Surname Grashof - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'G'
Grashof: What does the surname Grashof mean?
The last name Grashof is of German origin. It comes from the old German phrase 'graben sol', which means 'to dig trenches'. The surname Grashof is believed to have derived from people who were occupationally involved in the digging of trenches, likely either in the military or in the construction industry.
The name has also been adopted by some Jewish families using the Spinoza variation of the name, after the well-known philosopher and thinker Baruch Spinoza. Spinoza is a Latinized version of the original Dutch name Grashof.
In modern times, the Grashof surname is becoming less common, due to its rare nature. However, it remains a strong and unique legacy for those who carry it, denoting a lineage of skill and hard work. The Grashof surname truly is an epitome of the sentiment "Work smarter, not harder", a lasting reminder of the dedication of the past generations.
Order DNA origin analysisGrashof: Where does the name Grashof come from?
The last name Grashof is a German surname which is most commonly found today in Germany and other German-speaking countries such as Austria and Switzerland. It is a name with centuries-old roots and a long-standing lineage.
The origin of the Grashof surname is thought to be an occupational name derived from the Middle High German, ‘gras’, meaning a shrub or bush and ‘hof’ meaning court or estate. This suggests the name began as a term for people who worked in a court or estate setting, such as groundskeepers, gardeners or stewards.
The name is believed to date back to the 12th or 13th century and is shown in records from the Rhineland region of Germany. Many of the oldest records also list the name in its various forms such as Graßhof, Grasoff, Grasof and Grasofft, all of which are believed to eventually have become the surname Grashof.
The name has spread over the centuries, with variations found in many countries. Those bearing the Grashof name would have spread as far east as Slovenia, southward into Switzerland, west to the Netherlands, and north to Poland.
Today, the Grashof name remains common in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It is also present in other European nations and, among those of German descent who have emigrated around the world, also to regions of North and South America, Australia, and other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Grashof
The most common variants, spellings, and surnames of Grashof are Gerschoff, Greschoff, Gershof, Greschoff, and Gräschoff. Grashof is a German surname derived from the old Germanic word “gras” meaning “grass” and “hoff” meaning “courtyard or enclosure”. It literally translates to ‘one who comes from a courtyard with grass’, suggesting the family were once likely to have had a courtyard in their home surrounded by grass.
The variants of the surname Grashof all derived from the same root word and were used by early ancestors in the Middle Ages. It is likely that they were originally used to distinguish individual’s from one another and to indicate the difference in the region they hail from. However, it is also possible that different spellings were through migration and differences in the spoken language.
For example, Gerschoff is found predominantly in the regions of Braunschweig, Wolfenbuttel, and the east of Prussia. Greschoff is a Russified variant found mainly in the Volgograd region of Russia. Meanwhile, Gershof is a variation typically found in the area of Mersebourg, while Greschoff is more commonly seen in the eastern areas of Prussia and Bromberg. Finally, Gräschoff is a variant found primarily in Prussia, Silesia, and East Holstein, as well as parts of the Netherlands and Austria.
Overall, these surnames all stem from the same origin and incorporate varied spellings and regional variations. It is likely that the longer a family remained in one region, the more the spelling would evolve and become more distinctive.
Famous people with the name Grashof
- Ernst Grashof, 19th century German engineer and inventor.
- Albert Grashof, German physicist and physiologist.
- Karl Grashof, German botanist.
- Oscar Grashof, Austrian sculptor.
- Stephan Grashof, German mathematician.
- Matthias Grashof, German mathematician.
- Wilhelm Grashof, German physicist and meteorologist.
- Arnold Grashof, German physicist and meteorologist.
- Ernst Grashof, German aeronautical engineer.
- Melanie Grashof, German politician.
- Annika Grashof, German chess grandmaster.
- Joachim Grashof, German theologian.
- Nicola Grashof, German scientist and engineer.
- Johannes Grashof, German composer and musician.
- Felix Grashof, German actor and theater director.
- John Grashof, American artist.
- Julia Grashof, German actress.
- Sepp Grashof, German bobsledder and truck racer.
- Konrad Grashof, German architect.
- Jutta Grashof, German Paralympic medalist.