[Facts] Meaning of surnames: Alves and Grell
I've been having a difficult time finding the meaning of two last names one I believe is German- Grell, the other I believe is Portuguese- Alves. Any help would be great!!!
Replies
ALVES
Portuguese: the usual Portuguese form of Alvares
> Portuguese: from a patronymic form of the personal name Álvaro (see Alvaro)
> Spanish (Álvaro) and Portuguese: from the personal name Álvaro, which is of Germanic (Visigothic) origin, although the exact etymology is not clear.
GRELL
1. nickname for an irritable, irascible person, from Middle High German, Middle Low German grellen ‘to be angry’.
2. habitational name from a place named Grelle.
This is from: Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press
The DUDEN, Familiennamen has:
ALVES:
Lower German patronym of Alf
GRELL:
1. from Middle High German "grel" (rough, angry)
2. from Middle High German "grelle" (stick, spear) for someone making or using a weapon of the kind
So take your pick!
Portuguese: the usual Portuguese form of Alvares
> Portuguese: from a patronymic form of the personal name Álvaro (see Alvaro)
> Spanish (Álvaro) and Portuguese: from the personal name Álvaro, which is of Germanic (Visigothic) origin, although the exact etymology is not clear.
GRELL
1. nickname for an irritable, irascible person, from Middle High German, Middle Low German grellen ‘to be angry’.
2. habitational name from a place named Grelle.
This is from: Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press
The DUDEN, Familiennamen has:
ALVES:
Lower German patronym of Alf
GRELL:
1. from Middle High German "grel" (rough, angry)
2. from Middle High German "grelle" (stick, spear) for someone making or using a weapon of the kind
So take your pick!
Thanks I had a hard time finding this