Find out how popular the last name Grashoff is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Grashoff.

Grashoff, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Grashoff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grashoff in America

Grashoff is the 121590th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grashoff surname appeared 142 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Grashoff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grashoff to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Grashoff

The surname Grashoff has its origins in Germany, with the name first appearing in records from the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "gras," meaning grass or grassy area, and "hof," meaning a courtyard or small farm. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived or worked on a grassy farm or courtyard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Grashoff can be found in a 1569 church record from the town of Dortmund, in the Ruhr region of Germany. This document mentions a person named Hans Grashoff, though little is known about their life or occupation.

In the 17th century, the name Grashoff began appearing in other parts of Germany, including the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. During this time, variations of the spelling emerged, such as Grashoffe, Grasshoff, and Grasshoff.

One notable individual with the surname Grashoff was Johann Grashoff, a German mathematician and engineer who lived from 1817 to 1883. He made significant contributions to the field of mechanics and is known for developing the Grashoff's law, which relates to the mobility of planar linkages.

Another historical figure with this surname was Friedrich Grashoff, a German painter and illustrator who was born in 1838 and died in 1926. He is best known for his illustrations of fairy tales and children's books, including works by the Brothers Grimm.

In the late 19th century, records show the Grashoff surname appearing in parts of the United States, likely due to German immigration. One such individual was William Grashoff, a German-American businessman who was born in 1865 and founded the Grashoff Baking Company in Philadelphia.

Moving into the 20th century, the name Grashoff can be found in various historical records and documents, including military records from World War I and World War II. For example, Karl Grashoff was a German soldier who served in World War I and was awarded the Iron Cross for his bravery.

Throughout its history, the surname Grashoff has maintained a strong connection to its German roots, with many variations and spellings emerging over time. While not a particularly common name, it has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, contributing to the rich tapestry of global surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grashoff

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Grashoff.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Grashoff was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Grashoff has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Grashoff was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Grashoff, please contact us.

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