Descendants of Robin de Gruchy (1360)

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Descendants of Robin de Gruchy



This is the de Gruchy master tree from which many subsidiary trees are linked. It was added to the site in 2010 and reviewed and substantially updated and expanded on a number of occasions since then, most recently in 2025, by Guy Dixon, who provided the footnotes.

In 2023 he adjusted the top of the tree, removing the first two generations, based on the discovery of the 1397 document pictured here [1] which has now been shown to have been misread by 19th century researchers.

Dates in early generations must be taken as approximate.


La Chasse, as it has been called since 1847, was partly rebuilt in the late 19th century, but retains many early features. It was formerly called La Maison ès Matthieus, after its owners` preference for that Christian name

de Gruchy family page and links to other trees

In common with the majority of our trees, this descendancy has been subject to regular review by site editors and checked against Jersey church records. Trees including French ancestry have also been checked as far as possible against French primary records. It is not always possible to carry out such checks on sections of trees with United Kingdom and/or colonial content

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The 1397 sous-partage - see footnotes (courtesy of Herb Reynolds, Calgary, Alberta)



  • 1 Robin de Gruchy, or de Grouchy, (1350- ) [2]
    • 2 Jean de Gruchy (1395-1477) [3] m Unknown Mauger? [4]
      • 3 Matthieu de Gruchy (1430-1502) [5] m Marguerite Poingdestre dit Cosnard (1435- ) daughter and co-heiress of Jean and Guillemine (Tr) [6]
        • 4 Robin de Gruchy (1460-1533) [7] m Rauline (1470- )
          • 5 Mathieu de Gruchy (1490-1566) [8] m Colette Nicolle (1495-1569) daughter of Jean son of Jean [9]
            • 6 Bernabey de Gruchy (1520-1593) [10] m 1 Clemence Hamptonne (1525-1550) daughter and co-heir of Hostes and Perronelle Messervy
            • 2nd wife of Bernabey de Gruchy, m (c.1552) Colette Bisson (1530-1616) daughter of Pierre of Trinity and Marie Gallichan
              • 7 Collette de Gruchy (1553- ) m George Badier
              • 7 Jean de Gruchy (1555-1634) m Catherine Payn, no issue
              • 7 Pierre de Gruchy (1557- ) no issue
              • 7 Philippine de Gruchy (1559- ) m Jean Journeaux
              • 7 Gilles de Gruchy (1561- ) "fils Bernabey," living 1616
              • 7 Marie de Gruchy (1563- ) [19] m Cosmes Cabot
              • 7 Jeanette de Gruchy (1565- ) m Denis Godfray
              • 7 Thomasse de Gruchy senr. (1567- ) m William Ocqueland
              • 7 Bernabey de Gruchy (1571- ) m (1614, Tr) Marie Chevalier (1575-1615) [20] daughter of Servais
              • 7 Jacques de Gruchy (1574- ) [21] m (1604) Judith Godel (1580- ) daughter of Helier and Collette du Heaume
                • 8 Jacques de Gruchy (1610-1650) [22] m (1642, Tr) Perronelle de Gruchy (1620- ) (see below)
                  • 9 Pierre de Gruchy (1644- ) m Marie (1645- )
                    • 10 Judith de Gruchy (1666- )
                    • 10 Pierre de Gruchy (1670- ) m (1692, Tr) Esther Picot (1672- )
                    • 10 Jacques de Gruchy (1672- )
                    • 10 Nicolas de Gruchy (1674-1676)
                    • 10 Thomas de Gruchy (1676-1676)
                    • 10 Jean de Gruchy (1677-1677)
                  • 9 Judie de Gruchy (1648- ) m (1670, Tr) Clement Sohier (1652- ) (Tr)
                • 8 Barbe de Gruchy (1620- ) m 1 (1651, Tr) Renault Renouf (1620- ); 2 Jacques Le Boutillier (1620- )
              • 7 Thomasse de Gruchy jnr. (1576- ) [23]
              • 7 Noelle de Gruchy (1578- )
            • 6 Jacques de Gruchy (1525-by 1569) [24]
            • 6 Noel de Gruchy (1530-1593) [25] m 1 Jeanne Robin (1535-by 1564) daughter of Jean and Perrotine; 2 (1564) Jeanne Langlois (1540- ) daughter and co-heir of Guillaume Langlois of St Laurence
              • 7 Jean de Gruchy (1575- ) m Elizabeth du Feu (1580- ) daughter of Collas of Trinity
                • 8 Jean de Gruchy (1610- )
                • 8 Thomas de Gruchy (1612- )
                • 8 Noé de Gruchy (1615- )
                • 8 Perronelle de Gruchy (1620- ) m Jacques de Gruchy (1620- ) (see above)
            • 6 Jean de Gruchy (1535-by 1569) [26]
            • 6 Richard de Gruchy (1538- ) died by 1564, no issue
            • 6 Colette de Gruchy (1542- ) m 1 Thomas Bisson (1546- ) son of Helier; 2 Regnauld Guillaume (1545- )
          • 5 Thomas de Gruchy (1500- ) [27] m Jeanette Picot [28]
          • 5 Bernabey de Gruchy (1504- ) m Poingdestre (1505- )
            • 6 Raulin de Gruchy (1525- )
          • 5 Perrine de Gruchy (1500- ) m Raulin Le Breton (1500- ) [29]
          • 5 Marie de Gruchy (1506-1565) m Richard Messervy (1502-1554) of Anneville, St Martin
          • 5 Daughter de Gruchy (1508- ) m (1534) Philippe Godel (1500-1570) [30]
        • 4 Giret de Gruchy (1467-1542) m unknown
          • 5 Daughter de Gruchy m Lucas Manyart [31]
        • 4 Guillaume de Gruchy (1471- ) [32] m Colette Machon (1475- )
        • 4 Jeanette de Gruchy (1473- ) m Nicholas Guerdain (1470- ) [33]
        • 4 Bernabey de Gruchy (1479-1548) who settled in Guernsey, (no issue)
      • 3 Jean de Gruchy (1430- ) m Unknown Larbalestier (1430- ) daughter of Michel of Trinity
  • 1 Jean de Grouchie (1352- ) liv. 1397 [34]
  • 1 Guillaume de Grouchie, or Grouchye, (1355- ) liv. 1397 [35]
    • 2 Rauf de Grochie (1380- ) [36] living 1402
  • 1 Daughter de Gruchy m Collas Carre, liv. 1397

