Gros History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Germany

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

Early Origins of the Gros family

The surname Gros 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 Gros family

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

Gros 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 Gros include Gross, Grose, Groes, Grosse, Groess, Groesse and many more.

Early Notables of the Gros family

Prominent among members of the name Gros in this period include

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

Gros Ranking

In the United States, the name Gros is the 10,351^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Gros is ranked the 204^th most popular surname with an estimated 16,765 people with that name. 2

Gros migration to the United States +

Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Gros or a variant listed above:

Gros Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Christian Gros, who settled in Philadelphia in 1732
Christian Gros, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1737 3
Johan Hedrich Gros, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1753 3
Philip Daniel Gros, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 3
Jacques Gros, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1756 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gros Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Franz Joseph Gros, who landed in America in 1807 3
Jac Gros, who arrived in America in 1807 3
Philipp Peter Gros, who arrived in Brazil in 1825 3
Johann Daniel Gros also settled in Philadelphia in 1850
Wilh Gros, who landed in America in 1857 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gros migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gros Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Pierre Gros, son of Jean and Marie-Anne, who married Marie-Gabrielle Cherlot-Desmoulins, daughter of Jean and Jeanne, in Montreal, Quebec on 5th February 1703 4
Michel Gros, son of Pierre and Marie-Gabrielle, who married Marguerite Des Montay Prémonté, daughter of Pierre and Angélique, in Saint-Laurent, Quebec on 18th July 1735 4
Jean Gros, aged 43, who arrived in St Pierre and Miquelon in 1767
Michel Gros, son of Michel and Marguerite, who married Marie Fisseau, daughter of Augustin and Marie-Reine, in Longue-Pointe, Quebec on 23rd February 1784 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Gros (post 1700) +

Earl Roy Gros (b. 1940), former American NFL football running back
Joshua Gros (b. 1982), retired American soccer player
Jerzy Gros (1945-2018), Polish long-distance runner at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Jean Louis Gros, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 5
Brigadier-General Justin-Paul-Louis Gros (1886-1956), French Commanding Officer during World War II 6
Piero Gros (b. 1954), Italian former Olympic gold medalist alpine ski racer
Pierre Gros (b. 1939), French Roman architecture scholar

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)
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, March 6) Jean Gros. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 5) Justin-Paul-Louis Gros. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Gros/Justin-Paul-Louis/France.html