Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Grañón SpanishThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous Riojan municipality.
Grant English, ScottishFrom a medieval personal name, probably a survival into Middle English of the Old English byname
Granta (see
Grantham).
Grantaire LiteratureThis is the name of a minor character in Victor Hugo's novel 'Les Misérables' (1862), a follower of the revolutionary
Enjolras.
Grantham EnglishHabitational name from Grantham in Lincolnshire, of uncertain origin. The final element is Old English
hām "homestead"; the first may be Old English
grand "gravel" or perhaps a personal name
Granta, which probably originated as a byname meaning "snarler"... [
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Grape Low GermanMetonymic occupational name for a maker of metal or earthenware vessels, from Middle Low German
grope "pot".
Grass English, GermanTopographic name for someone who owned or lived by a meadow, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who made or sold hay, from Middle English
gras, Middle High German
gras "grass, pasture, grazing".
Grass ScottishOccupational name, reduced from Gaelic
greusaiche "shoemaker". A certain John Grasse alias
Cordonar (Middle English
cordewaner "shoemaker") is recorded in Scotland in 1539.
Grässli RomanshDerived from Romansh
grass "fat" in combination with the diminutive suffix
-li.
Grato EnglishFrom a nickname given to somebody with grass-like hair, making this surname’s meaning “he with grass-like hair.”
Grattà Late Greek (Italianized, Modern, Archaic, Expatriate)Historical origins of Grattà are found in The Southern Region of Italy in The Province of Catanzaro, Calabria; predominately in the Comune of Girafalco and Palermiti. There is also at least one Coat of Arms that place the name being used in the The Commune of Lucca, Region of Tuscany in Central Italy.
Gratz GermanFrom a short form of a Germanic personal name reflected by Old High German gratag 'greedy'
Grau German, JewishNickname for someone with gray hair or a gray beard, from German
grau "gray".
Graue GermanHabitational name from a place so named near Hannover.
Graupman GermanOccupational name for someone who produced or dealt with grits and legumes, from early modern German
graupe "pot barley" (bohemian krupa) and
man "man".
Grave EnglishOccupational name from Middle English greyve "steward", from Old Norse greifi or Low German greve
Grave FrenchTopographic name for someone who lived on a patch of gravelly soil, from Old French
grave "gravel" (of Celtic origin).
Grave GermanEither from the northern form of
Graf, but more commonly a topographic name from Middle Low German
grave "ditch", "moat", "channel", or a habitational name from any of several places in northern Germany named with this word.
Gravelotte FrenchDerived from a commune (town) in the Moselle department in Grand Est in north-eastern France, near Metz.
Grawert Low German, German (East Prussian)As a Low German name, Grawert is derived from Middle High German
grā and Old High German
grāo "gray" (originally "shimmery, gleaming"). As a surname, it was a nickname given to someone with gray hair.... [
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Grayling English (British)Uncommon surname of unclear origin; possible medieval locational name, or a derivative of the French surname Grail or the diminutive Graillon.... [
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Grealish EnglishThe name derives from the Old Norman French word "greslet", meaning pitted or scarred, and is itself derived from the very early Germanic word "gresle", or hailstone.
Greasby EnglishOne who came from Greasby, a parish on the Wirral Peninsula, in Cheshire, now Merseyside.
Greaves Popular CultureBorne by Lucien Greaves, a social activist and the spokesman and co-founder of The Satanic Temple.
Greay English (Rare)The name Greay originated when a family matriarch changed the name to differentiate between the two families with the same name
Grey. There was a wedding between the two families and it was easier if the name was changed.
Grebenstein GermanMeans "stone from the cliff or ridge" from German
greben, (cliff or ridge) and
stein (stone).... [
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Greeley English, NormanEnglish (of Norman origin): nickname for someone with a pock-marked face, from Old Northern French
greslé ‘pitted’, ‘scarred’ (from
gresle ‘hailstone’, of Germanic origin).
Greenberger German, JewishAnglicized form of the German surname
Grünberger, which is formed from the words
grün "green",
Berg "mountain", and the habitational suffix -er. This name indicated a person who lived on or near a forest-covered mountain.
Greenblatt JewishAshkenazi Jewish Surname incorporating Yiddish/German elements meaning “Greenleaf.” Writer and storyboard artist C. H. Greenblatt (born 1972) most known for SpongeBob SquarePants is a famous bearer of this name.
Greenburgh German, JewishThe surname Greenburgh is anglicized for the German Jewish surname Greenberg which translates into English as green mountain.
Greenfeld EnglishPartly Americanized form of the Ashkenazic Jewish ornamental name Grun(e)feld or Grinfeld, a compound of Yiddish grin + German Feld 'field', or of German Grünfeld (see Grunfeld).
Greengrass EnglishNotable bearers include film director Paul Greengrass and baseball player Jim Greengrass.