Notes and references

  1. ↑ This document dated 1397 was a partage passed in the presence of Giefrey Brasdefer, Bailiff, John de St Martin and Janequin de la Hougue, Jurats, who added their signatures at the foot of the deed. The signature of Clement Le Hardy had been crossed out, being replaced by that of de St Martin. Perhaps Le Hardy had been absent during part of the hearing. All three men were known to have been Jurats at this time. This deed and others in the hands of the senior branch of de Gruchys, were read by the French heralds in 1836, at the behest of Marshal de Grouchy. It was at that time that transcriptions were made of dates and the parties involved. These were mentioned in Payne's Armorial of Jersey, and again in Messervy`s Notice sur La Famille de Gruchy (1922). Messervy did not verify the originals, which had passed in the female line, to the Pallots of Beau Desert, St Saviour, and were still available to him. By 1958 the deeds had left the Island, it was thought to Canada, and were thus unavailable to the authors of The de Gruchys of Jersey, Volume 2, who had to include the 1836 transcription. Their rediscovery in 2023 has led to a revision, both of date and the parties involved in the earliest deed. The parties did not include a Robin de Grouchie son of Jean, as previously thought, but "Robin de Grouchie... et Jean de Grouchie, Guillaume de Grouchie", and their sister represented by her husband. The inheritance divided was that of their father, who was not named.

    Transcript: lan de grce mil ccc[ts] iiii (xx in superscript) et xvii [le] Jour de Samedi pchain avant lanuncia[con] ntre dame, furent presents en jugement a St Helier p devant nous, c`est assavoir Robin de grouchie dune ptie, et Joh de grouchie, Guillaume de grouchie, et Col[las] caree, a cause de sa fame [femme]”

