Grunder

Recorded in various spellings including Grund, Grunder, Grundmann, and Grundherr, this is a medieval German surname. It is essentially topographical although occasionally occupational, and describes a person who lived or worked on a "grund." This was a valley or plain, in effect flat lands suitable for agricultural use. The English word "ground" had much the same generalised meaning, and originates from the same source. German and continental surnames are in most cases two centuries later than in the British Isles, and topographical names of which this is a broad example, were generally the first to be recorded in most countries. This surname is a good example. It is one of the earliest to be recorded in Germany, with Baltasar Grund being registered as a burger, a citizen with special responsibilities for providing guard duties, of the town of Gorlitz in 1446. Other recordings showing the ongoing development include: Johannes Grundeman of Leipsig in 1451, Ulrich Grundherr of Nurnberg in 1466, and Cristoff Grunder also of Gorlitz in 1537. He was described as being a Fuhrwerker, or foreman.