Contents [hide]

Graves History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Graves History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

The name Graves has a long French heritage that first began in southern region of Languedoc. The name is derived from when the family lived in Languedoc but the name could have also been derived from the Old French word "grave," which meant "gravel."

Early Origins of the Graves family

The surname Graves was first found in Languedoc, where the family has held a family seat since very early times.

Early History of the Graves family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Graves research. Another 215 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1096, 1150, 1248, 1651, 1669, 1708 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Graves History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Graves Spelling Variations

Changes of spelling have occurred in most surnames. The earliest explanation is that during the early development of the French language, names were not yet fixed in spelling. Usually a person gave his version of his name, phonetically, to a scribe, a priest, or a recorder. This depended on accent, and local accents frequently changed the spelling of a name. Some variables were adopted by different branches of the family name. Hence, there are some spelling variations of the name Graves, including Grave, Grève, de Grèves, Grauve, Greive, Le Grave, de Grave, Graves and many more.

Early Notables of the Graves family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was Hugues, a Lord of Villegly and of Félines; and Jacques Gravier (1651-1708), a French Jesuit missionary in the New World from Moulins, Allier...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Graves Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Graves Ranking

In the United States, the name Graves is the 276^th most popular surname with an estimated 96,993 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Graves is ranked the 7,420^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2

Graves migration to the United States +

In the 1700s, land incentives were finally given out by France to 2,000 migrants. Early marriage was encouraged in New France, and youths of 18 took fourteen-year-old girls for their wives. The fur trade was developed and attracted migrants, both noble and commoner from France. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17th and 18th centuries, leaving French names scattered across the continent. The search for the Northwest passage continued. Migration from France to New France or Quebec, as it was now more popularly called, continued until 1759. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In the treaty of Utrecht, Acadia were ceded by France to Britain in 1713. In 1755, 10,000 French Acadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported. They found refuge in Louisiana. Meanwhile, in Quebec, the French race flourished, founding in Lower Canada, one of the two great solitudes which became Canada. Many of this distinguished family name Graves were prominent in social, cultural, religious and political affairs in France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Graves were

Graves Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Graves, who traveled on the first ship "Mary & Margaret" to Jamestown, Virginia in 1607 3
Robert Graves, aged 30, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "Southampton" 3
George Graves, who landed in Jamestown, Va in 1624 3
Richard Graves, aged 23, British settler who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Abigail" 3
Samuel Graves, who arrived in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1635 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Graves Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Ellinor Graves, who landed in Virginia in 1702 3
Ellmor Graves, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 3
William Graves, who arrived in Maryland in 1740 3
Matthew Graves, who arrived in New England in 1747 3
James Graves, who arrived in America in 1764 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Graves Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Capt. Graves, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1811 3
Thomas Graves, who landed in America in 1812 3
A. Graves, aged 50, settled in New York in 1820
Robert Graves, who landed in New York in 1825 3
Alexander Graves, who arrived in New York, NY in 1834 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Graves migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Graves Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Edward Graves U.E. who settled in Shefford Township, Eastern Townships, Quebec c. 1784 he was an associate of Capt. John Savage 4

Graves Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Peter Graves, who arrived in Canada in 1841
Mrs. Margaret Graves, aged 34 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Larch" departing 11th July 1847 from Sligo, Ireland; the ship arrived on 20th August 1847 but she died on board 5
Mr. Michael Graves, aged 2 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "New York Packet" departing 14th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 29th June 1847 but he died on board 5

Graves migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Graves Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Graves, English convict from London, who was transported aboard the "Almorah" on April 1817, settling in New South Wales, Australia 6
Mr. Thomas Graves, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years for coining, transported aboard the "Caledonia" on 5th July 1820, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Mr. Storer Graves, (b. 1782), aged 46, English shoe maker from Somerset who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for robbery, transported aboard the "Fergusson" on 16th November 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. James Graves, English convict who was convicted in Hythe, Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Camden" on 21st September 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Henry James Graves, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on February 22, 1834, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Graves migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Graves Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mary Ann Graves, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Empress" in 1865
Sarah Graves, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rob Roy" in 1865
Sarah Jane Graves, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rob Roy" in 1865
Frederick Graves, aged 16, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Edward P Bouverie" in 1873 11
Sarah Graves, aged 38, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Edward P Bouverie" in 1873 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Graves migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 12

Graves Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mary Graves, who settled in Barbados in 1679

Contemporary Notables of the name Graves (post 1700) +

Curtis M. Graves (1938-2023), American civil rights activist and politician in the state of Texas, one of the first African Americans to serve in the Texas House of Representatives
Carie Brand Graves (1953-2021), American rower and collegiate rowing coach from Madison, Wisconsin, winner of a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics and a bronze in 1976
Peter Graves (1926-2010), born Peter Aurness, American film and television actor best known for his starring role in the television series Mission: Impossible, younger brother of James Arness, star of the television series Gunsmoke
Milford Graves (1941-2021), American jazz drummer, percussionist, Professor Emeritus of Music
Earl Gilbert Graves Sr. (1935-2020), American entrepreneur, publisher, businessman and philanthropist
Thomas Ashley Graves Jr. (1924-2016), American academic, 23rd President of the College of William & Mary (1971-1985)
Samuel Ray Graves (1918-2015), American college and professional football player and college football coach, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990
Michael Graves (1934-2015), American architect, one of The New York Five, ad one of the Memphis Group
John Graves (1920-2013), American writer, best known for his book Goodbye to a River (1960) that was nominated for a National Book Award
Brigadier-General Davis Dunbar Graves (1903-1945), American Commanding Officer Figther Wing, US North Africa Theater of Operations (1943-1944) 13
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Graves family +

Halifax Explosion

Mr. Noah Graves (1858-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries 14
Miss Helen Graves (1914-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 14

HMS Hood

Mr. John R Graves (b. 1915), English Lieutenant (S) serving for the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve from Wickford, Essex, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 15

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 78)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Almorah voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1817 with 180 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/almorah/1817
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fergusson
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/camden
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1834 with 230 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1834
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 11) Davis Graves. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Graves/Davis_Dunbar/USA.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm