Surname Grewen - Meaning and Origin

Grewen: What does the surname Grewen mean?

The surname Grewen is most commonly found in England, although there are some families with the name who have emigrated to other European countries including Germany, Poland, and Scotland. The origin of the name is of Anglo-Saxon English descent and dates back to the time of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. The meaning of the surname is quite unclear, but it is thought to come from an Old English pre 7th century word "grew" which could potentially mean "growth" or "to grow".

It is possible that those with the surname were farmers or those who worked in the agricultural industry, or perhaps they were well-known for their growth of crops or animals. This is quite plausible since the location of many of the families concentrated in England was localized to Devonshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, which would have had fertile, arable soils ideal for growing crops.

At one time the name Grewen was quite a common surname, however now its usage is much rarer. Those with the surname today make up an interesting and genetically diverse group, each family having their own unique history and story to tell.

Grewen: Where does the name Grewen come from?

The last name Grewen is most commonly found in the United States. It is most commonly seen in areas of the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey.

In addition to its presence in the United States, the Grewen family is also found in other parts of the world. In the United Kingdom, the Grewen surname can be found, primarily in Southwest England. The area was once a stronghold of West Saxon settlers from the 8th century. It is believed that the Grewen family was of West Saxon and Anglo-Frisian origins.

In Canada, the Grewen family name is centered mainly in the Maritime Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, where it has been present since the 18th century. It is also seen in parts of Ontario, Alberta, and Quebec, though in lesser numbers.

Finally, the Grewen surname has been found in Australia since the mid-19th century, mainly associated with Irish immigrants. It appears to have been most prominent in the regions of Melbourne and Sydney, although it can be seen throughout the nation.

Variations of the surname Grewen

Grewen is a surname of Germanic origin. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the name Grewen include Grewenbach, Grewening, Groening, Greining, and Greising.

Grewenbach is the most common variant of the name Grewen and is derived from the Middle German words grōʒ (meaning “garden”) and bach (meaning “stream”). This variant of the name is quite rare and is most commonly found in northern Germany among people of Friesian origin.

Grewening is another variant of Grewen. This is a dialectal variant of the word grei (meaning “gray”), as the letter “e” in German is sometimes changed to “i”. Grewening is sometimes also spelled as Graening, but this is considered less common.

Groening is a variant of the name Grewen, which is derived from the same Middle German elements as Grewening, but with the “o” replacing the “ei” in the original spelling. Groening is typically found in northwestern Germany, especially among the Friesian people.

Greining is another variant of Grewen, and also derived from the same Middle German elements. Greeining is much less common than Grewening or Groening, and is often spelled as Greininger in some dialects.

Finally, Greising is another variant of Grewen, and is derived from the Middle German groʒ (meaning “green”). This variant of the name is quite rare, but is still found among people of Friesian descent in Germany.

Famous people with the name Grewen

• Rob Gronen, former professional American football player and current broadcaster.
• David Grewen, an American watercolorist and member of the California Watercolor Association.
• Peter Grewen, combined champion in the 2012 United States Dressage Federation All Breed Horse of the Year Awards.
• Hal Grewen, author and scholar specializing in Middle Eastern and ethno-religious relations.
• J. J. Grewen, American artist and illustrator known primarily for his work with National Geographic.
• Samuel Grewen, a British architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in the early 19th century.
• William Grewen, American marine artist known for his paintings of naval battle scenes.
• Cornelius Grewen, a Dutch naval officer and one of the first Dutchmen to explore the South Sea Islands in the 17th century.
• Maurice Grewen, a British-born sculptor who worked in Ireland in the late 19th century.
• Dave Grewen, an American singer-songwriter from San Diego, California, with a career spanning four decades.

Other surnames

GreweGrewer