Grater History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The German surname Grater 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 Grater family

The surname Grater 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 Grater family

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

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

Early Notables of the Grater family

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

Grater 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 Graters to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Grater Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Francis Grater, who landed in New England in 1750 1

Grater Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

H. Grater, aged 49, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 1
Henry Grater, aged 20, who arrived in New York, NY in 1847 1
Frederik Grater, aged 18, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 1
Gottlieb Grater, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1868 1
Jacob Grater, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1874 1

Grater migration to Australia +

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

Grater Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Grater, British convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Henry Tanner" on 27th June 1834, settling in New South Wales, Australia 2
Mr. Henry Grater, English convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 27th August 1841, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Grater (post 1700) +

Mark Anthony Grater (b. 1964), American Major League Baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1991 and the Detroit Tigers in 1993
Clare "Flip" Grater (b. 1981), New Zealand singer-songwriter and author from Christchurch

Citations +

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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/henry-tanner
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa