GREGORY STEWART

Via Latin Gregorius from the post-classical Greek name Gregōrios ‘watchful’ (a derivative of gregōrein ‘to watch, be vigilant’). The name was a very popular one among the early Christians, who were mindful of the injunction ‘be sober, be vigilant’ (1 Peter 5:8). It was borne by a number of early saints. The most important, in honour of whom the name was often bestowed from medieval times onwards, were Gregory of Nazianzen (c.329–90), Gregory of Nyssa (d. c.395), Gregory of Tours (538–94), and Pope Gregory the Great (c.540–604). A famous bearer of the name in modern times is the film star Gregory Peck (1916–2003). The name has traditionally been popular in Scotland, where it is often found in the form Gregor.

Scottish: originally an occupational name for an administrative official of an estate, from Middle English stiward, Old English stigweard, stīweard, a compound of stig ‘house(hold)’ + weard ‘guardian’. In Old English times this title was used of an officer controlling the domestic affairs of a household, especially of the royal household; after the Conquest it was also used more widely as the native equivalent of Seneschal for the steward of a manor or manager of an estate.