Show ContentsGraue History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Directly translated the word gros means "large". It is thought that the name was originally used for a merchant that sold popular fruits or other various food items. 1

Early Origins of the Graue family

The surname Graue was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne), an administrative and historical region of east-central France but one of the first records of the name was found in England where William le Gros (died 1179) was the Count of Aumale (Earl of Albemarle), Earl of York, and Lord of Holderness.

The name de Grosso was also found in Normandy around 1180 and it is assumed by some sources that this could be an early root for the name Gros in France. 2

Early History of the Graue family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Graue research. Another 204 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1419, 1554, 1588, 1601, 1629, 1634, 1714, 1771, 1808, 1809, 1810 and 1835 are included under the topic Early Graue History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Graue Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gros, Graux, Graulx, Grot, Graut, Grauts, Grault, Graults, Grau, Graus, Graue, Graues, Gross, de Gros and many more.

Early Notables of the Graue family

Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Graue Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Graue family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Christian Gros, who settled in Philadelphia in 1732; Johan Hedrich Gros settled in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1764; Philip Daniel Gros settled in Philadelphia in 1753.


Contemporary Notables of the name Graue (post 1700) +

  • M. Elizabeth Graue, American academic, Sorenson professor of Curriculum and Instruction, in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Michael Graue (b. 1996), American actor, known for his role as Zach, one of the two child survivors from the tail section of Oceanic Flight 815 in the television series Lost
  • Arnfinn Graue (b. 1926), Norwegian nuclear physicist


  1. Dionne, N.-E., Origine Des Familles Canadiennes-Français. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1969. Print.
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)


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