Gras History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

The name Gras is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived in Lincolnshire.

Early Origins of the Gras family

The surname Gras was first found in Lincolnshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Gras family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gras research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1130, 1203, 1273, 1277, 1379 and 1698 are included under the topic Early Gras History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gras Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Gras has been spelled many different ways, including Crass, Crassus, Cras, Craas, Crace, Craise, Craze, Grass, Grasse, Gras and many more.

Early Notables of the Gras family

More information is included under the topic Early Gras Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gras Ranking

In France, the name Gras is the 403^rd most popular surname with an estimated 10,516 people with that name. 1

Gras migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Grass to arrive in North America:

Gras Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

George Michael Gras, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 2
Chr Henr Gras, who landed in America in 1750-1753 2
Conrad Gras, who arrived in America in 1750-1753 2
Joh Deis Gras, who arrived in America in 1750-1753 2
Mariano Gras, who settled in Louisiana in 1779
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gras Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

J. Gras, aged 20, settled in New Orleans in 1823
Jayme Gras, aged 20, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1823 2
James Gras, aged 24, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1836 2
Jose Gras, aged 25, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1839 2
Pedro Gras, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1864 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Gras (post 1700) +

Patricia Elizabeth Gras (b. 1960), American regional Emmy Award winning television anchor and senior producer
General Basile Gras (1836-1901), French inventor of the Gras rifle
Enrico Gras (1919-1981), Italian film director and screenwriter
Félix Gras (1844-1901), French poet and novelist
Laurent Gras (b. 1976), French ice hockey player
Laurent Gras (b. 1965), French chef
Francesc Gras Salas (1921-2022), Spanish ophthalmologist and writer who contributed to the dissemination of Reus memory and history

Citations +

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)