UK surname
A surname derived from the French town of Grasson, denoting one from that locality.
In the 1881 census there were 85 people recorded with the Grason surname, ranking it #21,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 38, ranked #35,537, down from #21,573 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Silkstone, Leake and Thornhill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grason is 164 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 55.3%.
1881 census count
85
Ranked #21,573
Modern count
38
2016, ranked #35,537
Peak year
1861
164 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Grason surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Grason surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 95 | #17,707 |
| 1861 | historical | 164 | #14,188 |
| 1881 | historical | 85 | #21,573 |
| 1891 | historical | 90 | #25,399 |
| 1901 | historical | 83 | #24,900 |
| 1911 | historical | 93 | #23,492 |
| 1997 | modern | 50 | #32,658 |
| 1998 | modern | 58 | #32,138 |
| 1999 | modern | 55 | #32,561 |
| 2000 | modern | 52 | #32,916 |
| 2001 | modern | 51 | #32,850 |
| 2002 | modern | 54 | #32,927 |
| 2003 | modern | 49 | #33,456 |
| 2004 | modern | 46 | #33,883 |
| 2005 | modern | 45 | #34,160 |
| 2006 | modern | 44 | #34,568 |
| 2007 | modern | 45 | #34,699 |
| 2008 | modern | 46 | #34,759 |
| 2009 | modern | 52 | #34,544 |
| 2010 | modern | 51 | #34,773 |
| 2011 | modern | 48 | #34,926 |
| 2012 | modern | 43 | #35,224 |
| 2013 | modern | 44 | #35,222 |
| 2014 | modern | 43 | #35,293 |
| 2015 | modern | 39 | #35,472 |
| 2016 | modern | 38 | #35,537 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Silkstone, Leake, Thornhill, Manchester and Leamington Priors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silkstone | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 2 | Leake | Lincolnshire |
| 3 | Thornhill | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Leamington Priors | Warwickshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Grason surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Grason, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Grason surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Grason household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Grason is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Grason is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Grason, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname GRASON originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "græs" meaning grass and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement, thus referring to a grassy town or village. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name likely hailed from a place with a particularly grassy landscape.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Grastun". This entry indicates that the name was already established in parts of England by the late 11th century.
In the 13th century, the name took on various spellings such as "Grastoun", "Graston", and "Graystun", reflecting the evolution of the English language and regional dialects.
A notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Grason, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Hundred Years' War against France in the 14th century. He was recorded as being from the village of Graston in Staffordshire.
During the 16th century, the GRASON surname began to spread beyond its initial stronghold in the English Midlands. Records from this period show individuals with the name residing in counties such as Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire.
One prominent figure was William GRASON, born in 1582 in Nottingham, who was a renowned scholar and theologian. He authored several influential works on religious doctrine and served as a rector in the Church of England.
In the 17th century, the GRASON name appeared in the New World as some bearers of the surname joined the wave of English settlers in the American colonies. One such individual was Thomas GRASON, born in 1645 in Gloucestershire, who immigrated to Virginia in 1670 and established a successful tobacco plantation.
During the 18th century, the GRASON surname continued to spread throughout England and its colonies. Notable individuals from this period include John GRASON (1712-1783), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Maryland, and Mary GRASON (1738-1815), a philanthropist and advocate for women's education in Pennsylvania.
As the centuries progressed, the GRASON name became more widely dispersed, with bearers contributing to various fields such as politics, academia, and the arts. However, the surname's origins can be traced back to its humble beginnings in the grassy settlements of medieval England.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grason surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 60 Grasons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.22x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 60 | 7.22x |
| Devon | 7 | 4.01x |
| Lancashire | 6 | 0.60x |
| Cheshire | 3 | 1.62x |
| Lincolnshire | 3 | 2.24x |
| Middlesex | 3 | 0.36x |
| Cumberland | 2 | 2.77x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 1.93x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.74x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Thornhill in Yorkshire leads with 20 Grasons recorded in 1881 and an index of 823.05x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Thornhill | 20 | 823.05x |
| Barnsley | 13 | 151.69x |
| Holy Trinity | 9 | 45.02x |
| Dewsbury | 7 | 82.16x |
| Tiverton | 7 | 232.56x |
| Droylsden | 3 | 92.31x |
| Gorton | 3 | 32.05x |
| Stockport | 3 | 31.48x |
| Batley | 2 | 25.32x |
| Great Steeping | 2 | 2500.00x |
| High Bolton | 2 | 2500.00x |
| Sheffield | 2 | 7.56x |
| St Pancras London | 2 | 2.96x |
| Banbury | 1 | 96.15x |
| Burnham | 1 | 97.09x |
| Ecclesall Bierlow | 1 | 5.91x |
| Ecclesfield | 1 | 16.42x |
| Emley | 1 | 270.27x |
| Kirkburton | 1 | 102.04x |
| Marske In Guisbrough | 1 | 67.57x |
| South Kirkby | 1 | 555.56x |
| Spilsby | 1 | 232.56x |
| St George Bloomsbury | 1 | 20.79x |
| Wykeham | 1 | 625.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Grason surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Grason surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Grason households.
FAQ
In 1881, 85 people were recorded with the Grason surname. That placed it at #21,573 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 38 in 2016. That gives Grason a modern rank of #35,537.
A surname derived from the French town of Grasson, denoting one from that locality.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Grason bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.