[#31413] Graeven family

[Gjest Alan Harrison]

Hans Graeven born August 1884 died December 1969 married Marie Kalda died 1956. Children Nora died 1950 and Hans died 1944. Believe Hans was Norwegian. Marie was from Estonia. Children: Nora died in sailing accident, Hans was a medical student. Would be interested if could find out more about Graeven family.

[Gjest Jon Torp]

Where did they live?UK?USA?

[Gjest Roald Sjursen]

When I do a search from all of Norway at 1900 Cencus i found 1 Hans Graven born in 1884. He lived at Velfjorden in Nordland Norway LenkeRoald

[Gjest Alan Harrison]

Unfortunately we know very little. Do not know where in Norway, but if only one Hans Graven for 1884 that is promising. The spelling I have is Graeven do you think that is wrong? Marie Kalda was from Hiiumaa, Estonia. We believe that they may lived in Tallinn or Tartu. So very little to help tracing in Norway.

[Gjest Ola Ljødal]

Graeven/Graven (?). There are two small farms in Eidsvoll called Graven.The census from 1900 doesn't show any Hans. Perhaps he after living at Graven for some time assumed the Graeven-name when immigrating to the US?

[Gjest Gunn Huglen]

Here is a farm named GRAVEN in Sandsvær, Buskerud near Kongsberg.LenkeGunn Huglen.

[Gjest Gunn Huglen]

In 1900 there are a lot of people with the Graven name , still living on that Gravenfarm. LenkeIf your Hans Graven was born i 1884 he could have left the farm in 1900?Gunn H.

[Gjest Gunn Huglen]

I found a man i Sandsvær named Hans Graven on Family search. He is very older, but the name is the same. ( Might be a forfather ?)LenkeGunn.H.

[Gjest Alan Harrison]

When did Norwegian surnames become 'fixed'? Would that have been around the 1870s, earlier or later? I am sorry that I know very little (nothing is a better word) about Norwegian history/culture. If my Hans named was fixed, then I can assume his parents were on a Graeven farm? Did families more regular between farms or was it common for generations to stay at the same farm? Were these farms quite large?

[Gjest Erik Døving]

AlanI am not an expert, but I believe surnames became fixed even later than 1870. At that time a surname were usually name of the farm (more like an adress), and it was common to use father's name in addition (Johansen, Olsen etc). People in the cities used names related to the family rather than to the farm. The spelling of names was quite unstable around 1700, but since 1870 I believe spelling has not changed much.The name you are looking for might have come to Norway from other Scandinavian countries or perhaps Germany or the Netherlands, but I am quite sure that it is actually a name of a farm or place in Norway.According to Norway's geographical survey 'Graven' can today be found in Brønnøy, Bodø, Ørland, and Kongsberg. Graeven or Græven does not exist.Hope this is helpful