Surname Groth - Meaning and Origin

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Groth: What does the surname Groth mean?

The last name Groth is of German origin, and means "strong". According to historians, this surname is derived from the Old German word 'gruot', meaning strength. The name likely originated as a way to express an individual's physical prowess, or to indicate a strong moral character.

The name arose in the Middle Ages as a way to distinguish observant members of the community. It was most notably found among certain wealthy and powerful families, especially in the northern part of Germany, in the 13th and 17th centuries.

One of the earliest records of this surname in Germany dates back to 1271, when a certain Dietrich Groth is mentioned in a document. Records suggest this particular individual lived in Wismar, a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

The Groth surname has been around for centuries. It has developed various spellings and variations, but has kept its original meaning of 'strong'. Today, the surname is commonplace throughout Europe, and is also found in the United States, particularly among people of German descent.

Groth: Where does the name Groth come from?

Groth is a German surname derived from the German word ‘Groot’ meaning ‘large’ or ‘great’. The name is most commonly found today in Germany, Switzerland, and other parts of Central Europe. It is also found in the United States, particularly in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. Groth is not particularly common in other countries, but there are small numbers of families that have immigrated to the UK, Canada, and Australia.

In Germany, the Groth surname can be found in the region of Lower Saxony, specifically around the city of Bremen and other smaller surrounding towns and villages. It’s also present in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria. One of the earliest records of the surname dates back to the 18th century in Thuringia, Germany.

In the US, Groth can primarily be found in Wisconsin, where the largest concentration of the name is located in Green County with tens of thousands of people carrying the surname. Additionally, Illinois and Minnesota also have pockets of people with the Groth surname. Smaller numbers of the surname can also be found in other states including Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

Outside of the US and Germany, Australia likely has the largest concentration of the Groth surname. Here, it can be found mainly in the states of New South Wales and Victoria in the east of the country.

The surname Groth is a relatively uncommon one, but remains present in a handful of countries throughout the world.

Variations of the surname Groth

Groth is a German surname, and other variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include Grodeck, Groet, Grott, Grotth, and Grotk.

Groth is a variant of the German surname "Grotz", a name which evolved from the Germanic personal name "Grod", which has roots in the Germanic elements "grõd" and "hrod". It is believed that the name originated when a branch of the "Grod" family adopted the German term for "Grotz" which translates to "twisted". The term was then used as a descriptive surname to describe a family whose members were known to be "twisted" or "crooked".

Grod is also the origin of the German surnames Grodeck, Groet, Grott, Grotth, and Grotk, all of which are variants of Groth. The spelling difference for each of these surnames is a result of the phonetic variations of spoken German.

Grod is also the root of Grosh, an alternate spelling of Groth. This surname can be found in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, as well as elsewhere in Europe.

In addition, variants of the surname Groth include Griffeth and Groat. Griffeth is a variation of Groth which originated in England. Groat is a variant of Groth which has Scottish origins.

In short, Groth is the German origin surname for a family with a "twisted" or "crooked" reputation. Its variants and alternate spellings include Grodeck, Groet, Grott, Grotth, Grotk, Grosh, Griffeth, and Groat.

Famous people with the name Groth

• David Groth, American actor
• Julius Groth, German sculptor
• Myron Groth, American sculptor
• Donny Groth, American film director
• Hans Groth, German German-American lawyer
• Ben Groth, American writer
• Bart Groth, Norwegian politician
• Jan Groth, Norwegian painter
• Erik Groth, Norwegian artist
• Paul Groth, American archivist
• Lars Groth, Danish artist
• Erik Groth, Norwegian jurist and legal scholar
• Gnjatic Groth, Croatian painter
• Stephen Groth, Australian rugby league coach
• Allvar Groth, Swedish physicist
• Robert Groth, American integrated circuit designer and computer pioneer
• Gunnar Groth, German film director
• Erling Groth, Norwegian jurist and legal scholar

Other surnames

GrotGroteGroteclaesGrotehansGroteheideGrotejohannGrotekemperGroteklaesGrotelohGrotemeierGrotemeyerGrotenGrotenclaesGrotenklasGrotensGroteschulteGrothausGrothauzGrotheGrothelohGrothemeyerGrothenGrothjohannGrothkampGrothklagsGrothklausGrothkopGrothkopfGrothkoppGrothmann