Re: Mary Jane Gross married Emanuel Emery
-
In reply to:
Mary Jane Gross married Emanuel Emery
Diane Barrandey 11/29/04
The surname Gross is of viking origin. It literally means big, massive or bulky.It is one of the most common surnames in all of Europe. As vikings left their northern homelands in the seventh century as raiders, traders, and colonizers the surname spread across the continent. Consequentially the surname can be found in countries as georgraphically diverse as Ireland and Russia. It is mosty commonly found in England, France, Switzerland and Germany.
Because it is a common name in Germany many people in the U.S.A. of German Jewish descent have the surname Gross but they are of a small minority of people with the surname worldwide. It also has many variations such as Groce, Groossee, Le Gross, Le Gros, Gross, Grosse, De Gross, DeGrosse, Gros, Grose, Grossee, Grofs, Fitzgross, all of which are from the original viking surname.
My family are Grosses of English descent who immigrated to America in 1658. If you are an English Gross I have a lot of info on their history in the U.S.