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Gross Family History

Gross Name Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for a big man from Middle High German grōz ‘large corpulent’ German gross. This surname is also established in some other parts of Europe most notably in France (Alsace and Lorraine). In Poland Czechia Slovakia Slovenia and Croatia it is also found (in Slovenia almost exclusively) in the Slavicized form Gros (see also 3 below). The Jewish name has been Hebraicized as Gadol . English: descriptive nickname for a big man from Middle English gros grosse groce ’large; heavy’ also meaning ‘simple plain’ from Old French gros ‘big fat’ (from Latin grossus ‘thick’) a word of ancient Germanic origin thus etymologically the same word as in 1 above. Germanized or Americanized form of Slovenian Polish Croatian or other Slavic Gros itself of German origin (see 1 above).

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


Similar surnames: Grass, Ross, Gros, Cross, Grosh, Grose, Bross, Grosz, Gruss, Grosso

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Where is the Gross family from?

You can see how Gross families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gross family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gross families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 164 Gross families living in Ontario. This was about 37% of all the recorded Gross's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Gross families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gross surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Gross ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Gross. 42% of Gross men worked as a Farmer and 17% of Gross women worked as a Student. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gross were Student and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Gross | 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
    42%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Labourer
    8%
  • Student
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    17%
  • Income
    14%
  • Farmers Daughter
    10%
  • Housekeeper
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gross family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 321,000 census records available for the last name Gross. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gross census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Gross

Passenger Lists

There are 66,000 immigration records available for the last name Gross. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 102,000 military records available for the last name Gross. For the veterans among your Gross ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Gross lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Gross life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Gross in 1940 was 48, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gross

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