Surname Gravner - Meaning and Origin

Gravner: What does the surname Gravner mean?

The last name Gravner is of Jewish (Ashkenazic) origin. It is derived from the Hebrew word ‘Geveren’ which means ‘committee of men’, often used to refer to Jewish Councils of Elders. In Jewish communities, the Gravner surname was likely given to a family who served in an administrative capacity or were one of the Council of Elders of the city or shtetl.

The Gravner surname is found in many Eastern European countries such as Hungary, Romania, Slovenia and Ukraine. During the 19th century many Jewish families with this last name moved to other countries in search of better economic opportunities.

In modern times, the last name Gravner is still found among Jews in many countries and it is also quite common to find Gravners who have settled in the United States, Canada, Israel, and other countries. Well known people with this last name include Albie Gravner, a Jewish Baseball player in the late 19th century, and Sam Gravner, an American Jewish lawyer.

Many Jewish families who carry the Gravner name understand its significance and continue to celebrate their culture and heritage. The name is seen as a way to honor the legacy of those who have come before them, as they continue their family's story through the generations.

Gravner: Where does the name Gravner come from?

The Gravner surname is most commonly found throughout Europe, primarily in countries such as Italy, Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Germany. In the United States, the Gravner name is found mainly in Pennsylvania, New York, California, Illinois, and Wisconsin. The prevalence of the name in Italy is particularly high, with hundreds of Gravner’s currently residing in the country.

While the surname Gravner has been recorded in Europe for centuries, its specifically Jewish origins are unknown and up for debate. Evidence suggests that the name most likely originated from the territories comprising the former Austrian-Hungarian Empire, with records indicating that the surname has been found primarily in regions that were once part of the empire.

The Gravner surname remains popular today, particularly in Italy, with hundreds of individuals carrying the family name in the country. There is even a Gravner winery in Italy, owned and operated by the family that carries the same name.

Variations of the surname Gravner

Gravner is a surname of Germanic origin, which can be spelled in various ways, including Gravener, Gravenor, Gravnor, and Gravnar. Variant spellings—or surname variants—occur whenever a name has been changed slightly to reflect a change in language or pronunciation over time. In the case of the Gravner surname, these changes were due to the spread of Germanic settlers across Europe in the early Middle Ages.

Gravner is also a Jewish surname, derived from the Yiddish 'grobn' or 'grafen', which means 'buried' or 'burial', and refers to a Jewish ritual of covering a deceased person with earth. This version of the surname can be spelled as Gravener, Gravenor, Gravenar, Gravehner, Graffner or Grovehner.

The most common variant of the Gravener surname is Gravener, which is found in numerous countries throughout Europe. However, Gravner is also common in Spain, where it is spelled as Granero or Granera. In Italy, the variant Gravenari is also commonly used, and in Russia, it is spelled as Grazhnev or Grazhnenko.

In the United States, the surname Gravner is most commonly found among German-American communities, and is usually spelled as Gravener. Additionally, other variants, such as Gravnar and Gravenor, can also be found among Americans of Germanic heritage.

Overall, the surname Gravner—and its variants and spellings—are found in many different countries across the world. These variants are evidence of the spread of Germanic culture in the ancient and medieval worlds, and also reveal the different customs and traditions of Jewish communities around the world.

Famous people with the name Gravner

• Andrew Gravner- American mathematician specialized in probabilistic combinatorics
• Ze'mirah Gravner- Australian businesswoman based in Melbourne
• Glen Gravner- American singer and composer who has arranged music for films
• Jakub Gravner- Slovenian physicist and professor of mathematics at the University of Ljubljana
• Doron Gravner- Israeli author and academic who has written numerous books and articles on Jewish and Middle Eastern history
• Avi Gravner- Israeli architect and urban designer
• Chaim Gravner- Polish-Israeli poet and essayist
• Gal Gravner- Israeli fashion designer
• Yitzhak Ravner- former mayor of Tiberias and Member of the Knesset
• Moshe Gravner- Israeli politician and former Member of the Knesset
• I Sorokin-Gravner- Russian-born chemist and funds manager residing in Israel
• Isaac Gravner- European composer, arranger, producer, and singer-songwriter
• Eva Gravner- Austrian modernist sculptor
• Yaniv Gravner- Israeli contemporary artist
• Roey Gravner- Israeli visual artist based in Tel Aviv
• Yigal Gravner- Israeli cinematographer and documentary filmmaker
• Michael Gravner- American photographer and artist
• Amit P. Gravner- Israeli lawyer

Other surnames

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