Issue 096

December 2012

How MMA’s first fighting family, the Brazil-based Gracies, has its roots in the warring clans of the Scottish highlands.

The Gracie family is to martial arts what the Jacksons were to pop music in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Their jiu-jitsu revolution changed the way we think about fighting by demonstrating the importance of grappling in combat. But the family’s contribution to fighting sports goes beyond their exceptional achievements with Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Lest we forget, it was Rorion Gracie, along with Art Davie and John Milius, responsible for the creation of the UFC in 1993. The promotion that’s turned MMA from spectacle to cash cow. Rorion’s younger brother, Royce, would go on to win three of the first four UFCs while at the same time, across the Pacific Ocean, his elder brother, Rickson, was dominating in Japanese vale tudo contests.

As MMA was ascending, it did so with the Gracies at the helm. Today, Strikeforce middleweight Roger Gracie is fighting for the family name. So too is Kyra Gracie, the female BJJ virtuoso who’s planning her own MMA debut in the future. And there’s the coaching success of Cesar Gracie with the Diaz brothers. As long as there’s a fight nearby, it seems the shadow of the Gracie family looms large. 

But where did this enormous tribe of martial artists, which boasts the largest family of athletes in the world, come from? If you said Brazil, then you’d be correct – sort of. Look at the famous surname; it doesn’t sound very Brazilian does it? Indeed, by peering just a little further down the paternal line of the Gracie family, you’ll eventually discover its roots lie almost 6,000 miles away from the sun-soaked beaches of Rio de Janeiro. The story of Gracie jiu-jitsu actually began in Scotland. Celtic blood flows in those Brazilian veins and it’s all courtesy of George Gracie, a man born over two hundred years ago in the southwest of Scotland. 

The rare Scottish surname Gracie is believed to have originally descended from one of the Scoti tribes that invaded Scotland from Northern Ireland in the fifth century, displacing the resident tribes of Picts, Britons, and Caledonians. The earliest records would appear to place the Gracies in Argyllshire in western Scotland, within the region of Strathclyde. Later on, the Gracies would move north in great numbers, establishing themselves around Aberdeenshire.

The name Gracie or Gracie is a shortening of the name Grassick or the older Gaelic form of Greusaich. It means shoemaker; thus Gracie was originally used as an occupational surname. This is in contrast to most Scottish surnames of the time, which were usually taken from a recognized clan chieftain, e.g. MacDonald – son of Donald. The Gracies themselves were too small to form a fully-fledged clan, but it is widely accepted that they were a sept of the Farquharson Clan of Aberdeenshire. The Farquharson Clan were known as the ‘fighting Farquharsons’ due to their reputation for being involved in many conflicts and battles. These septs or smaller families, such as the Gracies, would ally themselves to larger and more powerful clans for protection during periods of feuding with other clans.

Scottish jiu-jitsu

In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, economic hardship meant many Scots were forced to migrate. Highland families traveled south in their droves to look for work – some moved to England and Ireland while thousands departed their homeland forever, bound for the New World. A large number of Gracies traveled down to Edinburgh whilst others flocked southwest to the county of Dumfriesshire, located close to the border with England. It was there, in Carronbridge, located in the small parish of Morton that Jane Patterson gave birth to George Gracie on 4th August 1801. George’s father, James Gracie (b. 1772) named his son after his own father George, the family patriarch (b. 1734). The family would live for the most part in Low Carronhill (now Carroncroft), about 20 miles north of Dumfries. 

George Gracie grew up to become a handsome young man, with a shapely face, straight nose, fair skin, and blond hair. In 1826 at the age of 25, he made the decision to leave his family and homeland behind in order to emigrate to Brazil. Undoubtedly, his decision would have been influenced by the financial opportunities that awaited Europeans in the New World, but George’s great-great grandson, and UFC co-founder, Rorion Gracie, believes there was more to it than that.

“I think he moved to Brazil in search of adventure,” says Rorion. Certainly, George’s life in Scotland would have been quiet up until his decision to emigrate and it wasn’t that unusual for a Scot to move to Brazil in the 19th century. Since the Portuguese court had settled there in 1804, there was much trade between Britain and Brazil and many European customs had already taken hold. The harbor at Rio de Janeiro where George’s ship docked was the busiest and most important in the country. But for émigrés coming in from the temperate conditions of Scotland, the tropical climate of Rio de Janeiro would present its own problems. Soon after arriving in Rio de Janeiro, one of George’s four traveling companions, Peter McNichols, died of yellow fever. George and his friends would remember their friend by inscribing several rings with a coat of arms and the initials ‘P.McN’. They swore to wear the rings for the rest of their lives and it’s a promise that George is known to have kept.

George Gracie would go on to build a solid career for himself as a businessman in Rio. “I understand he became successful and raised a family,” says Rorion. “Among his children was Pedro who grew also to be a success and friends with the Brazilian royalty. Gastao, my grandfather and the youngest of Pedro’s sons, spoke seven languages and was educated to be a diplomat but changed his mind and went into business instead. Eventually, he married Cesalina Pessoa Gracie. Gastao is the one who befriended the great jiu-jitsu practitioner, Mitsuyo Maeda, also known as Conde Koma, who taught the young Carlos Gracie, the oldest of eight children. Carlos then taught his four younger brothers, the youngest of which was my father, Helio Gracie.” 

The young Helio was deemed too frail to practice jiu-jitsu with his brothers and for years, was forced to sit on the sidelines, watching his brothers at work. One day a student turned up for a lesson and the only Gracie brother available to teach was Helio, who duly offered to fill in as coach. But Helio lacked the physical strength needed to perform some of the orthodox moves and thus began working on the modification of the traditional Japanese system to suit his particular needs. The foundations of Gracie jiu-jitsu were laid.

To the homeland

George Gracie would return to Scotland in 1854 to visit his father (his mother was long since dead). In 1857, word got back to him that his father had died at the family home in Dumfries. In 1859, George erected a memorial for his father in Greenhead Cemetery in Thornhill. Although thoroughly weather-beaten, the monument still remains intact today. A physical echo of the link between the family’s Brazilian and Scottish branches. The faded inscription on the large stone reads, ‘Erected by there [sic] Son, Mr. George Gracie of Rio de Janeiro, 1859.’ The memorial remains impressive and indeed suggests that George’s life in Brazil was a success. Also inscribed on the monument are the names of four of George’s siblings – James, Janet, John, and Jane – all of whom died in infancy. George’s only surviving brother was William, who eventually settled in Liverpool and there is no evidence to suggest that the brothers kept in touch. George’s father, James Gracie, lived to the ripe old age of 85 – an impressive lifespan in any era. Likewise, both Helio and Carlos Gracie, the pioneers of Gracie jiu-jitsu, would live to the ages of 95 and 92 respectively. This is probably down to a blending of good genes with the benefits of the world-famous Gracie diet – a method of eating that includes common sense and the combination of the right foods. George Gracie himself didn’t do too badly in terms of longevity. He died in Rio de Janeiro in 1862 at the age of 61. The specific cause of his death is unknown.

Several years ago, George’s great-great grandson, Reyson Gracie, the son of Carlos, traveled to Scotland in search of the family history. Reyson was the second Gracie to visit the final resting place of his ancestors in Greenhead Cemetery, the first being the former Brazilian ambassador, Samuel Leao Gracie, who traveled to Scotland in 1955. “I really did an exhaustive search of various cemeteries in Dumfries,” says the 70-year-old Reyson. “But I could not find the graveyard of our ancestors until finally in 2009, it came to pass. The trip to Scotland was great because the country has an extraordinary natural beauty, not to mention the Celtic music that is spiritually contagious. Without ceasing to be a Brazilian, I confess that I also felt Scottish.” However, it’s not just the older generation that is aware of the family history. 

Younger members of the clan also harbor ambitions about one day returning to the old country. Crosely Gracie is the grandson of Carlos and a former MMA fighter who now runs a BJJ and MMA academy in Brentwood, California. Crosely is well aware of the family history and would relish a trip to Scotland. “I believe that all of us in the family know where we first came from,” says Crosley. “I’d love to visit Scotland and find out where our heritage came from. Hopefully, I’ll get the chance to do it.”

Scot heart

Looking at certain individuals within the ‘Fighting Gracies,’ it’s clear traces of their Scottish heritage can still be seen. Carlos Gracie, with his light complexion and sharp, piercing eyes, looked more like a fierce 1960s-esque Scottish soccer manager prowling the edge of the touchline than he did a Brazilian martial artist. Many of those within his massive brood of 21 children including Robson, Rilion, and Reyson are the same – the complexion, the European features. Traits that were handed down to them by the fair-skinned, blond-haired George Gracie. Rilion Gracie, the youngest son of Carlos, finds this fact amusing and sometimes awkward. “Everybody says that,” says Rilion, referring to the appearance of both himself and some of his brothers. 

“A few times I have traveled to Brazil and when I get to immigration, I walk to the citizens' line and they look at me, before I say anything, and tell me that the line for foreigners is the other one… and I need to say, ‘I’m Brazilian!’” Rodrigo Gracie, grandson of Carlos and former MMA fighter, has experienced the same thing: “I had a lot of people in Europe and the US saying that I look more Scottish than Brazilian. When I was in Scotland they said the same thing. I have even made a joke to some English friends of mine, while I was in London to teach seminars, that I am Scottish and they better watch out when we get on the mat 'cause we are still rivals.”

Physicality aside, maybe it’s not so surprising that the enterprising Gracie family hail from Scottish stock. The Scots have long been known as a nation of innovators, pioneers, and entrepreneurs. For such a small country, their contribution to the fields of science, technology, exploration and the arts are colossal. 

Scottish minds have a habit of finding a way. Alexander Graham Bell experimented with electronic devices to help deaf children communicate, which, in turn, led to the discovery of the telephone. James Watt didn’t invent the steam engine but he found a way to radically improve the existing model and as a result, helped to usher in the industrial revolution. And Carlos and Helio Gracie didn’t invent jiu-jitsu, but they found a way to improve the traditional Japanese system that disadvantaged weaker fighters. 

Today, the Gracie family is a brand of its own with academies all over the world, books, instructional DVDs, seminars, and the Gracie diet amongst other commodities. The family has maximized its potential and this would suggest George’s ancestors have certainly inherited the entrepreneurial spirit of the old country. 

But what do the ‘Fighting Gracies’ make of their Scottish heritage? “There is definitely a strong awareness of where we first came from,” says Rorion. “A sense of pride associated with our Scottish heritage, which I believe is the origin of our warrior spirit.” That warrior spirit may have originated within the ancient Celts, who infiltrated, amongst other regions, the north of Britain between 500 and 100 BC. 

“They were notorious for their love of fighting. They were warriors who lived for the glories of battle and plunder. If the Scottish physicality and entrepreneurial spirit remain a part of the Brazilian Gracies, then it’s clear the Celtic love of battle hasn’t deserted them either. “No doubt in my mind,” says Rorion, “the desire to compete within our family comes from our heritage. We are proud of our history written with blood, sweat, and tears.” Rilion Gracie agrees with his cousin: “I think our heritage plays a big part, that’s for sure. And I think if we didn’t carry that heritage in our blood, our history would be different.”

All in the family

Had George Gracie not emigrated to Brazil in 1826, it’s hard to imagine what the world of combat sports would look like today. Certainly, Mitsuyo Maeda taught jiu-jitsu to other Brazilians in the early 19th century. One such pupil was Luis Franca, who in turn taught Oswaldo Fadda, creating a lineage that eventually resulted in the famous Nova Uniao team – the home of the UFC’s José Aldo and Renan Barao. Despite this, nothing comes close to the national and international success that resulted from Maeda’s teaching of little Carlos Gracie. 

Brazilian jiu-jitsu has spread throughout the world, in large part due to the success of Royce Gracie in the early years of the UFC, an organization co-founded by his brother Rorion. This success also triggered the speedy evolution of mixed martial arts, one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. And it all began in Scotland, back in 1826 with James Gracie standing at the door of the family cottage in Low Carronhill, waving goodbye to his son George who was about to set sail for the New World. 

Today, there are a great number of martial artists throughout the world who must be thankful that the young man from Scotland had the courage to do what he did. How different things would be if George Gracie had decided to stay at home.

The family tree

Those Gracies don’t half get about. As a result of the widespread migration that was common in Scotland throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, there are now people scattered across the world who can trace their ancestry back to George Gracie and the birth of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. 

Jon Gracie, 41, from Wokingham, 40 minutes west of central London, is the great-great-great-great-great grandson of Thomas Gracie from Carronhill, Dumfries. Thomas (b. 1732) was the brother of the elder George Gracie, the grandfather of young George who later emigrated to Brazil. Jon is extremely proud of his heritage and even named his two children Isobel, eight, and Thomas, five (pictured left), after two of his relatives on the Gracie family tree. 

“It feels a bit bizarre being related to the world’s greatest fighting family,” says Jon when asked about his celebrity kinfolk. “My son Thomas seems keen on taking up judo so maybe I can get some private jiu-jitsu lessons for him from my famous relatives instead! Maybe I could take him to the next Olympics in Brazil and meet them all.”

Further afield is Rosemary Calder (nee Gracie) (pictured right). Rosemary is a happily retired octogenarian who lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband Michael. Rosemary’s great-grandfather James Gracie, emigrated to Australia in 1852. James was George Gracie’s nephew and this would make Rosemary the third cousin (once removed) of Carlos and Helio. 

“No big deal,” says Rosemary, when asked how it feels to be related to the royal family of fighting. “Neither myself nor my husband have ever been interested in martial arts as such. We did find it interesting when we made the connection with the ‘Fighting Gracies’ as there are a number of Gracie jiu-jitsu schools in Sydney and, in fact, throughout Australia.”