Greenhill EnglishThe name is derived from a geographic locality, "at the green hill", or rather, more specifically of "Greenhill". The surname could also derive from the liberty on the wapentake of Corringham in Lincolnshire, or a hamlet in the parish of Harrow in Middlesex... [
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Greenidge EnglishFrom Greenhedge Farm in Aslockton, Nottinghamshire, itself derived from Old English
grene “green” +
hecg “hedge”.
Greenland English (Germanized)Greenland Name Meaning. English: topographic name for someone who lived near a patch of land left open as communal pasturage, from Middle English grene 'green' + land 'land'. Translated form of German Grönland, a topographic name with the same meaning as 1, from Low German grön 'green' + Land 'land'.
Greenlaw EnglishFrom one of two placenames, located near the Anglo-Scottish border. Named with Old English
grēne, 'green' and
halw, 'hill, mound'.
Greenleaf EnglishFrom Old English
grēne "green" and
lēaf "leaf", presumably applied as a nickname, the significance of which is now lost.
Greenlee Englishhabitational name from any of various minor places, for example in Staffordshire, so named from Old English grene ‘green’ + leah ‘woodland clearing’.
Greenway EnglishOriginally given to a person who lived near a grassy path, from Middle English
grene "green" and
weye "road, path" (cf.
Way).... [
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Greif GermanMeans "Griffin" in German. From the mythological creature.
Greiner Upper German, German (Swiss)Nickname for a quarrelsome or cantankerous person, derived from Middle High German
grīner meaning "squabbler, quarreler" (ultimately an agent derivative of
grīn meaning "loud, cry, screaming, shouting")... [
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Grell GermanNickname for an irritable or irascible person, from Middle High German, Middle Low German
grellen "to be angry".
Grell GermanHabitational name from a place named Grelle.
Grenier FrenchOccupational name for a grain merchant (from Latin granarius), or a topographic name for someone who lived by a granary (from Latin granarium) or a metonymic occupational name for someone who supervised or owned one.
Gresham EnglishFrom a place name meaning "grazing homestead" in Old English.
Gresley EnglishFrom the name of either of two villages in Derbyshire, derived from Old English
greosn "gravel" and
leah "woodland clearing, glade".
Gretzinger GermanHabitational name for someone from any of three places named Grötzingen (Old High German Grezzingun) in Baden-Württemberg.
Gretzky Russian, BelarusianOriginally derived from an old Russian word that meant "Greek", though in modern times, the word means "Greek nut" (walnut). A notable bearer is Wayne Gretzky, a former Canadian ice hockey player.
Gribben IrishThis surname is of Old Gaelic origin, and is a variant of "Cribben", which itself is the Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "
MacRoibin", meaning "son of (mac) Robin", a patronymic from the Anglo-Norman French given name "Robin"... [
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Griebe GermanOccupational name for a butcher or fat dealer from Middle High German
griebe griube "rendered bacon pieces crackling".
Grieser Upper Germantopographic name for someone living on a sandy site, from Middle High German griez ‘sand’ + -er suffix denoting an inhabitant.
Griffin Irish (Anglicized)Anglicized (part translated) form of Gaelic Ó Gríobhtha "descendant of
Gríobhtha", a personal name from
gríobh "gryphon".
Griffioen DutchDutch cognate of
Griffin 2. Could be a habitational name referring to a sign depicting a griffin, or derived from a coat of arms.
Griffo ItalianFrom
grifo "gryphon" (Latin
gryphus, Greek
gryps, of Assyrian origin), hence a nickname for someone thought to resemble the mythical beast.
Griffon FrenchFrom a diminutive of Old French
griffe "claw", hence a nickname for a grasping or vicious person, or perhaps for someone with a deformed or otherwise remarkable hand.
Grigahcine Berber (Rare, ?)Meaning unknown, perhaps of Kabyle origin. A known bearer is DJ Snake, who was born
William Grigahcine (1986-), an Algerian-French musician.
Grignon FrenchFrom French 'grignard' meaning "angry" and "contemptuous", and Old French (of Germanic origin) 'grignier' "to grit the teeth" or "curl the lips".
Grijalva Spanish, Central AmericanSpanish: habitational name from any of various places called Grijalba in particular the one in Burgos province. The placename is from iglesia 'church' + Old Spanish alva 'white'.
Grill GermanFrom a nickname for a cheerful person, from Middle High German grille "cricket" (Old High German grillo, from Late Latin grillus, Greek gryllos). The insect is widely supposed to be of a cheerful disposition, no doubt because of its habit of infesting hearths and warm places... [
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Grimshaw EnglishA habitational surname originating from the hamlet of Grimshaw in Lancashire, derived from Old English elements grīma "mask" and sċeaga "copse". Famous bearers of this surname include , English Victorian-era artist John Atkinson Grimshaw and Irish writer Beatrice Grimshaw, as well as the Grimshaw family in Coronation Street.
Grindstaff German (Anglicized)Americanized form of German
Frenzhof or
Grenzhof, a place near Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg or
Granzow, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany.
