Griggs
Usually a surname from the personal name Gregory, meaning “son of Greg” or “son of Gregory.”
The #1,437 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 12,440 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The name is generally treated as a patronymic from Gregory, through the short form Greg or Grig. Ultimately Gregory comes from Greek Gregorios, meaning “watchful” or “alert.” In this surname, the final -s marks descent or family connection, so Griggs means essentially “descendant of Greg/Gregory.”
History
Nineteenth-century surname writers consistently grouped Griggs with the many English and Scottish forms derived from Gregory, including Gregg, Gregson, and Grigson. Some sources note it as especially common in Britain and later well established in North America. The spelling with -s fits the common English patronymic pattern seen in names such as Williams or Roberts.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname dictionaries often list Griggs alongside a whole cluster of Gregory-based forms, showing how one medieval given name generated many different family names.
From the historical record
“known Welsh baptismal name. GRIGGS. See Gregory. GRIGNON. " Chagrin, et de mauvaise humeur," generally applied to children. Decorde's Diet, du Patois du Pays de Bray. GRIGSON. GREGSOK See Gregory. GRIMBELL. The old personal name”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom