NameCensus.

UK surname

Grain

A surname derived from an occupation or place associated with grains or cereal crops.

In the 1881 census there were 329 people recorded with the Grain surname, ranking it #9,107 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 344, ranked #13,347, down from #9,107 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Northfleet, Lutterworth and Shelford, Great. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, South Cambridgeshire and Charnwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grain is 400 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.6%.

1881 census count

329

Ranked #9,107

Modern count

344

2016, ranked #13,347

Peak year

1911

400 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grain had 329 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,107 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 344 in 2016, ranked #13,347.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 400 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Grain surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grain surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grain 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 162 #12,215
1861 historical 208 #11,642
1881 historical 329 #9,107
1891 historical 347 #9,894
1901 historical 394 #9,579
1911 historical 400 #9,280
1997 modern 354 #12,060
1998 modern 377 #11,894
1999 modern 377 #11,954
2000 modern 372 #12,020
2001 modern 359 #12,153
2002 modern 360 #12,360
2003 modern 355 #12,285
2004 modern 355 #12,326
2005 modern 343 #12,546
2006 modern 355 #12,316
2007 modern 357 #12,413
2008 modern 364 #12,328
2009 modern 371 #12,399
2010 modern 392 #12,186
2011 modern 388 #12,121
2012 modern 369 #12,443
2013 modern 359 #12,917
2014 modern 357 #13,068
2015 modern 348 #13,221
2016 modern 344 #13,347

Geography

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Where Grains are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Northfleet, Lutterworth, Shelford, Great, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, South Cambridgeshire and Charnwood. 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 Northfleet Kent
2 Lutterworth Leicestershire
3 Shelford, Great Cambridgeshire
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 030 Barnsley
2 Barnsley 028 Barnsley
3 Barnsley 029 Barnsley
4 South Cambridgeshire 021 South Cambridgeshire
5 Charnwood 005 Charnwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grain

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grain

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Grain, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Grain surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Grain household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Grain is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Grain is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Grain falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Grain 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 Grain, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Grain

The surname GRAIN is of English origin, with its earliest recorded examples dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "graen" or "grene," meaning "grain" or "corn." This suggests that the name likely originated from an area known for its agricultural production or from someone whose occupation involved the cultivation or trade of grain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GRAIN can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it appears as "William le Greyn." This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time, with the addition of the prefix "le" denoting an occupational or descriptive surname.

In the 14th century, the name GRAIN was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where it was recorded as "Johannes Greyn" in 1327. This document provides valuable insights into the distribution of the name across different regions of England during that era.

During the 16th century, the GRAIN surname gained prominence through notable individuals such as William Grain (1515-1579), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of King's College, Cambridge. Another prominent figure was John Grain (1570-1638), an English historian and antiquarian known for his work on the history of Kent.

In the 17th century, the GRAIN surname was further documented in various parish records and historical documents. One notable example is Thomas Grain (1622-1676), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1673 to 1674.

The 18th century saw the continued presence of the GRAIN surname, with individuals like Nathaniel Grain (1701-1764), an English clergyman and author who published several works on theology and philosophy. Additionally, John Grain (1718-1802) was an English physician and writer known for his contributions to medical literature.

In the 19th century, the GRAIN surname gained prominence through figures like Richard Corney Grain (1844-1895), an English historian and antiquarian who specialized in the study of East Anglia. Another notable individual was Alfred Grain (1866-1944), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Walsall from 1906 to 1910.

These examples demonstrate the rich history and geographical distribution of the GRAIN surname across various regions of England, spanning multiple centuries and encompassing individuals from diverse professions, including clergymen, academics, historians, physicians, and politicians.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grain families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grain 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. Leicestershire leads with 69 Grains recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.39x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 69 19.39x
Kent 42 3.84x
Nottinghamshire 39 9.02x
Middlesex 28 0.87x
Yorkshire 26 0.82x
Oxfordshire 20 10.09x
Shropshire 20 7.21x
Cambridgeshire 15 7.38x
Surrey 11 0.70x
Essex 9 1.42x
Hampshire 8 1.22x
Northamptonshire 8 2.65x
Cheshire 4 0.56x
Lancashire 4 0.11x
Sussex 4 0.74x
Berkshire 3 1.25x
Lanarkshire 3 0.29x
Staffordshire 3 0.28x
Suffolk 2 0.51x
Angus 1 0.34x
Buteshire 1 5.14x
Cornwall 1 0.28x
Derbyshire 1 0.20x
Fife 1 0.53x
Herefordshire 1 0.76x
Hertfordshire 1 0.45x
Lincolnshire 1 0.19x
Morayshire 1 2.01x
Norfolk 1 0.20x
Wiltshire 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Glenn in Leicestershire leads with 20 Grains recorded in 1881 and an index of 2127.66x.

Place Total Index
Great Glenn 20 2127.66x
Snenton 20 117.72x
Leicester St Margaret 17 19.59x
Brightside Bierlow 15 24.05x
Lutterworth 13 599.08x
Basford 11 55.17x
Drayton In Hales 11 192.31x
Oxford St Aldate 11 526.32x
Deptford St Paul 10 11.84x
Headington 9 292.21x
Northfleet 9 93.26x
Shrewsbury St Chad 8 82.22x
Barlestone 7 897.44x
Isleworth 7 49.05x
Milton In Gravesend 7 42.63x
Great Shelford 6 560.75x
Huddersfield 6 12.95x
Radford Lenton 6 555.56x
Battersea 5 4.23x
Eltham 5 77.88x
Grays Thurrock 5 84.89x
Leicester All Sts 5 71.53x
Mile End Old Town London 5 7.32x
Petersfield 5 276.24x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 7.74x
Wouldham 5 359.71x
Barton 4 1142.86x
Kettering 4 32.76x
Liverpool 4 1.73x
Macclesfield 4 12.70x
March 4 58.74x
Paddington London 4 3.39x
Sheepshed 4 81.97x
West Ham 4 2.86x
Ealing 3 10.46x
Raunds 3 97.72x
Sculcoates 3 5.95x
Abingdon St Helen 2 28.41x
Beccles 2 31.80x
Beckenham 2 13.98x
Hammersmith London 2 2.53x
Hastings St Mary 2 14.85x
Nottingham St Mary 2 1.79x
Old Monkland 2 4.86x
Sedgley 2 4.97x
Ventnor 2 31.95x
Acton 1 5.32x
Ashby Parva 1 625.00x
Brighton 1 0.92x
Broadwater 1 8.06x
Bromley 1 5.99x
Camberwell 1 0.49x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.32x
Duffus 1 22.78x
Dysart 1 7.82x
Govan 1 0.39x
Great Grimsby 1 3.07x
Great Yarmouth 1 2.45x
Greenwich 1 1.96x
Hertford St John 1 30.30x
Holdenhurst 1 5.80x
Islington London 1 0.32x
Kingarth 1 71.43x
Leeds 1 0.56x
Leicester St Mary 1 3.48x
Maker 1 29.76x
Market Bosworth 1 78.13x
Nortonwith 1 153.85x
Pytchley 1 161.29x
Rochester St Margaret 1 8.66x
Saddleworth 1 4.08x
Shrewsbury St Julian 1 14.58x
St Andrewthe Great 1 38.02x
St George Bloomsbury 1 5.43x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.77x
St Marylebone London 1 0.58x
St Pancras London 1 0.39x
Steventon 1 98.04x
Swanscombe 1 20.33x
Wolstanton 1 3.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Sarah 17
Elizabeth 14
Jane 11
Ada 7
Eliza 6
Ellen 6
Maria 5
Alice 4
Charlotte 4
Emma 4
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Louisa 3
Matilda 3
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Anne 2
Bridget 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Isabella 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Ruth 2
Bertha 1
Catherine 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Elda 1
Eleanor 1
Elizh. 1
Evelyn 1
Florance 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Haverse 1
Hephzibah 1
Kate 1
Lillie 1
Lily 1
Margaret 1
Maryon 1
Maud 1
Mildred 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 19
Thomas 13
William 13
James 12
George 10
Charles 6
Joseph 6
Edward 5
Harry 5
Henry 5
Robert 5
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
David 4
Peter 3
Richard 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Elijah 2
Fred 2
Isaac 2
Jesse 2
Augustus 1
Benjamin 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Earnest 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Frederk. 1
Hughes 1
Jno. 1
Lancelot 1
Luke 1
Michal 1
Nathaniel 1
Samuel 1
Thornton 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Grain surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grain surname in 1881?

In 1881, 329 people were recorded with the Grain surname. That placed it at #9,107 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grain surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 344 in 2016. That gives Grain a modern rank of #13,347.

What does the Grain surname mean?

A surname derived from an occupation or place associated with grains or cereal crops.

What does the Grain map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Grain 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.