This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Greville.' Lower (Patronymica Britannica.) quotes as follows: 'Greville, a parish at the extremity of the isthmus of La Hogue, in Normandy, is supposed to have given name to the Lord of Greville who accompanied the Conqueror; but this is uncertain as there were three distinct fiefs which gave to their possessors the title of Sire de Greville' (M. de Gerville in Mem. Soc. Ant. Norman, 1825).

John de Greville, Wiltshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

This family was founded by the wool trade in the 14th cent, by William Grevel, "the flower of the wool-merchants in the w hole realm of England," who died, and was buried at Campden, Gloucestershire, in 14011: Shirley's Noble and Gentle Men.

1672-3. Henry Grevill and Elizabeth Baker: Marriage Alleg. (Canterbury).

(French-Latin) belonging to Grêville (Dept. Manche) = (?) the Sand­stone Farmstead or Village [Old French greve, sandstone (cp. Mod.French grève, a gravelly beach) + French ville, Latin villa)

From the castle of that name in the Côtentin. “There is another Greville or Graville, in Normandy, but this is the original habitat.” “Some people believe Greville and Graville to be the same; but their perplexity would be at an end if they knew that there is a parish of Greville in Normandy, and would remember that Graville was the Seigneurie of Malet, who bore no surname.”— M. de Gerville. There is no vestige of a castle at Greville. - Sir Francis Palgrave. This cannot be intended for the existing family of Greville, Earls of Warwick, who would appear to be a branch of the Grenvilles. Dugdale speaks of their name as “Greyvill or Greynvil (for both ways it is written),” and the arms of Greville are those of Grenville with the tinctures changed and a border added for a difference. They were seated at Drayton in Oxfordshire (the adjoining county to Bucks) which Leland calls “the veri ancient house of the Gravilles”: and their ancestor, “John Greville (or Grenville) appears to be the same who is mentioned by Collins as of Wotton in 1308, and whose father John, son of John de Grenville, was living in 1305. There can be little doubt that the present branch sprang from the Grenvilles at about this date, both from the arms and the recurrence of the same contemporary Christian names.”—The Norman People. Once only have I succeeded in meeting with a Greville who did not bear the cross and roundels of the Grenvilles. This was Sir Adam de Greyville, whose daughter and heir, Elizabeth, married Sir Humphrey Stafford of Hooke, one of the retinue of the Black Prince. His coat was Argent, six lionels rampant Gules, three, two, and one; armed A sure. But in this case even, it may have been adopted through some previous intermarriage with an heiress. The name is spelt “Gravale” in the Rotuli Curiæ Regis of 1194-99; and “Grovil” in Poulson’s History of Holderness. In the former case I believe it refers to a different family; for I find in Robson’s British Herald that Gravell or Gravill bore Gules three buckles Or, and Grauell Argent a lion rampant Azure crowned Or a chief Gules.

Greville, a parish at the extremity of the isthmus of La Hogue in Normandy, is supposed to have given name to the Lord of Greville, who accompanied William I. to the Conquest of England; but this is uncertain, as there were three distinct fiefs which gave to their possessors the title of Sire de Grevile. M. De Gerville in Mem. Soc. Antiq. Norman 1825.

Or Grenville. The names are used interchangeably in the early records, and the arms of Greville are those of Grenville with a bordure to mark a younger branch. The Grevilles, Earls of Brooke and Warwick, Lords Brook, Greville, &c., probably descend from a branch of the house of Grenville or Greville, of Wotton, Bucks. See Grenville. The arms are those of a younger branch of this house. This branch was possessed of Drayton, Oxfordshire (the adjoining county to Bucks), and was descended from John Greville (or Grenville), who appears to be the same who is mentioned by Collins as of Wotton 1308, and whose father John, son of John de Greinville, was living 1305. There can be little doubt that the present branch sprang from the Grenvilles at about this date, both from the arms and the recurrence of the same contemporary Christian names.

Greville: is disguised in Leland as Gruyele. It comes from a castle of the name in the Cotentin; but the existing Greville family is thought to be a branch of the Grenvilles.