The Metamorphosis and Variations of the Family Name

Edward Earl Reeves-Graybill, in his 1945 history published as part of The History of the Kraybill Family in America, lists more than 100 variations of the family name.

A careful analysis of the Swiss Telcom White Pages in late 1995 showed that 11 variations of the name are found today in Switzerland.

Spellings of the name found evolved from the original spellings in Switzerland, to a German spelling used by families who migrated to the Palatinate, to a wide variety of Anglicized spellings used in America. Reeves-Graybill said it's possible that not all the families represented on this list have a common ancestry.

Reeves-Graybill notes that in 1909, the U.S. Census Bureau, in A Century of Population Growth in the United States, 1790-1900, cited the two surnames Coyner and Grabill as "a curious example of patronymical metamorphoses." Coyner had some 15 variations, but Grabill "has been transformed even more frequently." Some 20 variations were mentioned.

Here are the 100-plus variations Reeves-Graybill found, plus a few more (marked by an asterisk) that have been called to our attention by readers of these Web pages:

Switzerland:

  1. Krähenbuhl
  2. Kraehenbuhl
  3. Kraehenbuehl
  4. Krayenbuhl
  5. Kreienbuhl
  6. Kreyenbuhl
  7. Kreyenbuel
  8. Crayenbuhl
  9. Creyenbuhl
  10. Grenhenbuhl

Palatinate:

  1. Krahbuhl
  2. Kraibil
  3. Kraibill
  4. Kraybil
  5. Kraybill
  6. Kraibuhl
  7. Kreibuhl
  8. Krehbiel
  9. Krehbil
  10. Krehbill
  11. Krehbuhl
  12. Kreybul

North America

 
  1. Crabil
  2. Crabill
  3. Craybil
  4. Craybill
  5. Craypeel
  6. Craypool
  7. Creabil
  8. Creabill
  9. Crebil
  10. Crebill
  11. Creble
  12. Creeple
  13. Crybile
  14. Gaible
  15. Grabble
  16. Grabil
  17. Grabill
  18. Grabel
  19. Grabell
  20. Grable
  21. Graebel
  22. Grabile
  23. Grabille
  24. Graebil
  25. Graebill
  26. Graibel
  27. Graibell
  28. Graybael
  29. Graybal
  30. Grayball
  31. Graybeal
  32. Graybeall
  
  1. Graybeel
  2. Graybeil
  3. Graybeill
  4. Graybel
  5. Graybell
  6. Graybiel
  7. Graybil
  8. Graybill
  9. Grayerbiehl
  10. Graypiel
  11. Grayvill
  12. Grayville
  13. Grebiel
  14. Grebiell
  15. Grebil
  16. Grebill
  17. Greble
  18. Greebil
  19. Greebill
  20. Grehbihl
  21. Grehbil
  22. Grehbill
  23. Greibeil
  24. Greybel
  25. Greybell
  26. Greybil
  27. Greybill
  28. Greybeil
  29. Greybiel
  30. Gribble
  31. Griebil
  32. Griebill
  
  1. Grebil
  2. Grebill
  3. Grubble
  4. Gryble
  5. Krabiel
  6. Krabil
  7. Krabill
  8. Krambule
  9. Kranebell*
  10. Krayebiel
  11. Kraybil
  12. Kraybill
  13. Krehbiel
  14. Krehbiell
  15. Krehbil
  16. Krehbill
  17. Krebil*
  18. Krebill
  19. Kreble
  20. Krebril
  21. Krebuel
  22. Krehbiehl
  23. Keibihl
  24. Kreybil
  25. Kreybill
  26. Krepil
  27. Krepill
  28. Kriebiel
  29. Krehbeil
  30. Kryebil
  31. Kryebill
  32. Von Grabill

Home Page of the Krahenbuhl Family | The Family Name

Last modified 12/01/03 by Margaret Crabill Mead.
Send e-mail to: patrick.mead@comcast.net