Gruffudd or Gruffydd ( or , in either case) is a Welsh name, originating in Old Welsh as a given name and today used as both a given and surname. It is the origin of the Anglicised name '' Griffith[s]'', and was historically sometimes treated as interchangeable with the etymologically unrelated Germanic name ''

Galfrid Galfrid or Galfred ( Latinised as ' or ') is an Anglo-Norman variant of the name Geoffrey. It derives, like German Gottfried (Latinised as ' or ', Anglicised as Godfrey), from Old High German ', Old French ', and Old Norse ', meaning 'God's peace ...

'' ( Latinised as ''Galfridus''). The Welsh form evolved from the Common Brittonic ''Grippiud'' or ''Gripuid''.Morgan, T.J., Welsh Surnames, Qualitex Printing Limited, Cardiff, 1985, The ''Orthography of Welsh Surnames 5-8'', ''Gruffydd'' pgs 103–105, ''first element gruff as a noun means 'magic wand' and second element iudd as a noun means 'lord', found on page 160 entry for Maredudd''

Evolution and history

One of the oldest forms which gave rise to all other variations is ''Grippiud'' or ''Gripuid'', which evolved into Old Welsh ''Griffudd''. The second element of the name, ''iudd'', as a noun has a meaning of 'lord' and is found in other Welsh names such as '' Meredith'' (''Mared dd'') and ''Bleidd dd''. In North Wales ''Griffudd'' evolved into ''Gruffudd''. “When u came to have the same quality as the clear y (the y of monosyllables and final syllables) the name generally became Gruffydd, and this is now regarded as the standard form,” according to T.J. Morgan and

Prys Morgan Prys Morgan FRHistS FSA FLSW (born 1937) is a Welsh historian. Biography Prys Morgan was born in Cardiff in 1937, the son of academic T. J. Morgan. His parents first met at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 1926. Like his late brother, Rhodr ...

. ''Gruffudd'' of Old Welsh became spelt as ''Gruffydd'' in

Middle Welsh Middle Welsh ( cy, Cymraeg Canol, wlm, Kymraec) is the label attached to the Welsh language of the 12th to 15th centuries, of which much more remains than for any earlier period. This form of Welsh developed directly from Old Welsh ( cy, Hen G ...

and

Modern Welsh The history of the Welsh language (Welsh: ''Hanes yr iaith Gymraeg'') spans over 1400 years, encompassing the stages of the language known as Primitive Welsh, Old Welsh, Middle Welsh, and Modern Welsh. Origins Welsh evolved from British, the C ...

of today. The high central vowel sound of ''u/y'' was lost entirely in South Wales and replaced by the ''i'' sound, and the form ''Griffidd'' became standard in the south, the region to first be encountered by Anglo-Norman scribes.

Variations

Anglo-Norman scribes rendered ''Griffidd'' and ''Gruffydd'' as ''Griffith'', with both ''Gruffydd'' and ''Griffith'' becoming the standardized forms for the same name since the

High Middle Ages The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the period of European history that lasted from AD 1000 to 1300. The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and were followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended around AD 150 ...

and into the modern era. The form of the name encountered in Latin texts is ''Griffith'', ''Griffini'' and ''Gruffin''. Many variations have evolved since the Middle Ages and Tudor period, with many springing from abbreviated forms such as ''Griff''. ''Griffri, Griffith, Griffyn, Griffei, Griffies, Griffitte, Griffits, Griffitts, Griffes, Griffyths, Gripthis, Gripphes, Griffithi, Griffen, Griffee, Griffey, Gruffudd, Gruffydd'' Patronymics evolving from ''Griffith'' include '' Griffiths'' and ''Griffyths'', ''son of Griffith''.

Hypocoristic forms

Hypocoristic A hypocorism ( or ; from Ancient Greek: (), from (), 'to call by pet names', sometimes also ''hypocoristic'') or pet name is a name used to show affection for a person. It may be a diminutive form of a person's name, such as '' Izzy'' for ...

forms, or “pet names”, included ''Guto, Gutyn, Gitto, Getyn, Gitton,'' and ''Gutta'', with many of these becoming surnames themselves. Derivations of Gruffydd by way of Guto/Gitto include ''Gittos, Gittose, Gittoss, Gittas, Gyttes, Gitts, Gytts, Gittus, Gitthouse, Gyttors, Gittonce, Gittal, Gittall, Gyttall, Gittall, Gethyn.'' The name ''Gatehouse'' may have originated in some parts of Wales and the March from ''Gittose'' or a variant as a conscious effort to further anglicize the name.

Names

The name may refer to the following people, often with either spelling used, among other variants such as Gruffuth, Griffudd, etc. :

As a given name

* Gruffudd ab Adda (fl. mid 14th century) was a Welsh language poet and musician * Gruffudd ab Owain Glyndŵr (c. 1375 – c. 1412) led a major revolt in Wales * Gruffudd ab yr Ynad Coch (1277–1282), Welsh court poet * Gruffydd ap Cynan * Gruffudd ap Cynan ab Owain Gwynedd, the grandson of the king of Gwynedd *

Gruffudd Fychan I Gruffudd Fychan I, Prince of Powys Fadog from 1277 to 1284, was the youngest of the four sons of Prince Gruffudd ap Madog, Lord of Dinas Bran. On his father's death in 1269 (or 1270) his share was the Lordship of Iâl (Yale) and Edeirnion, wh ...

* Gruffudd Fychan II * Gruffudd Gryg (1340–1380), Welsh poet from Anglesey, North Wales *

Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn (died c. 1286) was a Welsh king who was lord of the part of Powys known as Powys Wenwynwyn and sided with Edward I in his conquest of Wales of 1277 to 1283. Gruffydd was the son of Gwenwynwyn and Margaret Corbet. He was st ...

* Gruffudd Hiraethog (died 1564), Welsh language poet *

Gruffydd ap Llywelyn Gruffydd ap Llywelyn ( 5 August 1063) was King of Wales from 1055 to 1063. He had previously been King of Gwynedd and Powys in 1039. He was the son of King Llywelyn ap Seisyll and Angharad daughter of Maredudd ab Owain, and the great-gre ...

Gruffydd ap Llywelyn Fawr Gruffudd or Gruffydd ( or , in either case) is a Welsh name, originating in Old Welsh as a given name and today used as both a given and surname. It is the origin of the Anglicised name '' Griffith[s]'', and was historically sometimes treate ...

(c. 1198 – March 1, 1244), son of Llywelyn the Great * Gruffudd Llwyd (1380–1410), Welsh language poet * Gruffydd ap Madog Fychan *

Gruffydd II ap Madog, Lord of Dinas Bran Gruffydd Maelor II (died 1269) was Prince of Powys Fadog. Lineage He was the eldest son of Prince Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor and inherited his father's lands and title in partial succession along with his four brothers Gruffydd Ial, Maredudd, Hyw ...

Gruffydd Maelor Gruffydd Maelor (died 1191) was Prince of Powys Fadog in Wales. He is known as Gruffydd Maelor I to distinguish him from his grandson, Gruffydd Maelor II (died 1269). Lineage He was a son of Prince Madog ap Maredudd by Susanna, daughter of Ki ...

* Gruffudd ap Nicolas * Gruffydd Robert, Welsh priest * Gruffydd ap Rhydderch * Gruffydd ap Rhys *

Gruffydd ap Rhys II Gruffydd ap Rhys II (died 25 July 1201) was a prince of Deheubarth in south-west Wales. Lineage He was the son of Rhys ap Gruffydd (The Lord Rhys) and grandson of Gruffydd ap Rhys. Gruffydd was the eldest son of Rhys ap Gruffydd by his wife Gwe ...

* Gruffudd Vychan, (born 1395), Lord of Burgedin, Treflydan, Garth and Gearfawr, Wales

As a surname or patronymic

Ioan Gruffudd Ioan Gruffudd (; (born 6 October 1973) is a Welsh actor. He first came to public attention as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in ''Titanic'' (1997), and then for his portrayal of Horatio Hornblower in the ''Hornblower (TV series), Hornblower'' seri ...

(born 1973), Welsh actor *

Rhodri ap Gruffudd Rhodri ap Gruffudd (or Prince Rhodri or Roderick Fitz Griffin) (c. 1230 – c. 1315) was the third or fourth son of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn Fawr. He was the younger brother of both Llywelyn ap Gruffudd of Gwynedd, Prince of Wales) and of Owain G ...

(1230–1315), the third or fourth son of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn Fawr

References

{{Reflist Welsh masculine given names Surnames of Welsh origin