Surname Van Grasdorff - Meaning and Origin
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Van Grasdorff: What does the surname Van Grasdorff mean?
The last name Van Grasdorff is a toponymic surname, indicating that the original bearer of the name came from a place with a name that meant "grass door" or "grass-like opening". The surname is believed to be of German and Dutch origins, and it is thought to be derived from the Middle Low German name Grauwert or Grewwert. This name can be translated to mean "grey guard" or "grey fortress".
The Van Grasdorff family was first recorded in the old Dutch province of Friesland, and the family was known to have lived in Harlingen during the 1400s. As the family members moved around Holland, variations of their surname began to appear. Variations of the name include van Grasdorff, Van Grauwert, and Van Grewwert.
The members of the Van Grasdorff family are proud of their origins and history, and they have a long and proud tradition of military service in the Netherlands. In the early twentieth century, members of the family reached a high level of military service and were frequently sent to serve in the Dutch army in important campaigns and wars, including the Second World War.
The surname Van Grasdorff is still common today, and is found in both the Netherlands and around the world. Those who bear the name are proud of its history, and seek to preserve it.
Order DNA origin analysisVan Grasdorff: Where does the name Van Grasdorff come from?
The last name Van Grasdorff is most commonly found in Northern Europe, particularly in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. There are some Van Grasdorffs who have also emigrated to the United States, though the name is not terribly common in that country.
In Germany, the Van Grasdorffs originated as a lower- to middle-class family in the 12th century, which is believed to be the earliest recorded family of the name. Records from this time period show that they were living in the villages of Holthausen, Kroetze, and Kalverode near Gottingen in eastern Germany.
In the Netherlands, the Van Grasdorff family was also of modest means, mainly living in the towns of Zutphen, Velp, and Dinxperlo in the province of Gelderland. The family is known to have had a presence in Netherlands for even longer than in Germany, dating back to the 9th century.
Belgium was another country where the Van Grasdorffs made their homes. In Belgium, the family was known to have descended from the Van Grasdorffs of Zutphen, a prominent family in the Dutch province of Gelderland. Evidence shows the family descended from a noble line going back to the 11th century.
Despite their humble origins, the Van Grasdorffs in all three countries have done remarkably well for themselves. Many members of the family have gained prominence in business, politics, and other professional spheres, with some even being members of the nobility in different parts of Europe. Today, there are a few surviving members of the Van Grasdorff family spread mainly across Holland, Germany and Belgium.
Variations of the surname Van Grasdorff
The Van Grasdorff surname is of Dutch origin and derives from the root word "grasdorpen" meaning "little villages of grass". There are various variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the name Van Grasdorff. These include Graasdorff, Graesdorff, Graasdorp, Van Grasdorff, Grasdorp, Grasdorff, Grasdorp, Grasdorpf, Grasdorpen, Graesdorf, Graasdorpf, Graesdorff, Van Grasdorp, Grasdorpen and Grasdorper.
The Van Grasdorff variant of the surname originates from the Dutch province of Groningen in the north of Holland. The spelling of the surname is derived from the combination of Van, meaning "from," and Grasdorff, the name of a small village. Variants of the name Van Grasdorff are more commonly found in the Netherlands. The Graasdorff variant is more often used in the northern region of the Netherlands, particularly Limburg, while Graesdorff is primarily found in the regions of Friesland and Drenthe.
The surname Grasdorp is the most frequently used variant of Van Grasdorff found outside of the Netherlands. Grasdorp is the German spelling of the surname and is most commonly found in northern Germany. In the United States, the surname has been localized as Grasdorf and is most commonly found in the Midwestern states of Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan.
The surname Van Grasdorff is found in records from as far back as the 16th century. Today, there are still many descendants of the original family in the Netherlands. In addition, individuals with the surname can be found worldwide in countries such as the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Australia.
Famous people with the name Van Grasdorff
- Eckhard von Grasdorff: German politician and member of the CDA party.
- Arnold Ruge von Grasdorff: German architect, restorer, and advocate of historical preservation.
- Marc von Grasdorff: German entrepreneur and co-founder of NewStore, a retail startup.
- Sophie von Grasdorff: German politician and former Member of the European Parliament.
- Friederich Matthias Von Grasdorff: German police captain who served as mayor of Berlin from 1905 to 1916.
- Hans-Ulrich von Grasdorff: German philologist and poet.
- Amalie von Grasdorff: German-born, Danish author and lecturer.
- Ernst von Grasdorff: German academic and historian.
- Hans von Grasdorff: German-born Soviet general in World War II.
- Leopold von Grasdorff: German painter and illustrator.
- Julius von Grasdorff: Prussian court chamberlain and First Lieutenant in the Royal Prussian Army.
- Götz von Grasdorff: German actor and writer.
- Elise von Grasdorff: German contralto singer and teacher.
- Gustav Carl von Grasdorff: Prussian civil servant and politician.