GRIX, Marsham

[robbieuk]

Hello Geoffers,

Thnak you very much for lookign up the GRIX name, this is very interesting. I think the meadow owner was my ancestor.

The Christopher & Elizabeth (Keeler) Grix could be my ancestors - but as ever with the Grix tree, nothing is straightforward! I've taken the liberty of posting my family details below - I hope that's OK and it's not too logn winded - if it is, I certainly won't object to Geoffers editing this message.

Thanks again for making my first enquiry on this board so fruitful!

Rob

Esther Grix was my ancestor and she was baptised in Marsham in 1783. She died in 1851 in Corpusty. Her parents were Christopher Grix and Susannah Hammond who married in Marsham in 1776. Their other children were baptised in Marsham:
Mary – bp. 1779
John – bp. 1781, settled in Knapton
William – bp. 1786
Anna – bp. 1787
Amy - bp. 1789 died 1820
Stephen – bp. 1791 died 1798
James – bp. 1794
Christopher – bp. 1795 moved to East Bilney, married, died 1874
Ann – bp. 1797 married John Smithson in 1824
Susanna - bp. 1799 died 1811

Christopher Grix died in 1821 in Marsham, a farmer. I don’t know when his wife Susannah died. Christopher Grix was, I think, the son of another Christopher Grix who died in Horstead in 1812 aged about 87 years – he may have been baptised at Binham in 1730, the son of Christopher and Amy Grix.

Christopher (Esther's father who was born about 1757) had five siblings, all named in their father’s will but I haven’t found their baptisms:
John – the eldest surviving son according to the will, moved to Guildford, worked as a seedman
Esther born about 1754 married 1779 Theophilus Pye at Marsham and had Zechariah (1779)and Charlotte (1782, who married John Hunt); then married widower Edward Delph in 1794 and had Esther (1795) and Sarah (1796). She died 1824.
Stephen born about 1766 and died in 1820, a aptised at Binham in 1730, the son of Christopher and Amy Grix.

Christopher (Esther's father who was born about 1757) had five siblings, all named in their father’s will but I haven’t found their baptisms:
John – the eldest surviving son according to the will, moved to Guildford, worked as a seedman
Esther born about 1754 married 1779 Theophilus Pye at Marsham and had Zechariah (1779)and Charlotte (1782, who married John Hunt); then married widower Edward Delph in 1794 and had Esther (1795) and Sarah (1796). She died 1824.
Stephen born about 1766 and died in 1820, a farmer and bachelor
William moved to Stepney, a mlkman
Elizabeth born 1768 married William Edwards and had William & Elizabeth, died 1812

The dates don't seem to fit very well, so perhaps there were two Christophers in the same period in the same area?

Rob

[Geoffers]

The above message was originally posted on the following thread:
http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?p=40038#post40038
I've split the threads so that it is easier for anyone interested in the GRIX family to pick up the details.

The main information posted on this other thread is:
In Coltishall Parish Register - marriage, entry No.30 page 10:
22 Oct 1764 after banns. Christopher GRIX married Elizabeth KEELER
wit: Wm HILL, Richd CHALDERS (second witness was a Churchwarden and witnessed many marriages).

Coltishall A/T:
6 Jul 1776. Mary GRIX daur of Christopher & Elizabeth, bapt
(23?) Oct 1768. John GRIX son of Christr & Elizabeth, bapt

Horstead A/T
9 May 1779, Elizabeth GRIX, daur of Christopher & Elizabeth, bapt
16 May 1779, Elizabeth GRIX, inft, bur

Geoffers

[Geoffers]

Checking the 1851 census for the distribution of the name GRIX, shows 91 of the name born in Norfolk, of whom 42 were born in Marsham and several more in nearby parishes, Aylsham, Hevingham, Heydon, Oxnead, St.Faiths. The spelling seems most prevalent here.

This number born in a single parish would suggst to me that they had been living there for some time; with odd children being baptised in the mother's home parish. How far back have you checked Marsham registers?

If you have only checked the parish registers, I would suggest it may be worth scanning the ATs. Some parishes in Norfolk seem to have additional entries which are not shown in the parish register.

continued.....

[Geoffers]

part 2....

I also had a look at the 1664 Hearth Tax Returns for the spread of the surname. LE GRICE occurs in Diss, GRICE in Diss, Fakenham and Sustead.

GRIX is recorded in: Blakeney, Hemsby, Langham, Saxthorpe, Sheringham, Sidestrand, Wood Dalling.

Wood Dalling and Saxthorpe are not too far from Marsham, maybe your family resided there in the 17th century and moved slowly East? I had a look at Cawston baptisms for the 18th and 19th centuries. No GRIX entries until the last quarter of the 19th century. Also, none that I could see in Haveringland, Aylsham, Blickling or Buxton.

I'd suggest that you might try Hevingham registers (these have been transcribed, there's a copy at the SoG if you're anywhere near London) - Also, the parishes of Saxthorpe, Heydon, Oulton and Wood Dalling.

continued....

[Geoffers]

part 3......

Lastly, Sheila Bell compiled three lists, which were published by the NNGS (forerunner of the NFHS). These just record surnames and the parishes where they are recorded in the Bishop's Transcripts for particular years.

Looking at one of these, for the year 1715, GRIX is recorded in Binham, Morston, Sall and Marsham.

So it seems that there was some GRIX presence in Marsham in the early 18th century.

Geoffers

[robbieuk]

Thank you very much for your assistance! I think my GRIX family are associated with Binham and possibly Langham.

It's an unusual name. I presume it is a variant of Le Grice or Grice and therefore of French extraction (perhaps Hugenot refugees - I have other families such as the Vertigans who fit this bill). It may be a variant of Griggs although the prevalence of the Grix name so early on perhaps suggests the family was always Grix?

Rob Bates

[Geoffers]

It may be a variant of Griggs although the prevalence of the Grix name so early on perhaps suggests the family was always Grix?I don't know enough of the etymology of the name to make definitive comments on its source - but I would guess that it was a name from the continent, originally GRICE or LE GRICE. If spoken with a strong accent, it's easy to see how this would be corrupted to GRIX.

One other idea comes to mind.
Search NROCAT. http://nrocat.norfolk.gov.uk/dservea/Index.htm

In the first field, enter the surname - e.g. GRIX

Down the screen, there is a 'Category' field. From teh drop down list, select 'Probate'.

There are a couple of entries there which seem as though they may be relevant to your line of research. You can apply for copies, using the full reference, from the NRO.

Geoffers

[coenmfam]

Just a quick sneak in here to say
Thanks Geoffers for that link
I found two Coe wills there that will need chasing up

I will raise a glass of claret to your very good health tonight sir
( keeps the cholesterol levels down - all very medicinal of course )

cheers
Neville

[robbieuk]

Hello,

Trying to be tidy. I now believe my Grix theory is incorrect and if anyone else is researching the line they should be aware that there appears to be a 'Coltishall & Horstead' branch in addition to the branches in Marsham.

Christopher Grix who was a husbandman at Marsham and died in 1821 had five siblings (Stephen of Hevingham, William of Stepney and John of 'in or near London'; Esther Delph and Elizabeth Edwards) - all detailed in the will of his bachelor brother Stephen who died in 1820.

Christopher Grix of Horstead, yeoman, who died in 1812, had a son John (of Guildford) and a daughter Elizabeth (born & died in 1779), as well as a daughter Mary and a son William (d1817).

Thanks to the information provided by Geoffers it is clear that there are two separate families.

Back to NRO...

Rob

[weesie3]

All of my Grix family come from Norfolk, mainly Marsham. They were generally labourers on a nearby estate. I don't recognise your line but they may have been siblings of one of my direct ancestors. I'll repost the list I put on another thread

Thomas Grix b. 1619, Saxthorpe, Norfolk
His son John Grix b. 1648, Sall, Norfolk (married Priscilla)
Their son Nicholas Grix b. 1676, Sall (married Christiane Steel)
Their son Thomas Grix b. 1713, Sall
His son James Grix b. 1733, Marsham, Norfolk (= Ann Sutton)
T.Son John Grix b. 1769, Marsham (= Elizabeth Bear)
T.Son Benjamin Grix b. 1808, Marsham (= Emily Soame)
T.Son. Charles Grix b. 1851, Marsham (= Elizabeth ?)
T.dau. Edith Grix b.1875, Burgh (= Herbert Helsdon)
T.dau Alice Helsdon b. 1897 (Benjamin Jenkins)
Their children Cynthia, Ivan, Ralph and my great-grandmother (still living)