eine der Georginseln im nördlichen Eismeer, an der Nordküste von Britisch Nordamerika …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Griffith — Griffith, Sir Samuel Walker, australischer Staatsmann, geb. 1845, studierte in Sydney die Rechte, wurde 1863 Bakkalaureus und 1870 Magister artium, nachdem er schon 1867 als Rechtsanwalt für Queensland (dann auch für Neusüdwales und Victoria)… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Griffith — m Welsh: Anglicized form of Gruffudd or Griffudd, Old Welsh Grip (p)iud. The second element of this means ‘lord, prince’, but the first is extremely uncertain. Gruffydd ap Llewellyn (d. 1063) was one of the most able rulers of Wales in the Middle …   First names dictionary

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