Grose
A surname from French gros, meaning “big” or “thick,” originally a nickname for a large or stout person.
The #6,427 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 58,419 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This name is generally traced to French gros, meaning “big,” “thick,” or “stout.” In surname use, it likely began as a nickname for someone of large build or a heavy-set appearance. The same root appears in related spellings such as Gross and Grosse, and older writers sometimes glossed the name simply as “the gross,” in the sense of size or bulk.
History
The name is found in English records in several spellings, including Grose, Gross, and Grosse, reflecting the same French-derived nickname. It appears in English surname dictionaries alongside other descriptive names for size or complexion. In some cases, later bearers may have inherited the surname long after the original nickname sense was forgotten.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname sits in a whole family of “big” nicknames, alongside forms like French Grosjean and Scottish Micklejohn.
From the historical record
“S-Ui. JOHKSON. July 9, 1777." GROSE. See Gross. GROSER. See Grocer. GR OS JEAN. See John. GROSS. GROSSE. Fr. gros. Great, big, as to stature. GROSS^IITH. See under Smith. GROTESTE. See Greathead. GROSVEXOR. Le Gros Fencwr— "the GUB”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom