Gresham

Gresham
This distinguished surname, having no less than seven Coats of Arms, and several notable entries in the "Dictionary of National Biography", is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational name from the parish of Gresham, south west of Cromer in Norfolk. Recorded various as "Gersam" and "Gressam" in the Domesday Book of 1086; as "Grasham" in the 1194 Pipe Rolls of that county, and as "Gresseham" in 1254, the place was so called from the Olde English pre 7th Century "gaers-ham(m)", grazing-pasture. The original eaning of "ham(m)" is held to mean enclosure, but in placenames the meaning is often "flat low-lying meadow on a stream". One Thomas Gresham, witness, was noted in the 1446 Assize Court Rolls of Lancashire, and on June 9th 1555, Maria, daughter of Willmi Gresham, was christened at Thorpe Market, Norfolk. Sir Richard Gresham, sheriff of London and Middlesex, 1531, became lord mayor of London in 1537, and Sir John Gresham, lord mayor of London, 1547, was the founder of Holt Grammar School, Norfolk. In 1568, the Royal Exchange in London was founded at the expense of the English financier, Sir Thomas Gresham. One of the earliest Coats of Arms granted to the Gresham family of Norfolk from whom descended Sir Thomas Gresham (above) is a silver shield with a chevron ermines between three mullets pierced sable, the Crest being a gold grasshopper on a green mount. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William de Gresham, which was dated 1199, in "Pleas before the King or his Justices", Norfolk, during the reign of King Richard 1, known as "Richard the Lionheart", 1189 - 1199. 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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  • Gresham — may refer to:*Gresham s Law Places *Gresham, Norfolk *Gresham Park, Georgia *Gresham, Illinois *Gresham, Nebraska (York County) *Gresham, Oregon *Gresham, Wisconsin Educational Establishments *Gresham s School, Norfolk, England *Gresham College,… …   Wikipedia

  • Gresham — ist der Name folgender Personen: Douglas Gresham, (* 1945), britischer Autor und Filmproduzent Matt Gresham (* 1988), australischer Musiker Thomas Gresham, (1519–1597), britischer Ökonom Walter Q. Gresham, (1832–1895), US amerikanischer Politiker …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gresham — Gresham, NE U.S. village in Nebraska Population (2000): 270 Housing Units (2000): 135 Land area (2000): 0.266825 sq. miles (0.691074 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.266825 sq. miles (0.691074… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • GRESHAM (T.) — GRESHAM sir THOMAS (1519 1579) Commerçant et banquier, agent à Anvers d’Édouard VI, roi d’Angleterre, Gresham est le fondateur du Royal Exchange (Bourse de commerce) de Londres. Spécialiste des questions de change, il a donné son nom à la loi,… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Gresham, NE — U.S. village in Nebraska Population (2000): 270 Housing Units (2000): 135 Land area (2000): 0.266825 sq. miles (0.691074 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.266825 sq. miles (0.691074 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Gresham, OR — U.S. city in Oregon Population (2000): 90205 Housing Units (2000): 35309 Land area (2000): 22.154663 sq. miles (57.380311 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.094455 sq. miles (0.244638 sq. km) Total area (2000): 22.249118 sq. miles (57.624949 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Gresham, WI — U.S. village in Wisconsin Population (2000): 575 Housing Units (2000): 257 Land area (2000): 1.142370 sq. miles (2.958725 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.101617 sq. miles (0.263187 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.243987 sq. miles (3.221912 sq. km) FIPS …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Gresham [1] — Gresham (spr. Gressämm), Sir Thomas, Sohn eines Kaufmanns, geb. 1519 in London, erlernte die Kaufmannschaft u. erwarb sich ein großes Vermögen; den Königinnen Maria u. Elisabeth leistete er wesentliche Dienste bei Geldoperationen u. vermittelte… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Gresham — (spr. gräschĕm), 1) Sir Thomas, der Gründer der Londoner Börse, geb. 1519 in London, gest. 21. Nov. 1579, Sohn des Sir Richard G., eines angesehenen Kaufmanns und Lord Mayors von London, der Agent König Heinrichs VIII. in Antwerpen war (vgl.… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Gresham —   [ greʃəm], Sir Thomas, englischer Finanzpolitiker, * London um 1519, ✝ ebenda 21. 11. 1579; seit 1551/1552 als königlicher Faktor (Finanzagent) in Antwerpen tätig, um Anleihen für die Krone aufzunehmen. Nach Gresham wurde das greshamsche Gesetz …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Gresham [2] — Gresham (spr. Gressämm), Grafschaft in der englischen Colonie Neu Südwales (Australien) …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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