Gregg
A mainly English and Scottish surname that is usually a short form of Gregory, though some Scottish lines may reflect MacGregor connections.
The #1,386 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 12,082 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Gregg is generally understood as a shortened form of Gregory, a name that ultimately comes from Greek gregorios, meaning "watchful" or "vigilant." In English records it often appears as a patronymic or nickname-based surname, essentially meaning "son of Gregory" or "descendant of Gregory." Some historical writers also suggested that a few Scottish Greggs may be connected with the MacGregor clan or related forms, so the surname is not always from the same source in every family.
History
The name is found in both English and Scottish records, and historical surname writers noted that Gregg was especially common in northern areas. Some Scottish families later linked the name to MacGregor because of old restrictions on using the clan name, but that is a family-history claim rather than a universal explanation. Related surnames include Greg, Grigg, Gregson, Grieg, and Gregorson.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Nineteenth-century surname scholars specifically remarked on the north–south split between Grigg and Gregg in English registers.
From the historical record
“by registers, Grigg was popular in the south, and Gregg in the north. \m (without iBiBame), co. Snff.. iCchaTTl Gl, GrinE, Grigp: le Fr'~ ~”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances