NameCensus.

UK surname

Graeme

A surname derived from the place Grantham, Lincolnshire or from the Old French adjective grame meaning "angry, surly".

In the 1881 census there were 29 people recorded with the Graeme surname, ranking it #29,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 98, ranked #31,470, down from #29,484 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wealden, Medway and Teignbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Graeme is 123 in 2003. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 237.9%.

1881 census count

29

Ranked #29,484

Modern count

98

2016, ranked #31,470

Peak year

2003

123 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Graeme had 29 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,484 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016, ranked #31,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 37 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Graeme surname distribution map

The map shows where the Graeme surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Graeme surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Graeme over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 23 #29,205
1861 historical 37 #29,339
1881 historical 29 #29,484
1891 historical 34 #31,604
1901 historical 30 #30,724
1911 historical 24 #30,800
1997 modern 112 #25,244
1998 modern 111 #25,990
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 113 #25,843
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 115 #25,749
2003 modern 123 #24,497
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 99 #28,177
2006 modern 98 #28,621
2007 modern 108 #27,391
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 101 #29,445
2010 modern 108 #28,996
2011 modern 105 #29,287
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 100 #30,773
2014 modern 100 #31,033
2015 modern 100 #31,005
2016 modern 98 #31,470

Geography

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Where Graemes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wealden, Medway, Teignbridge and Inverness West Rural. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wealden 009 Wealden
2 Medway 035 Medway
3 Teignbridge 006 Teignbridge
4 Inverness West Rural Highland
5 Teignbridge 008 Teignbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Graeme

These lists show first names that appear often with the Graeme surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Graeme

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Graeme, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Graeme surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Graeme household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Graeme is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Graeme is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Graeme falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Graeme is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Graeme, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Graeme

The surname Graeme is of Anglo-Scottish origin, derived from the Old English word "grām" meaning "sorrow" or "grim." It was initially a nickname given to someone with a grim or stern expression. The earliest recorded bearer of the name was Richard Grame, who appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1195.

In Scotland, the name is closely associated with the Clan Graham, one of the most powerful and influential families in Scottish history. The progenitor of the clan was William de Graham, who acquired lands in Abercorn, West Lothian, around 1128. The Grahams played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence, with Sir John Graham of Dundaff (c. 1300-1337) being a close companion of Sir William Wallace.

The name Graeme can be found in various historical records, including the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list several individuals with the name who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. One notable entry is Patric de Graham, who held lands in Berwickshire. The Domesday Book of 1086 also mentions a landowner named Grimus, which could be an early version of the name.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Graeme or its variant spellings, such as:

1. James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose (1612-1650), a Scottish nobleman and military commander during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. 2. John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee (c. 1648-1689), a Scottish soldier and military leader who fought for the Catholic king James VII & II. 3. Reverend James Grahame (1765-1811), a Scottish poet and clergyman, best known for his work "The Sabbath." 4. John Graham of Calvenwood (c. 1548-1598), a Scottish archer and philosopher, considered one of the best archers of his time. 5. Martha Graham (1894-1991), an influential American modern dancer and choreographer, whose works revolutionized dance in the 20th century.

The surname Graeme has also been associated with various place names, particularly in Scotland, such as Graham's Dyke, an ancient earthwork near the village of Grahamston, and the village of Grahamshill in Falkirk. The name has also been spelled in various ways, including Graham, Grahame, Graeme, and Grame, reflecting its evolution over time and regional variations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Graeme families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Graeme surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 12 Graemes recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.10x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 12 4.10x
Sussex 6 12.17x
Aberdeenshire 4 14.77x
Perthshire 2 15.23x
Renfrewshire 2 8.83x
Ayrshire 1 4.57x
Channel Islands 1 11.53x
Lancashire 1 0.29x
Midlothian 1 2.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Anne Soho London in Middlesex leads with 9 Graemes recorded in 1881 and an index of 538.92x.

Place Total Index
St Anne Soho London 9 538.92x
Hastings St Mary 6 487.80x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 78.90x
Cathcart 2 162.60x
Chelsea London 2 22.70x
Dunning 2 1250.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 6.35x
Kilmarnock 1 38.46x
St Marylebone London 1 6.41x
St Peter Port 1 62.50x
Worsley 1 46.73x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Graeme surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Deborah 1
Evelyn 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Graeme surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Alexander 2
Angelo 1
Arthur 1
John 1
Kenneth 1
Patrick 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Graeme households.

FAQ

Graeme surname: questions and answers

How common was the Graeme surname in 1881?

In 1881, 29 people were recorded with the Graeme surname. That placed it at #29,484 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Graeme surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016. That gives Graeme a modern rank of #31,470.

What does the Graeme surname mean?

A surname derived from the place Grantham, Lincolnshire or from the Old French adjective grame meaning "angry, surly".

What does the Graeme map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Graeme bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.