Gruss History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Ireland

The surname Gruss is generally thought to derive from the Old French word "grace," which means "charm" or "pleasantness." In some instances, it may have evolved from the Old French word "gros," which means "great," or "large." In either instance, the name was a nickname which evolved into a surname.

Early Origins of the Gruss family

The surname Gruss was first found in Normandy where "Raymond Fitz-William de Carew, surnamed ' Crassus,' 'Le Gros,' and ' Le Gras,' accompanied Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, in his celebrated expedition into Ireland in 1169, and he may be regarded 'as the Achilles of the enterprise.' He married Basilia de Clare, Strongbow's sister, with whom he acquired an enormous estate in Killarney, subsequently known as 'the Cantred of Grace's country;' for 'his cognomen Gros, given him on account of his prowess, gradually became first Gras, and then by English pronunciation Grace.' Many of the English families of this name deduce their descent from Ireland." 1

"The Irish family of Grace appears to be a branch of the Fitzgeralds. For the Baronets Grace, see Gammon." 2

"The Norman family of Grace has been prominent in Irish history since the first le Gros came to Ireland with Strongbow." 3

Early History of the Gruss family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gruss research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1559, 1620, 1652, 1689 and 1691 are included under the topic Early Gruss History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gruss Spelling Variations

Church officials and medieval scribes often simply spelled names as they sounded. As a result, a single person's name may have been recorded a dozen different ways during his lifetime. Spelling variations for the name Gruss include: Grace, Grase and others.

Early Notables of the Gruss family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Oliver Grace, Knight of Ballylinch and Legan Castles, County Kilkenny, Lord of Carney, Tipperary, and Member of Parliament for that county in 1559; and his son, Oliver Grace, of Shanganagh, (now Gracefield), Member of Parliament for the borough of Ballynakill in 1689 Richard Grace...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gruss Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gruss family

Ireland went through one of the most devastating periods in its history with the arrival of the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. Many also lost their lives from typhus, fever and dysentery. And poverty was the general rule as tenant farmers were often evicted because they could not pay the high rents. Emigration to North America gave hundreds of families a chance at a life where work, freedom, and land ownership were all possible. For those who made the long journey, it meant hope and survival. The Irish emigration to British North America and the United States opened up the gates of industry, commerce, education and the arts. Early immigration and passenger lists have shown many Irish people bearing the name Gruss: Martin Grace who resided in St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1803; Oliver Grace from County Carlow was married at St. John's, Newfoundland in 1810; Patrick Grace resided in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland in 1815.

Contemporary Notables of the name Gruss (post 1700) +

Major-General Adrien-Pierre-Raymond Gruss (1893-1970), French Military-Governor of Strasbourg (1947-1950) 4

The Gruss 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: En Grace affie
Motto Translation: On Grace, depend.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 5) Adrien-Pierre-Raymond Gruss. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Gruss/Adrien-Pierre-Raymond/France.html