Grote History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The German surname Grote emerged in the lands that formed the powerful German state of Prussia, which at one time was an immense German territory that stretched from France and the Low Countries to the Baltic sea and Poland. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the German territories were inhabited by a variety of Barbarian tribes. The borders of the Barbarian kingdoms changed frequently, but the region that became known as Prussia was roughly divided between the areas of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia, and East Prussia. Brandenburg-Prussia was essentially the birthplace of modern Germany. By the 19th century, Brandenburg-Prussia had incorporated East Prussia, West Prussia and many other German territories. Moreover, in the late 19th century, it led the German states in the unification of Germany.

Early Origins of the Grote family

The surname Grote was first found in Prussia, where this family became a prominent contributor to the development of the area from ancient times.

Early History of the Grote family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grote research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1775, 1800, 1843, 1883 and 1899 are included under the topic Early Grote History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grote 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 Grote include Grothe, Groth, Grot, Groat, Groete, Groethe, Groet, Groter and many more.

Early Notables of the Grote family

Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Grote Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grote Ranking

In the United States, the name Grote is the 10,072^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Grote migration to the United States +

The state of Prussia was a great influence on the shape of modern Germany. After the Second World War, Prussia's land was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany and the state was abolished. Some Prussians remained in those countries after the war, while many others migrated to North America in search of a new start. Philadelphia was their primary point of entry to the United States, after which many of them moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. A large number of Prussians also migrated to Ontario and the prairie provinces as United Empire Loyalists. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Grotes to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Grote Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Heinrich Grote, who sailed to America in 1780
Heinrich Grote, who arrived in America in 1780 2
Christion Grote, who landed in America in 1783 2
Jaques Grote, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1797 2

Grote Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Rudolph Grote, aged 50, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1807 2
John Rudolph Grote, who sailed to Philadelphia in 1807
Gerd Heinr Grote, who landed in America in 1814-1820 2
Henry Grote, aged 24, who landed in Missouri in 1840 2
Heinr Christ Adolph Grote, who landed in America in 1844 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Grote Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

August Grote, who arrived in Arkansas in 1902 2

Grote migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Grote Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Christian Grote, who sailed to Canada in 1783
Christian Grote, who landed in Canada in 1783

Contemporary Notables of the name Grote (post 1700) +

Gerald Wayne "Jerry" Grote (1942-2024), American Major League Baseball catcher who played in from 1963 through 1981, World Series champion (1969), inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame
Kurt David Grote (b. 1973), American two-time gold, Olympic gold medalist swimmer
Dennis Grote (b. 1986), German footballer from Kaiserslautern
Harriet Grote (1792-1878), English biographer, wife to George Grote
John Grote (1813-1866), English moral philosopher and Anglican clergyman from Beckenham
Augustus Radcliffe Grote (1841-1903), British entomologist from Liverpool
George Grote (1794-1871), English political radical and classical historian from Clay Hill Kent, best known for his History of Greece
Grote Reber (1911-2002), American amateur astronomer and pioneer of radio astronomy

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)