If you have any comments on this web site please email me by clicking here
The Origin of the Name GROSSMITH
The name is believed to be a combination of "large" or "master", and "smith". Smith is the most common English name, generally meaning a "worker". However, Grossmith is very rare and does not appear in any of the standard works on surnames. It maybe of Dutch or German origin.
There is an interesting theory that relates to William of Orange, the Dutch
prince who later became King William III of England, Ireland and Scotland.
He sailed from Holland on 1 November 1688 With " 225 vessels army of 15,000 men, portable bridge, mobile smithy, printing press, mould for new coinage, our tons tobacco, 1600 hogsheads of beer, 10,000 pairs boots, coach and horses" and arrived on English soil (Torbay, Devonshire) on 5 November 1688. He deposed King James II and is a fascinating character in English History.
It is feasible the original Grossmith ancestor was one of those on board one of the ships. The name could have been either Dutch or German. Attempts to trace back the family have only gone no further than John GROSSMITH, born about 1670. He would have been about the right age to sail with William of Orange!
The last "Will and Testament" of William Grossmith (born 1734) shows that he signed his name "Wm. Grofsmith" - which may have been the original spelling of the surname. In old English "ss" was written as "fs", but it may indicate a Dutch or German origin.
The family may have been "Teutonic" in origin (judging by the bone structure of Thomas - husband of Amelia Jane Brooks).
My Family Tree is a 60 minute documentary that I have made with my digital camcorder and edited into a video production.
This documentary is the story of four families. It is the story of my father's parents, Brigden and Chapman, and my mother's parents, Crowhurst and Plowman.
The video can be purchased for £5 plus £2 postage and packaging. To order a copy click here