Vancouver / Names / G / Graff

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Graffs

In the city directories 1940 · seven people at five addresses

The directories print seven people named Graff at five addresses in 1940 in four of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Graf. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family.

Reserve this family's book, freeThe name in every directory we hold from 1901 to 1945, at every address, each line with its page, to read here or save as a PDF. About $29 when orders open.

Where the Graffs lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    401 Davie Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • M Graff 1940
    • Mrs Florence Graff, proprietor of Ala Graff Store 1940

    Next door in 1940: W A Koch at 413. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    6739 Dumfries Street

    Victoria-Fraserview, 1940

    • G Graff, a laborer 1940
  3. 3

    1013 Dunsmuir Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • W Graf, a bridgeman at the CPR 1940

    Next door in 1940: W J M McKay at 1017. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    822 Hawks Avenue

    Strathcona, 1940

    • M Graf, a plumber 1940

    Next door in 1940: M Trkovich at 820 and J Perensef at 824. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    1970 William Street

    Grandview-Woodland, 1940

    • J A Graff, a warehouseman at Johnston National Storage 1940
    • George A Graff, a delivery at Cunningham Drug 1940

    Next door in 1940: J C Robertson at 1966. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for six of the seven: a bridgeman, a delivery, a laborer, a plumber, a proprietor and a warehouseman.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Downtown (2), Grandview-Woodland, Strathcona and Victoria-Fraserview. Each neighbourhood's page shows its trades, its people and every street in it, the way the directory printed them.

The story, address by address

In 1940 the directory lists M Graff at 401 Davie Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Manuel Graff there as the householder, with Mrs Florence Graff, proprietor of Ala Graff Store. In 1940 the directory lists G Graff at 6739 Dumfries Street. The 1940 name section lists George Graff there as the householder, a laborer.

In 1940 the directory lists W Graf at 1013 Dunsmuir Street. The 1940 name section lists William Graf there as the householder, a bridgeman at the CPR. In 1940 the directory lists M Graf at 822 Hawks Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Michael Graf there as the householder, a plumber.

In 1940 the directory lists J A Graff at 1970 William Street. The 1940 name section lists Joseph A Graff there as the householder, a warehouseman at Johnston National Storage, with George A Graff, a delivery at Cunningham Drug.

Today

1970 William still has its building from before 1946, dated 1908 by the City's record and on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 6739 Dumfries (1975) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 401 Davie, 1013 Dunsmuir and 822 Hawks, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 12 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
1940

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section

The book of the Graffs

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Graff name in each Vancouver directory we hold from 1901 to 1945: everyone printed under it at every address, their work from the name sections, who lived next door, and the page behind every line, to read here or save as a PDF to print or give.

We're opening orders soon. Join the list to be first in line; we expect about $29 a family.

One email, when it's ready. We use your email for nothing else and never share it. Privacy

Another name, or a house

Sources

Henderson's and successor city directories for Vancouver, read by us line by line: the street sections for 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1940 and 1945, and the name section for 1930 and 1940 where we've read it (Vancouver Public Library, BC City Directories). Names are shown through 1945, as printed. Close spellings are grouped, as on the house pages, since a family's name was often spelled differently from one year to the next; one name can still be several families, and we join lines only where the first names or initials agree. Many Chinese, Japanese and other residents weren't named by the canvassers, so they can't be listed by name: their houses' pages say where. More family names under G. Want a name removed? Tell us.