History of your Surname
Get access to Groff family records.Start a free trial

Groff Family History

Groff Name Meaning

Americanized form of German Graff . Americanized form of Hungarian and Slovak Gróf Czech Slovenian and Croatian Grof ‘count’. The surname Groff is also found in Hungary where it is very rare. Americanized form of Norwegian Grov: habitational name from any of several farmsteads so called from Old Norse grǫf ‘hollow depression’. Dutch (De Groff): nickname for a coarse heavyweight from Middle Dutch grof ‘crude coarse beefy’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Grof, Griff, Graff, Goff, Reff, Proft, Boff, Boroff, Rolf, Off

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Groff family from?

You can see how Groff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Groff family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Groff families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 82 Groff families living in Ontario. This was about 60% of all the recorded Groff's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Groff families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Groff surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Groff ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Groff. 54% of Groff men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Groff women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Groff were Carpenter and Maid. .

View Census Data for Groff | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    54%
  • Labourer
    26%
  • Laborer
    11%
  • Carpenter
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    60%
  • Maid
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Groff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 56,000 census records available for the last name Groff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Groff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Groff

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Groff. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Groff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Groff. For the veterans among your Groff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Groff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Groff family history

Discover More

What is the average Groff lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Groff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Groff in 1945 was 38, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Groff

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Groff family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Groff last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial