Contents [hide]

Groves History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Groves History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestry of the name Groves dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in or near a grove of trees. The surname is derived from the Old English word graua, the root of the modern word "grove," which described a small cluster of trees. 1

Early Origins of the Groves family

The surname Groves was first found in Somerset where the following were all listed 1, Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign): Hawysa atte Grove; Stephen atte Grove; and Thomas atte Grove. 2

John de la Grove was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275; Robert ate Groue in the Assize Rolls for Kent in 1317; and William Grove was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Derbyshire in 1327. 3

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Willelmus del Grove. 1

Early History of the Groves family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Groves research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1119, 1587, 1609, 1634, 1635, 1654, 1659, 1660, 1684, 1691, 1692, 1696, 1738 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Groves History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Groves Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Groves have been found, including Grove, Groves, Le Grove and others.

Early Notables of the Groves family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Thomas Grove (ca. 1609-1692), from Ferne House in Wiltshire, an English politician, Member of Parliament for Wiltshire in 1654, Marlborough in 1659 and Shaftesbury in 1660; and Robert Grove (1634-1696), from London, Bishop of Chichester (1691-1696.)Henry Grove (1684-1738), was a dissenting tutor, "born at Taunton, Somersetshire, on 4 Jan. 1684. His grandfather was the ejected vicar of Pinhoe, Devonshire, whose son, a Taunton upholsterer, married a sister of John Rowe, ejected from a lectureship at Westminster Abbey; Henry...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Groves Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Groves World Ranking

In the United States, the name Groves is the 1,242^nd most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. 4 However, in Australia, the name Groves is ranked the 584^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,649 people with that name. 5 And in the United Kingdom, the name Groves is the 558^th popular surname with an estimated 11,617 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Groves family to Ireland

Some of the Groves family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Groves migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Groves, or a variant listed above:

Groves Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Elizabeth Groves, aged 35, who arrived in Bermuda, (Somers Islands) in 1635 aboard the ship "Truelove" 7
Jo Groves, 6 months, who arrived in Bermuda, (Somers Islands) in 1635 aboard the ship "Truelove" 7
Richard Groves, who landed in Virginia in 1653 7
William Groves, who landed in Virginia in 1654 7
Simon Groves, who landed in Virginia in 1662 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Groves Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Tho Groves, who landed in Virginia in 1703 7
Geo Groves, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 7

Groves Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

H L Groves, aged 54, who landed in South Carolina in 1812 7
David Groves, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1840 7
Samuel Groves, who arrived in New York, NY in 1845 7
J Groves, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 7
James Groves, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1854 7

Groves migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Groves Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Thomas Groves with his wife and children arrived in Quebec, Canada, in 1825

Groves migration to Australia +

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

Groves Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Groves, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. Edward Groves, English convict who was convicted in Wiltshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. John Groves, British Convict who was convicted in Essex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
Mr. William Groves, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 8th April 1821, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11
Thomas Groves, English convict from Worcester, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Groves migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Groves Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Philip Groves, (b. 1801), aged 40, British agricultural labourer travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Timandra" arriving in New Plymouth, Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand on 24th February 1842 13
Mrs. Mary Groves, (b. 1801), aged 40, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Timandra" arriving in New Plymouth, Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand on 24th February 1842 13
Miss Eliza Groves, (b. 1823), aged 18, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Timandra" arriving in New Plymouth, Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand on 24th February 1842 13
Mr. George Groves, (b. 1833), aged 8, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Timandra" arriving in New Plymouth, Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand on 24th February 1842 13
Miss Joanna Groves, (b. 1834), aged 7, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Timandra" arriving in New Plymouth, Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand on 24th February 1842 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Groves (post 1700) +

Helen Kleberg Groves (1927-2022), American horsewoman and cattle rancher dubbed the "First Lady of Cutting" by the San Antonio Express-News, inducted in 1988 into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
Cady Groves (1989-2020), American singer and songwriter from Marlow, Oklahoma
Quentin Dominic Groves (1984-2016), American football linebacker who suffered from Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome; he died at the age of 32
Paul Groves (b. 1964), American operatic tenor from Lake Charles, Louisiana
Richard Groves (b. 1955), American actor, known for his work on Army of Darkness (1992), Point Break (1991) and Money Train (1995)
Lieutenant-General Leslie Richard Groves (1898-1970), American Member of the Military Liaison Commission to the Atomic Engery Commission (1947-1948), who managed the Manhattan Project 14
Anthony Norris Groves (1795-1853), English missionary, born at Newton, Hampshire where his father was originally in a prosperous business in Lymington, but engaging in speculations and lost his savings 15
John Thomas Groves (d. 1811), English architect who first appears as an exhibitor at the Royal Academy in 1778 and 1780 15
James Albert Groves (1883-1939), English footballer who played from 1903 to 1910
Frederick Groves (1892-1980), English footballer in the early 1900s
... (Another 11 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Groves family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Stedman B Groves (b. 1919), English Musician serving for the Royal Marine Band from Chatham, Kent, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 16
Mr. Thomas Groves (b. 1896), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Birmingham, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 16

RMS Lusitania

Mr. George Groves, English 3rd Class passenger from Gainsborough, Lincoln, England, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 17
Mr. Sydney Frederick Groves, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 17
Master Frederick Groves, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 17
Mrs. Clara Groves, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 17

SS Newfoundland

Mr. Thomas Groves (b. 1868), Newfoundlander from Bonavista, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he survived

The Groves Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ny dessux ny dessoux
Motto Translation: Neither above nor beneath.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 11) Leslie Groves. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Groves/Leslie_Richard/USA.html
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/