Graf History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The distinguished surname Graf was first found in Switzerland.
Early Origins of the Graf family
The surname Graf was first found in Switzerland, where the family contributed to the development of the region. They became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in savage tribal and national conflicts, each group seeking power and status in an ever changing territorial profile.
Early History of the Graf family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Graf research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1485, 1527, 1599, 1611, 1664, 1671, 1678, 1719, 1769, 1807, 1815, 1826, 1841 and 1869 are included under the topic Early Graf History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Graf Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Graf, Grafe,Graef, Graff, Graffen, Graffin, Grafen, Grafin, Grav, Graaf and many more.
Early Notables of the Graf family
Notables of the time with the surname Graf were
- Urs Graf (1485-1527), Swiss engraver and goldsmith, influenced by Albrecht Duerer
Graf Ranking
In the United States, the name Graf is the 2,545th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Graf is ranked the 7,602nd most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2
Graf migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Graf Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Philip Leonhardt Graf, who, with his wife and five children, who settled in America in 1709
- Catharina Graf, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1744 3
- Katharina Graf, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1744 3
- Georg Graf, who arrived in Pennsylvania between 1743-1746
- Hans Adam Graf, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1747 3
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Graf Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Fred William Graf, aged 22, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1807 3
- Elise Graf, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 3
- Frederick Graf, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1836 3
- Ferdinand Graf, aged 25, who arrived in Missouri in 1841 3
- Martin Graf, aged 40, who arrived in Missouri in 1841 3
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Graf Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Maria Graf, aged 14, who landed in New York, NY in 1902 3
- Lydia Graf, aged 4, who landed in New York, NY in 1902 3
- Johannes Graf, aged 15, who landed in New York, NY in 1902 3
- Martha Graf, aged 3, who landed in New York, NY in 1902 3
- Mathilda Graf, aged 2, who arrived in New York, NY in 1902 3
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Graf migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Graf Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- Hans Graf, born in Switzerland in 1661 fled Switzerland for Alsace due to religious persecution, before settling in Canada, via Pennsylvania around 1717
Graf Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
- Johann Graf, who landed in Quebec in 1850
Contemporary Notables of the name Graf (post 1700) +
- Allan Graf, American 2nd unit director/stunt coordinator
- Alesia Graf (1980-2024), born Alesia-Tamara Klimovich, Belarusian-born German professional boxer
- Hermann Graf, German fighter pilot and flying ace in the Luftwaffe, during World War II, credited with 212 aerial victories, awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- Peter Graf (1938-2013), German tennis coach and manager, father of Steffi Graf
- Steffi Graf (b. 1969), German top-ranking tennis champion and Wimbledon champion
- Oskar Maria Graf (1894-1967), German author
- Arturo Graf (1848-1913), Italian poet of German extraction
- Dominik Graf (b. 1952), German film director from Munich, Bavaria
- Ferdinand Graf Bubna von Littitz (1768-1825), Lieutenant Field Marshal of the Austrian Empire during the Napoleonic Wars
- Adam Graf Tarnowski (1866-1946), Austro-Hungarian diplomat of Polish origin
Historic Events for the Graf family +
Bismarck
- Wilhelm Gräf (1915-1975), German Maschinenmaat serving aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he survived the sinking 4
- Heinrich Graf (1920-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 4
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)
- Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details