Family name origins & meanings
- Altered spelling of North German Grevener, a habitational name for someone from any of several places named Greven, probably from Middle Low German grave ‘ditch’, ‘moat’, referring to an early Frankish settlement with that type of fortification.
- Possibly also an altered spelling of North German Grewener, a variant of Gräb(e)ner, an occupational name for a miner, grave digger or the like, or for an engraver. See also Graber.