Surname Grösslein - Meaning and Origin

Grösslein: What does the surname Grösslein mean?

Grösslein is a German surname derived from the German word for “large” or “huge.” It is possible that the name Grösslein is derived from a family living in a large house or farm, indicating the relative prosperity of its original bearer. It is also possible that the name Grösslein could reflect a physical trait, such as someone who was an unusually large man or towering over others.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Grösslein dates from the 1300s in the district of Hesse in Germany, with a Cornelis Grosslein being recorded in Paderborn in 1566 and a Peter Grosslein recorded in Wiesbaden in 1626.

Grösslein is probably most well-known today as the title of a 1914 silent German drama film, Der Grosselieb, which depicted a love triangle between a village girl, a peasant boy from the countryside, and a visibly affluent stranger.

Over the years, the Grösslein surname has spread out across Europe, America, and other countries. It is likely that people from different areas adopted the surname at different times to reflect the growing prosperity of their families.

What remains constant, however, is the reference of the name Grösslein to one thing—size. For the Grösslein families who carry the surname, it still serves as a reminder that they wield the power of a larger presence in their surrounding environment.

Grösslein: Where does the name Grösslein come from?

The last name Grösslein is today most common throughout Germany and Austria, but it can also be found in a scattering of other countries throughout Europe and beyond.

In Germany, the highest concentrations of people with the last name Grösslein are in the states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Thuringia, and Saxony, as well as in parts of Berlin. In Austria, the surname is most common in the states of Carinthia, Komilien, and Upper Austria.

Beyond Germany and Austria, Grösslein can still be found in smaller percentages in countries including Switzerland, the Netherlands, Finland, and the Czech Republic. In the United States, it is most commonly found in the states of Florida, Texas, and California. Higher numbers of the surname can also be found in Argentina and Australia.

In addition to scattered families and individuals living in various countries, people with the name Grösslein have also emigrated to the United States, Australia, and Canada (although in much lower numbers) over the past few centuries.

The last name Grösslein has existed for many centuries and has many variant spellings, including Grösslien, Gröszlein, Grösslin, and Grosslein. It is a relatively common German patronymic (surname derived from an ancestor's first name) derived from the personal name Gross (meaning “large” or “grand”), while the suffix -lein indicates a diminutive form.

Variations of the surname Grösslein

The surname Grösslein is derived from a German and Swiss-German word meaning ‘small’ or ‘tiny’ and thus has variants with spellings directly related to this word.

Variants of the surname Grösslein include Grössling, Grosselein, Grosseling, Grosstlien, Grösselien, Grösselin and Grösseling. It may also be found in some cases under the more archaic form, Groeslein.

Other surnames that are of the same origin as Grösslein include Groß, Gross, Grosse, Gro esl, Grö esl and Grosel. These are all variants of the same root word meaning ‘large’ or ‘big’ and are often used interchangeably with the Grösslein spelling.

Variants of the Grosselein surname that may be found outside of Germanic and Swiss-German speaking countries include Grossly, Grosly, Groesly, Grossley, Grossly, Grossleye and Grosslee. These variants may have been adapted to fit the spelling conventions of different language traditions.

It is also commonly seen in a French variant, Groslard, which may have been taken up by family members migrating to French-speaking countries.

The Grösslein surname is also often encountered in combination with other surnames, including Graf, Heller and Breuer. These are all related to different aspects of the given name and highlight the diversity of its origins.

Famous people with the name Grösslein

• Jan Grösslein: German professional football goalkeeper who currently plays for Schalke 04 II
• Viktor Grösslein: Austrian painter and graphic artist
• Johann Peter Grösslein: German historian, antiquarian, and archivist
• Manfred Grösslein: German swimmer and active athlete
• Theodore Grösslein: Swiss theologian, author, and professor
• Magdalena Grösslein: German singer, dancer, and choir director
• Michael Grösslein: Austrian physicist and professor of energy
• Ferdinande Grösslein: Prussian noblewoman and theologian
• Leo Grösslein: German orientation artist and playwright
• Friedrich Grösslein: German stage director, actor, producer, and theater founder

Other surnames

Grössle