There are many forms of the family name, but all seem to have derived from the Graf family which comes from the Zurich region of Switzerland. The name itself problably means "count" or "earl" -- it was common to take such names as family names[1].
The earliest mention of the Graf name occurs in a letter written in 1356 by the Abbot of a convent at Rüti in the bishopric of Constance (in present day Germany), who was the brother of a Heinrich Graf. In the letter he states that Heinrich Graf, his son Cunrat (a tavernkeeper), and his wife Mechthilt were to have use of and cultivate the meadows, fields, and woodland of Berolteswhile as long as they lived for the benefit of the religious organization.
Records dated 1469 show that the Graf family were the earliest known family living in what is now Bettswil, about 15 miles east of Zurich in the hills of Berolteswhile Parish. Over the years, the name of the parish changed many times, to Beretswil, Bereschwyl, and finally to Bäretswil (what it is called today). By 1541, there were three families of Graf living in Bettswil, many of whom were teachers.
Enlightened Grafs of the 16th and 17th century found themselves caught up in the radical Anabaptist Reformation Movement. The penalty for being a member of this sect was often death and confiscation of property. Among those persecuted were undoubtedly Grafs. In 1531, casualties from the battle of Kappel included Ulli Graf, a teacher at Bettswil. And the
Taufbuch of Bettswil, which included names of members of the sect and their occupations, between 1590 and 1605 listed Heini Graf, a servent in the pastor's house. By 1651, in response to continued persecution, Jagli (Jacob) Graf had led his family to the Palatinate. Within the next two generations, they would leave there because of continued religious persecution.
By the 1700-1800's, Grafs had spread throughout most of Europe and eastern North America. Karl Heinrich Graf (1815-1869) was an Old Testament Scholar who was born in Mulhausen, Alsace and educated in Strasbourg. Arturo Graf (1848-1913) was an Italian poet who was born in Athens, Greece and educated at Naples, Italy -- he lecutured in Rome. Anton Graf was the conductor of the
Hoch-und-Deutschmeister instrumental band that played for the royal House of the Hapsburgs in Austria, playing mostly in Vienna and was a favorite of Emporer Franz Joseph I (1846-1916). There was even a small village named Graf established by German settlers in 1755 near the Ural mountains in present day Russia.
Today, descendents of the Graf family can be found at almost every social level and in almost every profession. They can be found thoughout the world, in places that are far removed from their germanic origins and with family names that occur in many forms. Such famous people as Peter Graves the actor, Lefty Grove the baseball player, and Stefi Graaf the tennis player can all be considered cousins. Other derivations include:
Graaf
Graaff
Graaft
Graef
Graeff
Graeft
Graevius
Graf
Grafe
Graff
Graffe
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Graffen
Graffeo
Graffes
Graffius
Graffly
Grafft
Grafftt
Graffus
Grafius
Grafly
Grafs
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Graft
Grafton
Graiff
Grafeus
Graul
Grave
Graves
Graeff
Graeffe
Greave
Greef
|
Gref
Greff
Greif
Groaf
Groaff
Groeff
Grof
Grofe
Groff
Groffe
Grofia
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Groof
Grooffe
Groph
Grost
Grouf
Grouff
Grove
Grover
Groves
Growf
Gruff
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Another derivation of the name might have been Pfaltzgraf. Today, it is the name associated with fine quality china-ware from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Pfaltz, or Phalz, was the name given by the persecuted Swiss Anabaptists to the Palatine region of Germany where they sought refuge. The family name of Pfaltzgraf may have been used to differentiate the Grafs of that region from the Swiss Grafs.
