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Grau Family History

Grau Name Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for someone with gray hair or a gray beard from German grau ‘gray’. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine). Catalan and southern French: from a shortened form of the medieval personal name Guerau a cognate of Gerald . Catalan and southern French: topographic name for someone who lived near a canal giving access to the sea from Catalan and Occitan grau ‘step’ (from Latin gradus). French: habitational name from Le Grau-du Roi (Gard) or Le Grau d'Agde (Hérault) places called with grau ‘step’ (see 3 above).

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


Similar surnames: Gray, Graf, Rau, Brau, Grad, Grass, Gras, Grab, Nau, Gram

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Where is the Grau family from?

You can see how Grau families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Grau family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. The most Grau families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 66 Grau families living in New York. This was about 20% of all the recorded Grau's in USA. New York had the highest population of Grau families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Grau 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 Grau ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Grau. 22% of Grau men worked as a Farmer and 22% of Grau women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Grau were Proprietor and Secretary. .

View Census Data for Grau | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    22%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Salesman
    9%
  • Proprietor
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    22%
  • Stenographer
    22%
  • Clerk
    15%
  • Secretary
    15%
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What Grau family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Grau. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Grau census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Grau

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Grau. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Grau immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Grau. For the veterans among your Grau ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Grau lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Grau life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Grau in 1946 was 36, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Grau

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