Surname Groß - Meaning and Origin
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Unraveling the Rich Tapestry of the Groß Heritage: My DNA Analysis Journey with iGENEA
Venturing into a DNA analysis journey with iGENEA, I unraveled the history and origins of my family name, Groß. The ancestry results connected me to my deep-rooted past, showing me corners of my heritage that I'd never known. By tracing the lineage of the Groß family, I discovered a history intertwined with power and influence.
H. Groß
read moreGroß: What does the surname Groß mean?
The surname Groß is a German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname meaning "large." It was originally an occupational name for a person who was a large landowner, or someone who preformed tasks related to the production of wine in a region where it was made. This could include grape growers, bottlers, sellers, and distributors. The name could also indicate a person of above- average body size, or a person who worked with livestock.
The name may have come from the Middle High German word groz or from the Old Germanic term groz, which could both mean "big" or "large." Alternatively, it may have originated from the Old Germanic word groth, a term for a physical structure or building which might indicate a person who built large edifices.
When Jews started to emigrate out of Germany in the mid-19th century, they took the surname Groß with them, but changed spellings to make it easier to pronounce in different languages. Today, the surname appears in multiple languages across the globe, with various spellings including Gross, Groz, Grozs, Grose, and Grzes, among many others.
In German speaking regions, Groß is a very common surname and derives from a remarkable variety of origins. No matter how it is spelled, it signifies someone with a large stature or broad perspective.
Order DNA origin analysisGroß: Where does the name Groß come from?
The surname Groß (or Gross) is primarily found in German-speaking areas of Europe, particularly in Austria and Germany. It can also be found in larger numbers in countries with a significant number of German immigrants, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. Groß is the seventh most common surname in Austria and is the twenty-third most common surname in Germany.
The literal meaning of the surname is "large" or "great". Historically, the use of the Groß surname may have been derived from the Middle High German "gros", which was also used as a term for a political leader. Hence, 'Gros' was probably used as a nickname for someone of importance or a military leader. It is also sometimes seen as a shortening of "Grossman", which referred to someone who was a big landowner.
The surname has also seen variants, such as Großmann, Große, Große-Busch, and Großkopf. As a result, the Groß surname is widespread across Europe and seen in many different forms.
Variations of the surname Groß
There are several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Groß. The most common spelling is Gross, with a double s. This spelling is used in many countries such as Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Poland. Another spelling is Große, with an extra e at the end. This is used mainly in German-speaking countries. Other variations include Großen, Gröss, Grosz, and Groess.
Variants of the surname Groß include Größ, Große, Größer, and Größner. Surnames with the same origin as Groß are Grosse, Grossmann, Grosser, Grossenbacher, and Großmann.
An interesting variation of the surname is the diminutive form Großelinus, which is mainly found in Germany. Another diminutive form is Großelberg, which was commonly used in the nineteenth century.
The English spelling Gross is also used in some countries, particularly in northern Europe. Groß is also sometimes spelled with a capital G rather than lower case.
Other spellings of the surname include Gors, Gros, and Grosz. All of these variants are derived from the same root, which is the German word groß meaning "big" or "great".
Overall, the surname Groß has many variations and spellings, as well as surnames of the same origin. Although many of the variations have distinctly Germanic origins, there are specific spellings and variations for many other countries around the world.
Famous people with the name Groß
- Thomas Groß: German footballer
- Bernd Groß: German bassist
- Marie Groß: German Olympic swimmer
- Johannes Groß: German photographer
- Monika Groß: German writer
- Erich Groß: German sculptor
- Rainer Groß: German astronomer
- Dietmar Groß: German actor
- Fritzi Groß: Austrian voice actress
- Uli Groß: German footballer
- Helga Groß: German opera singer
- Alexander Groß: German classical pianist
- Carola Groß: Austrian Olympic judoka
- Itta Groß: German political activist
- Steve Groß: American media executive
- Dagmar Groß: German heiress
- Debora Groß: German singer
- Johannes Groß: German-born American classical organist
- Heliodor Groß: German architect
- Robert Groß: German painter