Surname Greble - Meaning and Origin
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Greble: What does the surname Greble mean?
The last name Greble is of German origin and it is derived from the Old German word ‘grabal’, which stands for the word ‘raven’. The name may indicate that the original bearer of the surname was a person who kept ravens as pets, as it was a very common practice among noblemen and officers of the medieval times. It could also have originated from the fact that the original bearer had a dark complexion, which is similar to the color of a raven.
The use of this surname in English-speaking countries can be traced back to the early 19th century. This was when many German emigres moved to the US and other English-speaking countries. It was also common practice for many of these emigres to adapt their surnames to suit the English-speaking countries that they moved to. As a result, the name Greble could have been adapted from variants of the name such as Grable, Grabbel, Grabmeier and Gräbel.
Today, the surname Greble is found predominantly in the United States. It is also used in several parts of Europe, most notably Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Overall, the surname carries its own unique connotations – it suggests a noble and regal background, as well as strength and resilience.
Order DNA origin analysisGreble: Where does the name Greble come from?
The last name Greble is most commonly found in the United States today. Specifically, Greble is a Germanic surname of Anglo-Saxon origin. Historically, it was first found in the Lower Rhine region of Germany where it is on record as early as 1344. It is generally accepted that the name evolved from the Middle English word grebl, meaning “a young, plump animal”.
The more recent distributions of Greble are largely concentrated in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. Greble is the 1508th most common last name in the United States. In 2020, 8 out of every 100,000 people had the last name Greble. Worldwide, Greble is the most popular in the United States and Canada, where it ranks 11,312th and 6,878th respectively.
The Greble name has a long and varied history in America. Early records show Greble families living in Pennsylvania by the mid-1800s. They tended to settle in the eastern half of the state, primarily in and around the city of Philadelphia. Some descendants of the Germanic Greble family are even found today in Hawaii, New Zealand, and Australia, highlighting their multinational reach throughout the world.
Variations of the surname Greble
The surname Greble is a fairly uncommon one, and its variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin are not easy to come by. It is believed to be predominantly found in Austria and Germany, where it is spelled Grebl, Greble, Grepel, Greppel, and Grepl.
In some regions of Germany, Greble may be spelled Grepel or Grepel. In some English-speaking regions, the spelling may be anglicized as Gripple, Gribble or even Griple. In Brazil, the surname may be spelled Grébel or Grebel.
The Greble surname is an occupational surname, with origins stemming from the German “grebel,” which means “mender of fishing nets.” The surname often applies to those who were associated with the mending of fishnets.
Variations of this surname have appeared in other countries as well. For instance, in Spain and the Netherlands, the surname Greble may be spelled Graeble, Graebel, or Grabel. In the Czech Republic, it may be spelled Grabl or Grapl. Even in Poland and Hungary, it may be spelled Graebel or Grebbe.
Greble is also believed to be a variation of the old German surname Gräbel, which is associated with the word gräbe, that means ditch or trench. This surname variation may refer to those who were involved in various land-excavating activities.
Overall, the Greble surname is an uncommon one, but its various spellings, variants, and the fact that it is an occupational surname enable us to trace its roots and understand its origin better.
Famous people with the name Greble
- Lewis Greble (1840-1897), American banker and railroad executive
- William Greble (1780-1862), American Quaker missionary
- Joseph Greble (1754-1824), American Revolutionary War soldier
- John Greble (1733-1809), American minister and political leader
- Stephen Greble (born 1979), American pop musician and songwriter
- Alfred Greble (1831-1909), American businessman
- Harold Greble (1881-1941), American dramatist and playwright
- Gloria Greble (1908-2004), American Funtentime cartoonist
- Jack Greble (1923-2010), American cinematographer
- Lea Greble (born 1947), American painter