Graef Surname Guide

Ask a genealogist about Graef and the first name they will mention is Graf. Surname dictionaries give the meaning as “Count”.

Graef coat of arms

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Graf surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon.

How the spelling arose

The extra “e” in Graef is a spelling habit rather than a different name. Regional accents shaped spellings long before dictionaries fixed them.

1,293 Americans were listed as Graef in the 2010 census. French birth records list 243 children named Graef between 1891 and 2000. Births under the name grew in the later decades. Want more than a summary? See the Graef family name pack.