De Groot ( [də ˈɣroːt]) is a surname of Dutch origin. It is sometimes Latinized as Grotius, as in the case of Hugo Grotius.
It is composed of the adjective groot, from middle Dutch grote, meaning big, tall or great, preceded by the definite article de, meaning the. It was originally a nickname for a tall person.
In 2007, there were 37,221 people in the Netherlands named De Groot, making it the 13th most common surname in the country.
Adriaan de Groot (1914–2006), Dutch chess master and psychologistAdriaan de Groot (born 1973), Canadian software engineerAnnie De Groot (born 1950s), American immunologist and entrepreneurBart de Groot (born 1990), Dutch footballerBob de Groot (born 1941), Belgian comic book writerBoudewijn de Groot (born 1944), Dutch singer and songwriterBram de Groot (born 1974), Dutch road bicycle racerCor de Groot (1914–1993), Dutch pianist and composerCornelis de Groot (1546–1610), Dutch juristCornelis Hofstede de Groot (1863–1930), Dutch art collector, art historian and museum curatorDaan de Groot (1933–1982), Dutch road and track cyclistDick de Groot (born 1920), Dutch painter and sculptorDonny de Groot (born 1979), Dutch footballerDudley DeGroot (1899–1970), American football player and coachEdward W. de Groot (born 1990), Dutch truck driverFrancis de Groot (1888–1969), Irish Colonel who "upstaged" New South Wales Premier, Jack LangFrederik de Groot (born 1946), Dutch actorGuillaume de Groot (1836–1922), Belgian sculptorHugo de Groot (Hugo Grotius) (1583–1645), Dutch jurist and poetHugo de Groot (1897–1986), Dutch composer and conductorHuug de Groot (1890–1957), Dutch footballerJan de Groot (1650–1726), Dutch painterJan Jakob Maria de Groot (1854–1921), Dutch Sinologist and historian of religionJannie de Groot (born 1930), Dutch swimmerJoeri de Groot (born 1977), Dutch rowerJohannes de Groot (1914–1972), Dutch mathematician (topology)Klaas de Groot (born 1940), Dutch biomedical engineerLeen de Groot (born 1946), Dutch racing cyclistLuc(as) de Groot (born 1963), Dutch type designerMax de Groot (born 1994), American savantMorris H. DeGroot (1931–1989), American statisticianMyra De Groot (1937–1988), English-Australian actressNanno de Groot (1913–1963), Dutch-American abstract painterNicholas de Groot (born 1975), Canadian cricketerPaul de Groot (1899–1986), Dutch communist politicianPetrus Hofstede de Groot (1802–1886), Dutch theologianPieter de Groot (1615–1678), Dutch regent and diplomatRobin De Groot, Canadian designerRobyn de Groot (born 1987), South African road bicycle racerRon de Groot (born 1960), Dutch footballerRoy Andries De Groot (1910–1983), British and American food writerSybren Ruurds de Groot (1916–1994), Dutch theoretical physicistSytske de Groot (born 1986), Dutch rowerTom de Grooth (born 1979), Dutch cricketerIn official lore surrounding the game Team Fortress 2, "Tavish Finnegan DeGroot" is mentioned as the actual name of the Demoman character, African-Scottish explosives expert. Team Fortress 2 also has a special medieval themed map called "Degroot Keep", which takes place at the castle of the Demoman's ancestors.