An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Graf

by Friedrich Kluge

Graf, masculine, ‘count, earl,’ from the equivalent Middle High German grâve (with the variant grœve, chiefly in the plural), Old High German grâvo, grâvio (upon the old j form is based the Modern High German proper name Gräf, a parallel form of Graf). Old High German grâvio assumes a Gothic *grêfja (‘commander’), which is the term for the agent from the verbal noun gagrêfts, ‘command, order,’ preserved in Gothic. The Anglo-Saxon term gerêfa (Anglo-Saxon scîrgerêfa, English sheriff), which is similar in meaning, is yet radically different, since it points to a Gothic *ga-rôfja; its original sense is probably ‘head of a troop,’ allied to *rôf, Old High German ruova, Old Icelandic róf (stafróf), ‘number.’ Old Icelandic (Middle English), greife, ‘count,’ is derived from Middle Low German grêve (from Old Low German *grâfio). All explanations of Graf which do not originate in a Teutonic root grêf, ‘to command,’ conflict with the laws relating to the change of sound and meaning. Note the signification of Graf in Dutch pluimgraaf, ‘one who minds the fowls,’ Salzgraf, ‘manager of a saltwork,’ Deichgraf, &c.