Daily AncestorGrippe
Grippe, or la grippe, is a French-derived name for influenza, the flu, found in American records of the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Grippe and la grippe come from a French word meaning to seize. Both meant influenza, the flu. Other old names for influenza include epidemic catarrh, and Spanish fever for the 1918 pandemic.
An entry of grippe followed by pneumonia is common, because many flu deaths came from a lung infection that set in afterward. Spelled grip or the grip in some records.
As seen in a recordCause of death line on an early 1900s death certificate
Cause of death: La grippe. Contributory: Pneumonia.
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Daily Ancestor. "Grippe." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/grippe. Last checked 2026-10-01.