Show ContentsGries History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the Gries family name begins in the German province of Bavaria. Gries 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. Gries is a name for a large person. This family name is derived from the German word gross, indicating prodigious size.

Early Origins of the Gries family

The surname Gries 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 Gries family

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

Gries Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Gries include Gross, Grose, Groes, Grosse, Groess, Groesse and many more.

Early Notables of the Gries family

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

Gries Ranking

In the United States, the name Gries is the 16,915th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States Gries 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 Griess to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Gries Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Hans Jurg Gries, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 [2]
Gries Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Albert Gries, aged 24, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1854 [2]
  • Friederike Louise Gries, aged 31, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1854 [2]
  • Friedrich Gries, aged 33, who landed in Baltimore Maryland in 1854 [2]

Contemporary Notables of the name Gries (post 1700) +

  • Walter Friedrich Gries (1892-1959), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1952; Member of Michigan State Board of Education, 1953-59 [3]


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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