Grindy German (Modern), FrenchI have seen elsewhere explanations about this name being German or French in origin. Sorry, I do not have the sources to hand
Griner German (Anglicized), JewishAmericanised form of German
Greiner. It could also denote a person who came from various German places called
Grüna or
Grünau. In Jewish, it is a topographic name for someone who lived in a green of leafy area, derived from Yiddish
grin meaning "green" or Middle High German
gruene meaning "greenery".
Griscom Welshfrom phrase gris-y-cwm, welsh for 'steps of the valley'. Root word 'grisiau' meaning steps or stairs. A place name from an extant village in Wales.
Grisel French, French (Swiss)Derived from the Old French adjective
grisel, a variant of
gris meaning "grey". It was a nickname for a person with grey hair a grey complexion or who habitually wore grey.
Grissom EnglishFrom a diminutive of
Grice, which was originally a nickname for a grey-haired man, derived from Middle English
grice,
gris meaning "grey" (itself from Old French
gris, apparently of Germanic origin).
Grixti MalteseGrixti is entirely of Maltese origin and is thought to mean "rough".
Grob GermanA nickname for a strong, heavy man, or for a lout, from Middle High German
g(e)rop "coarse".
Grobglas JewishPerhaps an ornamental name derived from Yiddish גראָב (
grob) meaning "crude, coarse, rough" and גלאז (
glaz) meaning "glass". Israeli actress Yael Grobglas (1984-) bears this surname.
Grodsky Polish, JewishAltered spelling of Polish
Grodzki, a habitational name from Grodziec or Grodzie, places named with gród ‘castle’, ‘fortification’ (cognate with Russian grad)... [
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Grogan IrishDerived from the native Gaelic O'Gruagain Sept that was initially located in County Roscommon but which became widely dispersed. The name is derived from a Gaelic word meaning 'fierceness'.
Groll GermanDerived from
grollen, 'to be angry', often used as a nickname for an angry or sulky individual.
Gronkowski PolishOriginally indicated a person who came from Gronków, a village in southern Poland.
Groński PolishHabitational name for someone from Grońsko in Greater Poland Voivodeship (named with the nickname
Gron,
Grono, from
grono "bunch of grapes") or from Groń, the name of several places in southern, mountainous part of Lesser Poland (named with the regional word
groń "ridge").
Grosch GermanEither a metonymic occupational name for a moneyer or possibly a nickname for an avaricious person from Middle High German Middle Low German
grosche "groschen" a medieval thick silver coin its name ultimately derived from medieval Latin
denarius grossus literally "thick coin".
Grosvenor EnglishEnglish surname of Norman origin meaning ‘the master huntsman’. Derived from Le Grand Veneur, this title was held by Hugh d'Avranches who accompanied William the Conqueror in the Norman invasion of England in 1066.
Grotius Dutch (Latinized)Latinized form of
De Groot. This name was used by the Dutch humanist, theologian and jurist Hugo Grotius (1583-1645), born as either Huig de Groot or Hugo de Groot... [
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Groulx FrenchFrench spelling, often found in Canada, of Groult, Grould, possibly reduced forms of
Gréoul, a personal name of Germanic origin, composed of the elements
gred "hunger" +
wolf,
wulf "wolf".
Grove GermanName from any of several places named Grove or Groven, which derive their name from Middle Low Germany
grove ‘ditch’, ‘channel’. In some cases the name is a Dutch or Low German form of
Grube.
Grove EnglishName for someone who lived by a grove or thicket, Middle English
grove, Old English
graf.
Grube GermanName for someone who lived in a depression or hollow, from Middle High German
gruobe "pit", "hollow". See also
Gruber.
Gruber JewishA nickname from an inflected form of Yiddish dialect
grub meaning ‘rude' or 'impolite’.
Grullon Dominican, Mexican, FrenchPossibly from a derivative of Spanish
grulla "crane (bird)" presumably applied as a nickname for tall thin person; in Mexico however
grulla denotes a crafty person
Grumbach German (Swiss), AlsatianFrom the name of various places in Switzerland and Germany, for example the municipality of
Grumbach in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Grün German, Jewishfrom Middle High German
gruoni "green fresh raw" hence a nickname for someone who habitually dressed in green a topographic name for someone who lived in a green and leafy place or a habitational name for someone from a place called with this word such as
Gruna Grunau in Silesia... [
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Grünbaum German, Jewishfrom Middle High German
gruoni "green" and
boum "tree" probably a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a tree in leaf... [
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Grundin SwedishCombination of Swedish
grund "shallow (water)" and the surname suffix
-in.
Grundy EnglishProbably a Middle English metathesized form of the Old French personal name
Gondri,
Gundric (see
Gundry).
Grünfeld German, JewishHabitational name from any of several places in northern and central Germany named
Grünfeld named with elements meaning "green open country" derived from the elements
gruoni "green" and
feld "field"... [
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Grunwald German, German (Swiss), JewishGerman and Swiss German (Grünwald): habitational name from any of various places named Grün(e)wald, from Middle High German gruene ‘green’ + walt ‘wood’, ‘forest’. ... [
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