NameCensus.

UK surname

Granville

From an English place name meaning "grand village," derived from Old French "gran(t)" meaning "great" and "ville" meaning "town."

In the 1881 census there were 431 people recorded with the Granville surname, ranking it #7,555 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 742, ranked #7,354, up from #7,555 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Willesden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ross and Cromarty East, Bridgend and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Granville is 780 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.2%.

1881 census count

431

Ranked #7,555

Modern count

742

2016, ranked #7,354

Peak year

1999

780 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Granville had 431 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,555 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 742 in 2016, ranked #7,354.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 546 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Granville surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Granville surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Granville 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 199 #10,441
1861 historical 169 #13,823
1881 historical 431 #7,555
1891 historical 444 #8,149
1901 historical 542 #7,601
1911 historical 546 #7,331
1997 modern 728 #7,029
1998 modern 769 #6,976
1999 modern 780 #6,933
2000 modern 766 #6,986
2001 modern 729 #7,128
2002 modern 758 #7,055
2003 modern 726 #7,175
2004 modern 712 #7,293
2005 modern 713 #7,218
2006 modern 730 #7,132
2007 modern 728 #7,230
2008 modern 739 #7,185
2009 modern 776 #7,059
2010 modern 764 #7,288
2011 modern 758 #7,246
2012 modern 729 #7,385
2013 modern 756 #7,297
2014 modern 748 #7,397
2015 modern 736 #7,429
2016 modern 742 #7,354

Geography

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Where Granvilles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Willesden, Moorlinch 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 Ross and Cromarty East, Bridgend, Cornwall, Rother and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Moorlinch Somerset
5 London parishes London 1

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ross and Cromarty East Highland
2 Bridgend 010 Bridgend
3 Cornwall 043 Cornwall
4 Rother 008 Rother
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 020 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Granville

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Granville

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Granville is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Granville is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Granville falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Granville

The surname Granville is of Norman French origin and dates back to the 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It is derived from the Old French phrase "grand ville," which translates to "great town" or "large settlement." The name likely originated in the region of Normandy, France, where many Norman families bore similar toponymic surnames referencing towns and villages.

The earliest recorded instances of the Granville surname appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Greinvilla" and "Grenevilla," reflecting the Norman-French spelling variations common during that period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Granville surname was Richard de Granville, a Norman knight who accompanied William the Conqueror to England in the 11th century. He was granted lands in the county of Buckinghamshire for his service, and his descendants continued to use the Granville name.

In the 13th century, the Granville family established themselves as prominent landowners in the county of Devon, England. Sir Richard de Granville (born around 1180) was a notable figure who served as Sheriff of Devon and was involved in the Barons' War against King John.

During the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century, Sir Thomas Granville (1423-1483) was a staunch supporter of the House of Lancaster. He was knighted for his bravery at the Battle of Wakefield in 1460 and later served as Sheriff of Devon.

The Granville surname also has a strong association with the Channel Islands, specifically the island of Jersey. Sir Bevil Granville (1595-1643) was a prominent royalist during the English Civil War and served as the governor of Jersey. His descendants continued to hold significant influence on the island for several generations.

Other notable figures with the Granville surname include George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdown (1667-1735), an English poet and politician; John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (1690-1763), a British statesman and diplomat; and Granville Sharp (1735-1813), a notable English abolitionist and campaigner against slavery.

The Granville surname has a rich history spanning centuries, with its roots firmly planted in the Norman conquest of England and the subsequent establishment of prominent families bearing the name in various regions of the country, as well as the Channel Islands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Granville families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Granville 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 93 Granvilles recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.20x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 93 2.20x
Devon 52 5.90x
Surrey 47 2.28x
Lancashire 26 0.52x
Monmouthshire 26 8.50x
Somerset 25 3.67x
Yorkshire 25 0.60x
Cornwall 16 3.34x
Sussex 14 1.96x
Gloucestershire 13 1.57x
Warwickshire 13 1.22x
Durham 11 0.87x
Essex 10 1.20x
Glamorgan 10 1.36x
Kent 10 0.69x
Hampshire 9 1.04x
Lincolnshire 6 0.89x
Northumberland 4 0.64x
Wiltshire 4 1.07x
Worcestershire 4 0.72x
Berkshire 3 0.94x
Midlothian 3 0.53x
Royal Navy 3 5.95x
Staffordshire 3 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.35x
Derbyshire 1 0.15x
Norfolk 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Damerel in Devon leads with 27 Granvilles recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.78x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Damerel 27 43.78x
Bedwellty 15 27.76x
Camberwell 15 5.55x
Chelsea London 15 11.76x
Edington 15 2380.95x
St Marylebone London 14 6.19x
Broom 10 961.54x
Islington London 10 2.44x
St Woollos 10 29.28x
Croydon 9 7.86x
Middlesbrough 9 16.47x
Hove 8 25.54x
Limehouse London 8 17.22x
Merthyr Tydfil 8 11.29x
Edgbaston 7 21.15x
Hackney London 7 2.95x
Hulme 7 6.67x
Cheltenham 6 9.37x
Colchester St Botolph 6 84.39x
Shoreditch London 6 3.27x
Burnham 5 96.15x
Lambeth 5 1.35x
Liverpool 5 1.64x
Normanby In 5 44.60x
Rotherhithe 5 9.56x
Southampton St Mary 5 9.16x
Barking 4 16.36x
Battersea 4 2.57x
Cheetham 4 10.68x
Clerkenwell London 4 4.00x
Cropthorne 4 392.16x
Dewsbury 4 9.30x
Kensington London 4 1.70x
Kirkdale 4 4.73x
Mevagissey 4 125.39x
Plymouth Charles The 4 10.30x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 5.89x
Spalding 4 29.78x
St George Bloomsbury 4 16.47x
Wellesbourne Mountford 4 392.16x
Wells St Cuthbert 4 86.02x
Wimbledon 4 17.27x
Bideford 3 31.78x
Budock 3 83.10x
Chatham 3 7.55x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 3.52x
Elswick 3 5.97x
Handsworth 3 8.52x
Reading St Giles 3 9.62x
St Clement 3 60.00x
St Pancras London 3 0.88x
Twickenham 3 16.53x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 5.12x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.09x
Birmingham 2 0.56x
Bristol St George 2 5.21x
Bristol Temple 2 36.56x
Compton Gifford 2 72.46x
Cornwood 2 119.05x
Edinburgh Greenside 2 26.70x
Fugglestone St Peter 2 135.14x
Gillingham 2 6.72x
Hampstead London 2 3.03x
Hastings All Sts 2 29.72x
Heckington 2 77.52x
Kenwyn 2 15.96x
Manchester 2 0.89x
Nottingham St Mary 2 1.36x
Paddington London 2 1.28x
Pagham 2 158.73x
Royal Navy 2 4.64x
St Martin In Fields 2 7.89x
Tormoham 2 5.36x
Tottenham 2 2.97x
Wolborough 2 17.95x
Alnmouth 1 128.21x
Glastonbury 1 17.99x
Lewisham 1 1.30x
Newcastle Lower 1 64.94x
Penge 1 3.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 14
Sarah 13
Emma 9
Ellen 8
Emily 8
Eliza 7
Maria 7
Annie 6
Catherine 6
Jane 6
Alice 5
Amelia 5
Clara 5
Harriet 5
Kate 5
Martha 5
Charlotte 4
Ann 3
Caroline 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Margaret 3
Matilda 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Bridget 2
Edith 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Ida 2
Laura 2
Mabel 2
Marian 2
Maude 2
Rose 2
Blanche 1
E.Jane 1
Eleanor 1
Ellenor 1
Ellin 1
Emlyn 1
Isabel 1
Jessie 1
Josephine 1
Julia 1
Levinia 1
Lilly 1
Zelpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
John 16
Henry 13
Thomas 13
James 11
Frederick 8
George 8
Arthur 7
Charles 6
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Edward 5
Harry 4
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Frank 3
Alexander 2
Francis 2
Reginald 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
W. 2
Bernard 1
Bevil 1
Beville 1
Captain 1
Charlie 1
Cuthbert 1
Daniel 1
Decimus 1
Denis 1
Dennis 1
Douglas 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Elizabeth 1
Ernest 1
Forest 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.W. 1
Granville 1
Gray 1
Gustavus 1
Henney 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Jacob 1
Jno. 1
Johnson 1

FAQ

Granville surname: questions and answers

How common was the Granville surname in 1881?

In 1881, 431 people were recorded with the Granville surname. That placed it at #7,555 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Granville surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 742 in 2016. That gives Granville a modern rank of #7,354.

What does the Granville surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "grand village," derived from Old French "gran(t)" meaning "great" and "ville" meaning "town."

What does the Granville map show?

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