    Translation: The year of grace 1397, the Saturday next before the Annunciation of Our Lady, were present in judgment before us at St Helier, namely Robin de Grouchie, of one party, and John de Grouchie, Guillaume de Grouchie and Collas Caree, in right of his wife, of the other... having divided the inheritance of their father [unnamed]...”
  2. ↑ With his name written as Robin de Grouchie, he is mentioned as the eldest son of his unnamed father in a deed of partage dated 1397. He features also in deeds dated 1420 and 1423, in both of which his surname is spelt de Grouchy, and in a further deed of 1437, where it is de Grouchie. The other party in the latter two transactions was Philippe Hubert. Robin was probably a great-grandson of Guillaume de Grouchy, who in 1309 sued Colin de Laundes and John de Barentin hors de la Royaume, which will have been, for Channel Islanders, at the Ecclesiastical court of Coutances, where cases of inheritance were still being heard. Guy Fortescue Burrell de Gruchy wrote in manuscript notes, regarding this action: "re Fief de Gruchy?" This fief had passed to John de Barentin before the mid-14th century but shows evidence of having been divided at an early date. If the action had indeed been related to the fief, Guillaume would seem, therefore, to have been partially successful. The eastern half of what has since been two adjoining fiefs, is called the Fief de la Gruchetterie. It probably remained within the family, only to be lost by 1515 to the then all-powerful de St Martins. Their heirs, the Lemprieres of Dielament and Rozel, are recorded as having always held the seigneurial court of their Fief de la Gruchetterie in the home, now called La Chasse, of the early holders of the fief, namely the family of Robin de Gruchy. He would thus appear to have been Guillaume`s successor. His family owned this property for seven centuries, and from him, all later de Gruchys are descended
  3. ↑ Of La Vingtaine de Rozel, Trinity [La Chasse], with land in Maufant, St Saviour, 1471
  4. ↑ Matthieu de Gruchy and his brother Jean, generation 3, were the first of five generations of de Gruchys to whom was applied an "alias surname", this being de Gruchy dit/alias Maugier, or Maugier dit/alias de Gruchy. These surnames were far from rare in the late middle ages, in north-west Europe. They are believed to have arisen from the need to distinguish between branches of a family, whence personal name aliases such as Rauvet or Jean, or to have arisen as a result of illegitimacy or the need to distinguish the descent of one branch of a family from a maternal heiress. The inheriting of the house and former seigneurial land, which occurred in this case, together with an almost intact deed collection, over the course of seven hundred years, makes illegitimacy unlikely, as this was formerly a bar or hinderance to inheritance. The popular de Gruchy personal name Matthieu, which in Jersey Norman French, is pronounced "Matchi", may have been the origin of the alias, as this was easily confused in Norman French with Maugier, pronounced "Maugi." A maternal heiress surnamed Maugier, perhaps having brought to the de Gruchys their Maufant land in the vicinity of La Piece Mauger (sic) seems, however, the most likely explanation. The Maugier alias fell into disuse in the early 17th century, along with many another alias surname in Jersey. The custom does, however, still continue, viz. Le Vavasseur dit Durell
  5. ↑ Macy (Matthieu) de Gruchy "fils Jehan" was mentioned in a contract of 1477 [Thomas Le Maistre Contracts Volume 2 folio 61 - at La Société Jersiaise Library], regarding a debt owed by his late father to John Hue, the father of Sire John Hue, priest. He lived at La Chasse. His Will, dated 1502, requested that his body be buried within the Church of Trinity and, to this effect, he left to the Treasury of the said church one cabot of annual wheat rente. A gross of silver was left to the same for prayer to be made for the salvation of his soul. He also left to the three ecclesiastical houses of Coutances 12 deniers, to the Hospitallers of two locations 8 deniers, to the treasuries of the Island churches of St Martin, Grouville and St Saviour 20 deniers each and to the treasuries of the other churches 10 deniers each. The Island chapelries dedicated to the Virgin Mary received 6 deniers each. The executors appointed were Sire Jean Larbalestier, priest, Philippe Gallichan and Robin de Gruchy, named as the testator`s eldest son. The Will was witnessed by the testator`s "Vicar" Sire Leonard Triguel, and by Guillaume and Regnault [de Gruchy dit] Mauger: De La Croix, Jersey: Ses Antiquités...., (Le Feuvre, 1860), 63-65, in which the surname of Sire Leonard Triguel is absent. Note: The original Will of Matthieu de Gruchy, as cited above by de la Croix, survives in the possession of Mr Herb Reynolds of Calgary, Alberta, the lineal descendant and representative of the de Gruchys of La Chasse, who are featured on this page
  6. ↑ The Will of Jean Poingdestre dit Cosnard, and of Guillemine his wife, witnessed by Mons Jacques Nicolle and Sire Nicolas Nicolle, priest, dated 1484, was also published by de la Croix, on the page following that of Matthieu de Gruchy, having perhaps originally formed a part of the same deeds` collection. Among these, a deed also survives, dated 1463, relating to the sale by Jean Cabot to Jean Poingdestre and to Guillemine, his wife, all being of Trinity, of two cabots of annual wheat rente due on the land of Philippot Nicolle. It, too, is in the possession of Mr Herb Reynolds of Alberta, a descendant, through the de Gruchys, of Jean Poingdestre and of Guillemine, his wife. As the Trinity Cabots` first proven generation features an unknown Cabot (Jean?), who had already married a daughter of Guillotin Nicolle, and whose son married the daughter of Philippot Nicolle, the transaction may have been an adjustment to an earlier partage, Guillemine perhaps being a Nicolle
  7. ↑ Sermenté 1515, Centenier of Trinity 1527-
  8. ↑ One of the principal inhabitants of Trinity advising the States on the Island's defences in 1542. In 1540 he had unsuccessfully sued his cousin, Denis Guerdain, of La Guerdainerie, for the return of former Poingdestre land, the sale of which his father had mistakenly permitted. The case reached the Privy Council in 1541, albeit to no avail. He lived at La Chasse
  9. ↑ Seigneur du Fief Burrey, Constable of St Martin, -1490-1496-. Colette Nicolle`s first cousin François, was Rector of St Saviour, -1530-40: ABSJ VII, 127
  10. ↑ Bernabey was for most of his life involved in either debt or legal action against his cousins Guerdain, regarding their Poingdestre inheritance, a situation that was ongoing in 1591, the case being then so described: "Bernabey de Grochy, representing his co-heirs, he being the eldest son of Matthieu de Grochy, the said Matthieu son of Robin, and the said Robin son of Macey de Grochy and of Marguet, his wife". The other party was Michel Guerdain "heir to the succession and escheat of Denys Guerdain, son of Michel Guerdain, the said Michel heir to the inheritance of Denys Guerdain the elder, the said Denis son of Nicolas Guerdain the elder and of Jenette his wife, daughter of the said Macey de Grochy and of the said Marguet, his wife," (Cour d`Héritage 6/46). In 1582, the Cour d`Héritage had ordered Bernabey au Chateau en detention corporelle, presumably for debt. A further judgment of the Royal Court in 1593 provided for the sale of chattels as well as land in order to settle Bernabey`s debts, with no partage of his estate being permitted until all his creditors were satisfied. During this period, Bernabey de Gruchy`s landholding at La Chasse seems to have shrunk to 45 vergées from as much as 70 vergées. The family` income from rentes, or land charges, was so depleted that his daughter Marie, wife of Cosmes Cabot, inherited merely a pittance. Satisfying creditors was evidently not easily achieved - the partage had to await until 1616. His son Robin resurrected the case in 1601, sixty-one years after the issue was first brought before justice, but this was again, to no avail
  11. ↑ Messervy, in his Notice sur la Famille de Gruchy, (1920), thought Robin was born about 1547. He may, in fact, have been born in 1546. Trinity registers from this date have not survived, so the date is speculative
  12. ↑ Prévôt of St Saviour
  13. ↑ Constable of St Mary and Advocate, whose wife was Collette Le Couteur daughter of Bernabey, of Le Marais
  14. ↑ By a deed dated 1657, their son Matthieu Nicolle sold to his first cousin, Matthieu de Gruchy, his inheritance, paternal and maternal, for 100 livres tournois: Reynolds/Pallot Collection, in private hands, of de Gruchy deeds, formerly at La Chasse, Trinity
  15. ↑ Of La Chasse, Profonde Rue, Trinity
  16. ↑ Of Le Câtel, Rue de la Falaise, Trinity
  17. ↑ Of La Porte
  18. ↑ Of La Porte, Ville à L`Evêque
  19. ↑ For her inheritance, see above
  20. ↑ Buried with only child
  21. ↑ Of La Profonde Rue, Rozel, Trinity
  22. ↑ Of La Profonde Rue, Rozel, Trinity
  23. ↑ These last two children were still under age, being under 20 years old, in 1595: case before the Cour d'Héritage (1595)
  24. ↑ Jacques de Gruchy must have died without issue, as a deed bearing the date 1569, mentions his former land as having been in the possession of Bernabey de Gruchy, as a result of his partage des heritages of the said Jacques. Bernabey had by then sold this unnamed land to his younger brother Noel: Deed (1569), formerly at La Chasse, now in the possession of the Reynolds family of Alberta, Canada, heirs of the de Gruchys of La Chasse
  25. ↑ Of Rozel, Trinity
