This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Greif family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Greif Family History

Greif Surname Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a gryphon. Middle High German grīf(e), German Greif (Old High German grīf(o) from Late Latin gryphus, Greek gryps of Assyrian origin).

As a Jewish name, it is also one of the surnames randomly assigned by Austrian clerks. German: nickname for a grasping man, the gryphon in folk etymology having come to be associated with Middle High German grīfen ‘to grasp or snatch’.

English: variant of Grieve.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Greif family from?

You can see how Greif families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Greif family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Greif families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 18 Greif families living in Norfolk. This was about 90% of all the recorded Greif's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Greif families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Greif surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Greif ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Greif. 100% of Greif women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Greif | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Greif family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Greif. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Greif census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Greif

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Greif. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Greif immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Greif. For the veterans among your Greif ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Greif military records

You've only scratched the surface of Greif family history

Discover More

What is the average Greif lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Greif life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Greif in 1954 was 30, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Greif

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Greif ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Greif family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial