Grass

Grass
This interesting name has to be described as 'European'. It is is recorded in much the same spelling in the British Isles as Grass, in Germany as Gras, Grass, Grasse, Grassmann, Graser, in France as de Grasse, de Gras, Le Gras, Gras, and diminutives such as Grasot, Grasset, and Gassin, in Italy as Grassi and Grasso, as well as many diminutives such as Grasselli, Grassini, and Grasetti. It has at least three possible origins, dating from the early medieval period. The first is from a nickname from the Old French word "grace", meaning charm, itself from the Latin word "gratia". The second origin is from the female given name Grace. This was a very popular name during the Middle Ages, and is thought to derive in the first instance from the Old German word "grisja", meaning grey. Thirdly if Scottish and Irish the origination is occupational from the Gaelic word 'greas' meaning skilful, and in a transferred sense describing a shoremaker. Lastly it may have been a nickname for a large or probably small person. Here the origination is the word 'gras' from the Lation'crassus' meaning large. George Grace was an early emigrant to the American colonies, leaving London on the "Globe" in August 1635, bound for Virginia. Early examples of tghe surmname recording include Henry Grece, in the Hundred Rolls of Northamtonshire in 1275, and in Switzerland Henry Gras of Zurich in 1414, during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Grass — Grass, n. [OE. gras, gres, gers, AS, gr[ae]s, g[ae]rs; akin to OFries. gres, gers, OS., D., G., Icel., & Goth. gras, Dan. gr[ae]s, Sw. gr[aum]s, and prob. to E. green, grow. Cf. {Graze}.] 1. Popularly: Herbage; the plants which constitute the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Grass — is the common word that generally describes monocotyledonous green plants. The family Gramineae (Poaceae) are the true grasses and include most plants grown as grains, for pasture, and for lawns (turf). They include some more specialised crops… …   Wikipedia

  • GRASS — GIS …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Grass — oder GRASS bezeichnet: Grass Island, eine zu Südgeorgien gehörige Insel Grass (Kartenspiel), ein Kartenspiel (11496) Grass, einen Asteroiden GRASS GIS, ein Geoinformationssystem Grass (Film), Grass – A Nation’s Battle for Life, Dokumentarfilm von …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • GRASS (G.) — «Enfin l’Allemagne a retrouvé un écrivain de stature internationale»: tel fut l’avis unanime de la critique lorsque parut en 1959 Le Tambour . C’était le premier roman d’un jeune auteur d’une trentaine d’années, connu et apprécié jusqu’alors… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Grass — 〈n.; ; unz.; Drogenszene〉 = Gras (4) [engl.] * * * Grass, das; [engl. grass, eigtl. = Gras, nach den getrockneten Pflanzenteilen] (Jargon): Marihuana. * * * Grạss,   Günter, Schriftsteller und Grafiker, * Danzig 16. 10. 1927; Sohn deutsch… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • grass — ► NOUN 1) vegetation consisting of short plants with long narrow leaves, growing wild or cultivated on lawns and pasture. 2) ground covered with grass. 3) informal cannabis. 4) Brit. informal a police informer. ► VERB 1) cover with grass. 2) …   English terms dictionary

  • grass — [gras, gräs] n. [ME gras < OE gærs, græs, akin to Ger gras < IE * ghrō , GROW] 1. any of various plants of the grass family that are usually used for food, fodder, or grazing and as lawns 2. any grasslike plant of various families having… …   English World dictionary

  • grass|y — «GRAS ee, GRAHS », adjective, grass|i|er, grass|i|est. 1. covered with grass; having much grass: »the grassy carpet of the meadow. 2. of or consisting of grass: »The ph …   Useful english dictionary

  • Grass — Grass, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Grassed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Grassing}.] 1. To cover with grass or with turf. [1913 Webster] 2. To expose, as flax, on the grass for bleaching, etc. [1913 Webster] 3. To bring to the grass or ground; to land; as, to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • grass — O.E. græs, gærs herb, plant, grass, from P.Gmc. grasan (Cf. O.N., O.S., Du., O.H.G., Ger., Goth. gras, Swed. gräs), from PIE *ghros young shoot, sprout, from root *ghre to grow, become green (related to GROW (Cf. grow) and GREEN (Cf …   Etymology dictionary

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