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Gross History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Gross History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Germany

The history of the Gross family name begins in the German province of Bavaria. Gross is a nickname surname, a class of German names derived from eke-names, or added names, that described people by a personal characteristic or other attribute. Gross is a name for a large person. This family name is derived from the German word gross, indicating prodigious size.

Early Origins of the Gross family

The surname Gross was first found in Bavaria, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation. Guenther Gross, founder of the Bavarian line von Trockau, appeared as early as 1097, when he fought under Gottfried von Bouillon against the infidels; after his period of service he settled in Franconia.

Early History of the Gross family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gross research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1501 and 1783 are included under the topic Early Gross History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gross Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Gross include Gross, Grose, Groes, Grosse, Groess, Groesse and many more.

Early Notables of the Gross family

Prominent among members of the name Gross in this period include

Heinrich Gross (d. 1501), who was bishop of Bamberg

Gross Ranking

In the United States, the name Gross is the 416^th most popular surname with an estimated 67,149 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Gross is ranked the 956^th most popular surname with an estimated 5,483 people with that name. 2

Gross migration to the United States +

European migration to North America began in the mid-17th century and continued unabated until the mid-20th. Many Bavarians made the long trip to escape poverty or persecution based on their religious beliefs. The chance for tenant farmers to own their own land was also a major drawing card. They settled all across the United States in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many came to Canada also, settling in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Grosss to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Gross Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Sampson Gross, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 3

Gross Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Gross, who arrived in New York in 1709 3
Johan Jorg Gross, who landed in New York in 1709 3
William Gross, his wife and two children, who settled in America in 1709
Hendrick Gross, who arrived in New York in 1709 3
Conrad Gross, who arrived in America in 1712 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gross Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

G A Gross, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1802 3
Fred Wilch Gross, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 3
Frederic Gross, aged 40, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 3
Hannah Gross, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1804 3
Johann Gross, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1806 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gross Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Leo Gross, who arrived in Mississippi in 1902 3
Fred Gross, who arrived in Alabama in 1913 3

Gross migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gross Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Maria Gross, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
Ms. Catherine Gross U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 524 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York 4
Ms. Elizabeth Gross U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 523 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York 4
Ms. Mary Gross U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 522 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York 4

Gross migration to Australia +

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

Gross Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Matthew Gross, (b. 1828), aged 25, Cornish agricultural labourer departing from Plymouth on 3rd February 1853 aboard the ship "Bride" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 17th May 1853 5
Mrs. Mary Gross, (b. 1831), aged 22, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 3rd February 1853 aboard the ship "Bride" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 17th May 1853 5
Mr. Gross, (b. 1853), aged Infant, Cornish settler born aboard the ship "Bride" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 17th May 1853 5
Matilda Gross, aged 30, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Thetis" 6

Gross 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:

Gross Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Edwin F. Gross, (b. 1854), aged 20, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Dorette" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th April 1874 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Gross (post 1700) +

Dærick Gröss Sr. (1947-2023), American illustrator, writer, editor, and art director
Sam Gross (1933-2023), American cartoonist, specializing in single-panel cartoons, a regular contributor to The New Yorker
Jane Gross (1947-2022), American sportswriter who wrote for Newsday and The New York Times, the first woman known to have entered a professional basketball locker room in 1975
Kenneth Irwin Gross (1938-2017), American mathematician, two-time divisional program director for the National Science Foundation, awarded the Lester Randolph Ford Award (1979), the Chauvenet Prize (1981 and was Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (2012)
Robert A. Gross (1927-2018), American physicist, recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship and a Guggenheim Fellowship, fellow of both the American Physical Society and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Donald John "Don" Gross (1931-2017), American Major League Baseball player who played for the Cincinnati Redlegs (1955–1957) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1958–1960)
Michael C. Gross (1945-2015), American artist, designer, and film producer, perhaps best remembered for designing the logo for the movie Ghostbusters
Rita Gross (1943-2015), American Buddhist feminist theologian and author
Sarah "Sally" Gross (1933-2015), born Sarah Freiberg, an American postmodernist dancer
Brigadier-General Merwin Eugene Gross (1900-1946), American Commandant of the Army Air Force Institute of Technology (1946) 8
... (Another 100 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Gross family +

Fraterville mine

Mr. William F. Gross (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 9

USS Arizona

Mr. Milton Henry Gross, American Chief Storekeeper Assigned from California, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 10

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
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf
South Australian Register Friday 1st September 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Emigrant 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/thetis1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 11) Merwin Gross. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Gross/Merwin_Eugene/USA.html
News paper article Fraterville Mine Disaster retrieved on 6th August 2021. (Retrieved from http://www.tn.gov/tsla/exhibits/disasters/fraterville.htm).
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html