  26. ↑ Jean is described in the above mentioned deed, dated 1569, regarding the sale by Bernabey de Gruchy to his brother Noel of "Le Neuf Clos des Yees" on the Trinity Fief de la Grucheterrie, as being both younger brother of Noel and son of Matthieu de Gruchy and Collette, his wife. His former land was by then in the possession of these, his two surviving brothers, indicating that he had died childless
  27. ↑ Thomas de Gruchy built the second or north house, at La Chasse. Some years later, in October 1541, fearing "for life and limb" due to threats from the then powerful de Soulemont family and their in-law, Nicolas de la Rocque, Seigneur of Saval, Thomas acquired a Chancery Writ to assure his safety. The de Soulemonts were John, Nicolas and Thomas. John was already, at that time, a Jurat, the other two became Jurats not long afterwards. The only clue that might lead eventually to some hint of an explanation of the de Soulemonts` extraordinary behaviour is that one of them, Nicolas, was a merchant. In 1537 a vessel he owned jointly with a fourth brother, Guillaume, a master mariner, was seized in French waters by the Spanish: J. Jean, Jersey Sailing Ships, (Chichester: Phillimore & Co., 1982), 166, citing a document in the La Haule Collection. The de Soulemonts were most successful merchants. In fact, their wealth was built upon commerce. Little is known about Thomas de Gruchy, a younger son from La Chasse. It is possible that he was a mariner, perhaps a master mariner. As such, was Thomas privy to sensitive information that he had partly disclosed? Abraham de Gruchy wrote in 1818 that "our Jersey owners seem to wish to keep secret the destination of their vessels." Perhaps Thomas de Gruchy had been one of the de Soulemonts` captains, one who had not been prepared to keep secret his destination? The exact nature of ships' cargoes was another issue that some merchants would most certainly not disclose. The original Writ is in the La Chasse collection, belonging to Mr Herb Reynolds of Alberta, Canada
  28. ↑ Among the late Reverend Messervy`s research notes in the former `Hair Trunk` at La Société Jersiaise was a genealogy of what is now 'Tree K' in the second edition of The de Gruchys of Jersey. It agrees with most of the details of that tree, although Messervy missed the middle, or second, generation of the three Guillaume de Gruchys. Of particular interest, though, is that Messervy found some evidence (not supplied) of a 16th century marriage between a Thomas de Gruchy and a "Jeanette Picot" The fact he ascribed it to Tree K, whose only Thomas is now known to have married an unknown Morel, is immaterial in the light of the fact that the Thomas de Gruchy shown on this page (above), lived at about the same time as the other Thomas, and is known to have had a wife named Jeanette. Initially thought to have been Jeanette Gallichan, it would now seem likely that she was Jeanette Picot, especially as Messervy discovered during the same research, that the 16th century de Gruchy connection with the Gallichans, was in fact through Guillaume de Gruchy (Tree K) marrying Marguerite Gallichan
  29. ↑ Of Croiserie, Trinity; father of Sire Helier Le Breton, Regent of St Mannelier and Raulin Le Breton, Constable of Trinity
  30. ↑ Of Brasdefer, Trinity, who unsuccessfully sued the Lemprières for the return of the Fief ès Godeaux, 1544/5, [Câtel]. This case was resumed without success by his son Thomas Godel, whose son, named after his grandfather, Philippe, was obliged in 1609 to sell his land and "manoir", being the former Manoir des Augrès, afterwards called Brasdefer, to cover the cost of litigation
  31. ↑ Messervy has Lucas Manyart as the brother of Collette, who married Guillaume de Gruchy
  32. ↑ Of Vingtaine de Rozel, Trinity, (1523)
  33. ↑ Of La Guerdainerie, Rue de La Monnaie, Trinity
  34. ↑ Mentioned in a surviving de Gruchy deed, dated 1397, as the younger brother of Robin and elder brother of Guillaume and of an unnamed sister, the wife of Collas Carre
  35. ↑ Ibid. Guillaume de Grouchie is probably the Guillemet de Grochie who is mentioned, with Rauf (Radolphus) de Grochie, in a deed dated 1402, preserved at the Jersey Archive: L/C/66/C1/2. Both men were tenants of the Fief de la Trinité. Their presence in the west of Trinity, and the Christian name Rauf suggests the likelihood that from one or the other was descended the Gruchy family of Augrès (qv). Indeed, either Guillaume or a son of this name, was likely to have been the Guillaume Grouchye who bought in 1439 two fields on the said Fief de la Trinité from Thomas de St Martin. One of these was described as being situated to the north-east of Grouchye`s house. The description matches the vicinity of Champs Clairs, which has long been associated with the Descendants of Rauff Gruchy. The fields are, no doubt, those retaining the name Clos Gruchy, (T.340 and 1299), which are indeed to the north-east of the Gruchy`s home, Champs Clairs
  36. ↑ Probable son
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