View Message

[Surname] Hargrave origin
COPIED FROM PDF DOCUMENT Several names end in grave, meaning a steward or disposer; as Waldegrave, a steward of the forest; Margrave, a steward or warden of the marches or frontiers; Hargrave, the provider of an army. I think, however, that these names were not indigenous to England, but brought from Germany,
vote up0vote down

Replies

I don't know your source but grave in margrave does not mean steward or disposer. It is a rank in the Fankish Holy roman empire, somewhat similar to a count or earl. It's origin prior to that is unclear. English ge-refa "reeve" has some semantic similarities, and some scholars think there is a common source, however Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌲𐍂𐌴𐍆𐍄𐍃 (ga-grēfts, “decree, edict”) would imply that the root is not *ga-rafijo but *grafijo or *grafio. plus there's not much evidence a garafio form was ever used on the continent. Others suggest the root is Greek grapho, (there is a sense "write down, propose a law") via Latin graphio, although it's possible the Latin forms are derived from the Frankish; it's even possible the word comes via Gothic from Crimean GReek *graphto or conjugations of the Byzantine perfect tense gegrapht- gegraphth (have written), and an unattested agent noun *graphai or *grafijo (magistrate? governor?) in Greek or Gothic.

This message was edited 12/22/2022, 3:52 PM

vote up2vote down
Ok whatever all I care about is that Hargrave is an Olde English name.
vote up0vote down
I have read through countless old Documents on the internet and they all say something different. The last one i resd said Hargrave was an Old Norse name so i don't know what to believe anymore.
vote up0vote down
I know it's an Old English surname but it Originally from Saxon which is in GERMANY!! I am not saying the surname is from Germany
vote up0vote down
It's a old Saxon name!
vote up0vote down
Hargrave is the name of three places in England and that's where the surname comes from. Grave is simply the Old English form of grove.
vote up1vote down