Grimm Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Grimm last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Grimm last name
Meaning of the Grimm last name: grim, fierce. Grimm comes from a German nickname meaning grim or fierce. It is common throughout Germany. A curious detail: the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm collected the fairy tales that the world now reads, from Snow White to Hansel and Gretel, so the name is linked forever with storytelling.
Arms associated with the Grimm name
In German lands, arms were often carved above house doors and on seals, so arms could mark a home as well as a person, a tradition the Grimm name belongs to.
Get your full Grimm family history
This is only a glimpse of the Grimm story. The full Grimm history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Grimm coat of arms. Get the full Grimm report.
Grimm name FAQ
What does the Grimm name mean?
Grim, fierce. Common variants include Grimme, Grim, Grimmer.
Where does the Grimm surname come from?
It originates in Germany, and is also found in the United States, Austria and Switzerland.
Is there a Grimm coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Grimm coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Duden Familiennamen; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).