Griffin (surname) - Griffin in Sweden

Griffin in Sweden

In Sweden, the griffin Coat-of-Arms gave one actually used surname, Grip, and belonged to three somewhat distinct medieval noble families, to each of which such a surname is retrospectively dubbed:

• the family of so-called griphuvud who are known to have been nearly-hereditary justiciars of Västergötland (no surname was contemporaneously used of them and they went extinct in 14th century, but later historiography has dubbed "griphuvud", head of griffin, as sort of name to them); and
• the two families of Grip av Vinäs, one descended from last female of the other, "Griffin of Vinaes", who are attested to have been related in some (not specifically) way at least with the first (Griphuvud) family (no surname was used of the Grip av Vinäs in the Middle Ages, but this family and its Arms continued until the 17th century, admittedly through one female heiress but the Arms were retained by her issue; and at least one generation before their male-line end this, to baronial rank elevated family certainly was called with the surname Grip, "Griffin".)

All these may have represented different branches of a clan descended from legendary Geatish local chieftains. This historical noble name (or word) "Grip" has then, in later centuries, been used as surname of some other Swedish families.

The family of Aspenäs whose Arms is called "lejonörn" (lion-eagle) and who may have descended from early justiciars of Västergötland (no surname was contemporaneously used of this family which went extinct in the 15th century) had the escutcheon, lion-eagle, squarely opposite of griffin: Lion-eagle is formed of eagle's hindparts and lion's head.