NameCensus.

UK surname

Graydon

A surname derived from a place name meaning "grey valley" or "grey hill."

In the 1881 census there were 269 people recorded with the Graydon surname, ranking it #10,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 497, ranked #10,024, up from #10,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, London parishes and Monkwearmouth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Calderdale and Redcar and Cleveland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Graydon is 523 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 84.8%.

1881 census count

269

Ranked #10,506

Modern count

497

2016, ranked #10,024

Peak year

2001

523 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Graydon had 269 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 497 in 2016, ranked #10,024.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 438 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Graydon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Graydon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Graydon 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 179 #11,346
1861 historical 124 #17,797
1881 historical 269 #10,506
1891 historical 358 #9,655
1901 historical 438 #8,881
1911 historical 408 #9,161
1997 modern 496 #9,352
1998 modern 511 #9,431
1999 modern 501 #9,648
2000 modern 519 #9,352
2001 modern 523 #9,146
2002 modern 511 #9,484
2003 modern 499 #9,501
2004 modern 480 #9,793
2005 modern 478 #9,754
2006 modern 478 #9,806
2007 modern 467 #10,053
2008 modern 459 #10,265
2009 modern 478 #10,189
2010 modern 498 #10,091
2011 modern 490 #10,114
2012 modern 490 #10,027
2013 modern 508 #9,902
2014 modern 510 #9,945
2015 modern 499 #10,021
2016 modern 497 #10,024

Geography

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Where Graydons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, London parishes, Monkwearmouth, Gateshead and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Calderdale and Redcar and Cleveland. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Monkwearmouth Durham
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 057 County Durham
2 Calderdale 025 Calderdale
3 County Durham 058 County Durham
4 Redcar and Cleveland 003 Redcar and Cleveland
5 County Durham 064 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Graydon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Graydon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Graydon, 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 Graydon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Graydon 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Graydon 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

Graydon 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

Graydon 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 Graydon 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 Graydon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Graydon

The surname Graydon is an English name that originated in the counties of Sussex and Kent in southern England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "græg" meaning "gray" and "dun" meaning "hill" or "down." The name likely referred to someone who lived on or near a grayish-colored hill or down.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Graydon dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Graidun." This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records with different spellings, such as "Grayden," "Graydene," and "Graydoun." These variations reflect the lack of standardized spelling during that era.

One notable bearer of the Graydon name was Sir Richard Graydon, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He was born around 1320 and died in 1395.

Another historical figure with this surname was John Graydon, a 16th-century English clergyman and writer who lived from 1518 to 1588. He served as the Dean of Windsor and authored several religious works.

In the 17th century, a prominent individual with the Graydon name was Sir Thomas Graydon, who was born in 1610 and died in 1676. He was a member of Parliament and served as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas.

The name Graydon is also associated with the village of Graydon in Warwickshire, England. This place name likely derives from the same Old English roots as the surname and may have influenced its development.

Another notable bearer of the Graydon name was William Graydon, an American soldier and author who lived from 1759 to 1840. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and later wrote a memoir about his experiences.

These are just a few examples of the historical figures and places associated with the surname Graydon, which has its roots in the ancient English language and geography.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Graydon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Graydon 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. Yorkshire leads with 83 Graydons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.17x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 83 3.17x
Durham 69 8.77x
Lancashire 34 1.08x
Middlesex 33 1.25x
Northumberland 18 4.58x
Renfrewshire 10 4.88x
Leicestershire 7 2.39x
Kent 4 0.44x
Surrey 4 0.31x
Hampshire 3 0.55x
Lanarkshire 2 0.23x
Brecknockshire 1 1.89x
Devon 1 0.18x
Royal Navy 1 3.17x
Wiltshire 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Halifax in Yorkshire leads with 22 Graydons recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.20x.

Place Total Index
Halifax 22 57.20x
Bishopwearmouth 17 25.18x
Skircoat 16 154.89x
Northowram 15 81.65x
Monkwearmouth Shore 13 84.69x
Barrow In Furness 11 25.79x
Neilston 10 97.28x
Mile End Old Town London 9 16.00x
Southowram 9 112.50x
Barnard Castle 8 205.66x
Hampstead London 8 19.43x
Ryhope 8 146.52x
Toxteth Park 8 7.53x
Wingate 8 148.42x
Leicester St Margaret 7 9.79x
Clerkenwell London 6 9.62x
Newcastle On Tyne St 6 29.43x
Sunderland 6 43.20x
Ardwick 5 17.67x
Longbenton 5 30.01x
St Giles In Fields London 5 38.55x
York St Saviour 5 200.00x
Horton In Bradford 4 9.78x
Lambeth 4 1.74x
Normanby In 4 57.14x
North Skirlaugh 4 1538.46x
Elswick 3 9.56x
Leeds 3 2.03x
Liverpool 3 1.57x
West Auckland 3 104.17x
Benwell 2 46.51x
Gateshead 2 3.40x
Glasgow 2 1.32x
Greenwich 2 4.75x
Layton With Warbreck 2 17.38x
Manchester 2 1.42x
Millbrook 2 14.65x
Rainhill 2 99.50x
Southwick 2 26.85x
St George Hanover Square 2 4.29x
Tynemouth 2 9.50x
Aldershot 1 5.51x
Ashford 1 47.85x
Brecknock St John 1 22.42x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 10.63x
Coatham Mundeville 1 909.09x
Hackney London 1 0.67x
Kensington London 1 0.68x
Margate St John Baptist 1 6.05x
Marlborough St Mary Virgin 1 60.61x
Monkwearmouth 1 13.28x
Royal Navy 1 3.71x
Ruswarp 1 34.36x
Stoke Damerel 1 2.60x
West Derby 1 1.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Jane 8
Hannah 7
Sarah 7
Ann 6
Annie 6
Elizabeth 5
Margaret 5
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Ada 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Florence 2
Grace 2
Isabella 2
Louisa 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Ashaliah 1
B. 1
Cecilia 1
Charlesana 1
Dora 1
Dorithy 1
Dorothy 1
Eleanor 1
Elizh. 1
Emelin 1
Gertrude 1
Hester 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Leah 1
Lydia 1
Margt.Ethel 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Priscilla 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
George 10
Thomas 10
James 9
William 8
Edward 6
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Alexander 2
Edwin 2
Elias 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Humphrey 2
Joseph 2
Martin 2
Nicholas 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Benjamin 1
Chrisr. 1
Edgar 1
Edwd.Chas. 1
Frank 1
Hamilton 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
J.M. 1
Joe 1
Jos. 1
Josuah 1
Mantley 1
Margerison 1
Mark 1
Newenham 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Sam 1
Septimus 1
Thos.Ebdull 1
Vincent 1

FAQ

Graydon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Graydon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 269 people were recorded with the Graydon surname. That placed it at #10,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Graydon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 497 in 2016. That gives Graydon a modern rank of #10,024.

What does the Graydon surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name meaning "grey valley" or "grey hill."

What does the Graydon map show?

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