Surname Grotens - Meaning and Origin
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Grotens: What does the surname Grotens mean?
Grotens is a surname of Germanic origins. It likely derives from the word "Groten" which in Low German means ‘herring’. It was most likely a topographic name for someone who lived near a pond in which herrings were found. Alternatively, it could also be a nickname, describing someone as a market vendor of herring or for someone who dealt in herrings as a fishmonger.
Grotens families first appear in records in the 15th and 16th centuries, mainly in lower Germany in the regions of Oldenberg, Westfalen, and some areas of the German-Czech border. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the family gradually migrated towards the east and north into the regions of Pomerania, Silesia, and Poland. Members of the Grotens family also made their way to the United States and Canada, with the first known members of the family, Herman and Barbara Grotens, appearing in records in Pennsylvania at the end of the 19th century.
Today, Grotens is still largely found in Germany, but also remains common in the United States, although its prevalence is not as high as it was in the past. Although the precise meaning of the name has been lost over time, it is still a proud and ancient name that has stood the test of time.
Order DNA origin analysisGrotens: Where does the name Grotens come from?
The last name Grotens is most often found in the Netherlands as well as Belgium and other Dutch-speaking countries. It is the Dutch derivative form of the German last name Grothe, derived from the middle-low German "grot." According to Connellan et al. (2003), the last name Grotens appears to be most common in the provinces of Noord-Brabant, Utrecht and Zeeland in the Netherlands, with a population of 4,116 (as of 2003).
The Netherlands was historically an agricultural society, and thus the population was distributed more or less evenly throughout the country. The provinces with the highest population density, such as Noord-Brabant, were also the provinces that many Dutch families had been living in for generations.
Certain parts of the Netherlands have had a high concentration of Grotens throughout its history. For instance, there is a historic Grotens Manor located at the east side of Amersfoort, a city in the province of Utrecht. The manor was built in 16th century and was owned by a family of doctors of medicine named Grotens for several hundred years.
The last name Grotens is still quite common today in the Dutch-speaking world. It is one of the most frequent last names in Belgium and the Netherlands, ranking in the top 150 on Familienaam (2020). In addition, many Grotens can still be found in the historical areas of concentration such as Noord-Brabant, Utrecht, and Zeeland.
Variations of the surname Grotens
Grotens is a surname of German and Dutch origin. It is mostly used by the Dutch people which can be spelled with either one T or two Ts. In the Netherlands, the double T spellings is more commonly used. Variations of spelling are Groten, Groeten, Grooten, Groetens, Grootens, Groatens, Grottens, and Groutens.
Variants of Grotens are Groten, Grooten, Grouten, Grueten, Grott, Greuthen, Groetes, Grothen, Grutten, Grotheen, Gruten, Groethen, Gruthen, Groeten, and Groethen.
In the Netherlands, it is the spelling with Normandic double T that is used. In Germany it is the single T spelling that is more widespread. In modern popularity, the triple T characters tend to be more widely used.
Grotens is derived from the Germanic personal name Gregorius, which means "mighty, vigilant". It is a nickname or a surname for the eldest sons of men who bore the same name as their father.
The various spellings may have also arisen when surnames were transliterated into other languages, such as English or French. In Dutch, the letter T was sometimes replaced with the letter D, or the letter G with a C, or in some cases, both.
In Germany, from 1940 to 1945, people with "Jewish-sounding" surnames, such as Grotens, had to add an additional letter to their surnames. This resulted in variation of the name, including Grouten and Groiten.
In France, various spelling variations of the name include Groyten, Gruenen, Gruenen, Groeten, and Groeten.
Grotens can also be seen written with various prefixes and suffixes, such as von Grotens, De Grotens, den Groten, van der Grooten, and van der Grottens.
Famous people with the name Grotens
- Gar Grotens: Former professional smoothest, currently a mindfulness coach and spiritual mentor.
- Jop Grotens: Singer-songwriter from Holland.
- Maarten Grotens: Dutch cartoonist known for work in albums such as ‘Druppers’ and ‘Staggerlings’.
- Emile Grotens: Founder of studio Emile Groten and Grotens Silk.
- Wolfgang Grotens: Goldsmith from Germany, specializing in the creation of unique items made of gold and silver.
- Ewald Grotens: Architect from the Netherlands, famous for designing the Pasar610 tower in Rotterdam.
- Rudolf Grotens: Former race-driver from Germany, today an international business consultant and public speaker.
- Bernard Grotens: Film director from the Netherlands, his films have won multiple awards.
- Nico Grotens: Dutch pianist and pop star, known for his abstract compositions and electric melodies.
- Calvin Grotens: Actor from the Netherlands, his most famous role being in the movie ‘Uitzicht’.