Surname Gravely - Meaning and Origin
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Gravely: What does the surname Gravely mean?
The last name Gravely is derived from the Old English word grave, which means "gravel". The name is likely to have originally been a nickname for someone who lived near a gravel pit or by a gravelly clay path. It also has been suggested that the name may be derived from the German Graf, meaning "count", indicating it originally denoted someone of noble rank.
The earliest record of the name dates back to the 16th century in England with the earliest bearer of the name being John Gravely, who was born in 1563. Since then, the name has spread across the world, including to America where it became popular after the arrival of English settlers.
The name has been associated with a wide range of professions, including a merchant in Oxfordshire in 1716, a minister in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1781, and a shoemaker in Yorkshire in 1818. Although the name has no known coat of arms, some believe that the Gravely family crest is a lion rampant, either black or gold, indicating that the Gravely name has a noble history.
Today, the Gravely name remains popular across the world, testament to its origins and interesting history.
Order DNA origin analysisGravely: Where does the name Gravely come from?
The last name Gravely is most commonly found today in the United States, particularly in the southeastern United States. In the 1980 US census, Gravely was the 1,568th most common name, indicating that it had become established in the United States by then.
Today it is most prevalent in West Virginia, with the highest density of the Gravely surname found in Lincoln County (0.32% of the population). In Virginia, the counties with the highest percentages of people with the Gravely name are Bland (0.090%), King (0.064%.), Appomattox (0.062%) and Southampton (0.05%).
Elsewhere in the United States, the states with the highest percentage of Gravely’s are Alabama (0.019%), Pennsylvania (0.011%), and Arizona (0.011%). Ohio, Colorado, and North Carolina all have percentages below 0.009%.
Gravely has a slightly higher frequency in England, particularly in Essex. In Australia, the name is found in the smallest numbers, with the only mention coming from Victoria (0.001%).
The Gravely name is not among the top 1,000 surnames in other countries, though it can be found in sets of countries in Europe, particularly in Germany and the Netherlands.
Variations of the surname Gravely
The surname Gravely is spelled differently in various parts of the world. In the United States, it is mostly spelled as Gravely, but some people choose to spell it as Gravelly. In England, it can also be spelled as Gravaly or Gravalle. Regions such as Germany and the Netherlands use more variations including Graveley, Gravil, and Grawely.
Other variants of the surname Gravely include Graval, Gravel, Grave, Gravelier, Gravley, Graveleau, Gravleye, Gravleyeck, Gravelle, and Grauely. Each of these spellings is derived from the same root name.
Surnames with similar origin and meaning to Gravely include Gravell, Gravill, Gravillon, Graville, Gravalon, and Gravelles. These all originate from the word grave, which was a name used to refer to a home with a fence or a fortified home in the Middle Ages.
One of the more unique surnames associated with this origin is Gravells. This can either be derived from Gravely or Gravell, meaning that it is a form of the name Gravely that has been specifically changed.
In conclusion, Gravely is a surname with many variants, each of which has a different origin and meaning. Other surnames derived from the same root name include Gravell, Gravel, Grave, Gravelier, Gravley, Gravelles, Graveleau, Gravleye, Gravleyeck, Graval, Gravelle, and Grauely. It is important to note that many of these spellings are rarely used today and may only be used by close relatives or ancestors of those with the Gravely surname.
Famous people with the name Gravely
- Ralph W.Gravely: Rear Admiral of the U.S. Navy
- Jontez Gravely: American Lacrosse player
- Victoria Gravely- Actress and Model
- Dr. Robert M. Gravely: United States Foreign Service Officer
- Helain Gravely: Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur
- Reed Gravely: Football Coach
- Emma Gravely: Radio Presenter
- Quincy Gravely: Professional Basketball Player
- John Gravely: Professional Disc Golfer
- Delila Gravely: Stage Actress
- Lynne Gravely: Realtor
- Barry E. Gravely: Aerospace Engineer
- Casey Gravely: Film Editor
- Bob Gravely: Musician
- Mark Gravely: artist
- Dave Gravely: President of a Software Company
- Noah Gravely: Professional Wrestler
- Ceriotti Gravely: Writer
- Alexander Gravely: Writer
- Svetlana Gravely: Model