NameCensus.

UK surname

Gravenor

An occupational surname derived from the Old French for a steward or overseer.

In the 1881 census there were 113 people recorded with the Gravenor surname, ranking it #18,412 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 194, ranked #19,976, down from #18,412 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ashford Carbonell, Halifax and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gravenor is 243 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.7%.

1881 census count

113

Ranked #18,412

Modern count

194

2016, ranked #19,976

Peak year

1998

243 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gravenor had 113 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,412 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 194 in 2016, ranked #19,976.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 197 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Gravenor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gravenor surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Gravenor 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 125 #14,700
1861 historical 132 #16,957
1881 historical 113 #18,412
1891 historical 145 #18,752
1901 historical 149 #18,146
1911 historical 197 #15,101
1997 modern 229 #16,168
1998 modern 243 #15,993
1999 modern 243 #16,094
2000 modern 227 #16,792
2001 modern 217 #17,059
2002 modern 222 #17,147
2003 modern 204 #17,909
2004 modern 208 #17,758
2005 modern 202 #18,016
2006 modern 195 #18,564
2007 modern 202 #18,359
2008 modern 203 #18,470
2009 modern 196 #19,274
2010 modern 199 #19,515
2011 modern 196 #19,538
2012 modern 187 #20,086
2013 modern 192 #20,067
2014 modern 193 #20,159
2015 modern 194 #19,994
2016 modern 194 #19,976

Geography

Back to top

Where Gravenors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ashford Carbonell, Halifax, London parishes, Bedwelty and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, East Lindsey and Calderdale. 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 Ashford Carbonell Shropshire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 009 Blaenau Gwent
2 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
3 Caerphilly 018 Caerphilly
4 East Lindsey 002 East Lindsey
5 Calderdale 026 Calderdale

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Gravenor

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Gravenor

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Gravenor surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gravenor household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Gravenor 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

Gravenor is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gravenor falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gravenor

The surname Gravenor has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "gravener," which means "to engrave" or "to carve." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked as an engraver or carver.

The earliest known record of the name Gravenor can be found in the Huntingdonshire County Records, where a person named William Gravenor is mentioned in 1273. Other early records include the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which list a Robert Gravenor.

During the Middle Ages, the name was also spelled in various ways, such as Gravenor, Gravener, and Gravener. These variations were likely due to the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping at the time.

One notable figure with the surname Gravenor was Sir Richard Gravenor, who was born in Gloucestershire in 1535. He served as a member of Parliament and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1587.

Another influential person with this surname was John Gravenor, who lived in the 17th century and was a prominent writer and philosopher. He published several works on various subjects, including theology and philosophy.

In the 18th century, there was a family of Gravenors who owned a large estate in Oxfordshire. The head of the family, William Gravenor, was born in 1702 and played an important role in local politics and community affairs.

Moving into the 19th century, one of the most notable Gravenors was Charles Gravenor, an English artist who was born in 1835. He was known for his landscape paintings and exhibited his works at the Royal Academy.

Another individual worth mentioning is Emily Gravenor, who lived in the late 19th century and was a pioneer in the field of women's education. She co-founded one of the first schools for girls in London, which provided a comprehensive education for young women at a time when such opportunities were limited.

While the surname Gravenor is not as common today as it once was, it has a rich history and has been borne by many individuals who made significant contributions to various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Gravenor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gravenor 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. Montgomeryshire leads with 27 Gravenors recorded in 1881 and an index of 106.89x.

County Total Index
Montgomeryshire 27 106.89x
Shropshire 17 17.85x
Monmouthshire 15 18.83x
Warwickshire 14 5.04x
Sussex 9 4.84x
Kent 7 1.86x
Herefordshire 6 13.27x
Radnorshire 5 56.24x
Middlesex 4 0.36x
Hampshire 2 0.89x
Berkshire 1 1.21x
Derbyshire 1 0.58x
Gloucestershire 1 0.46x
Norfolk 1 0.59x
Pembrokeshire 1 2.85x
Somerset 1 0.56x
Surrey 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Coventry St Michael in Warwickshire leads with 14 Gravenors recorded in 1881 and an index of 156.77x.

Place Total Index
Coventry St Michael 14 156.77x
Llanllwchaiarn 13 1192.66x
Bedwellty 9 63.97x
Bromfield 9 4285.71x
Eastbourne 7 81.87x
Aberystruth 6 85.47x
Pool 6 315.79x
Ashford Carbonell 5 4545.45x
Aberhafesp 3 1875.00x
Fownhope 3 750.00x
Hythe St Leonard 3 225.56x
Old Radnor Walton 3 4285.71x
St Luke London 3 16.97x
Dover St James 2 121.21x
Hastings St Mary In The 2 50.51x
Newtown 2 123.46x
Old Radnor Evenjobb 2 1666.67x
Portsmouth 2 38.46x
Staple 2 1000.00x
Berriew 1 142.86x
Burrington 1 588.24x
Chelsea London 1 3.01x
Colwall 1 178.57x
Culmington 1 476.19x
Downton 1 1428.57x
East Ilsley 1 454.55x
Great Yarmouth 1 7.12x
Llandinam 1 172.41x
Llanwnog 1 188.68x
Ludford 1 588.24x
Ludlow St Lawrence 1 52.91x
Madley 1 312.50x
Newington 1 2.46x
Pembroke St Mary 1 22.17x
Sandiacre 1 161.29x
Taynton 1 454.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 7
Mary 6
Jane 4
Sarah 4
Ann 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Ellen 2
Florence 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Elizebeth 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Sussannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
Richard 6
John 5
Evan 4
George 3
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Jas. 2
Joseph 2
Llewellyn 2
Richd. 2
Thomas 2
William 2
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Daron 1
Edward 1
Geoffrey 1
Harold 1
Leroy 1
Percival 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1
Willm.T. 1

FAQ

Gravenor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gravenor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 113 people were recorded with the Gravenor surname. That placed it at #18,412 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gravenor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 194 in 2016. That gives Gravenor a modern rank of #19,976.

What does the Gravenor surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old French for a steward or overseer.

What does the Gravenor map show?

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