NameCensus.

UK surname

Grayer

An English surname derived from the Old French word "gris" meaning gray or gray-haired.

In the 1881 census there were 89 people recorded with the Grayer surname, ranking it #21,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 133, ranked #25,765, down from #21,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Eling and South Stoneham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Basildon and Wealden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grayer is 182 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.4%.

1881 census count

89

Ranked #21,091

Modern count

133

2016, ranked #25,765

Peak year

1911

182 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grayer had 89 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016, ranked #25,765.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 182 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Grayer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grayer surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grayer 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 64 #21,914
1861 historical 88 #22,554
1881 historical 89 #21,091
1891 historical 147 #18,592
1901 historical 174 #16,520
1911 historical 182 #15,859
1997 modern 158 #20,422
1998 modern 157 #21,058
1999 modern 159 #21,030
2000 modern 159 #20,975
2001 modern 151 #21,375
2002 modern 156 #21,348
2003 modern 155 #21,217
2004 modern 154 #21,432
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 145 #22,420
2007 modern 137 #23,590
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 140 #24,569
2011 modern 136 #24,819
2012 modern 133 #25,187
2013 modern 137 #25,149
2014 modern 136 #25,452
2015 modern 132 #25,859
2016 modern 133 #25,765

Geography

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Where Grayers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Eling, South Stoneham, London parishes and Minstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Basildon, Wealden and Runnymede. 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 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
2 Eling Hampshire
3 South Stoneham Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Minstead Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 062 Wiltshire
2 Basildon 010 Basildon
3 Wealden 007 Wealden
4 Runnymede 004 Runnymede
5 Basildon 020 Basildon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grayer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grayer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Grayer, 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 Grayer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Grayer 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Grayer 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

Grayer 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

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

Meaning and origin of Grayer

The surname GRAYER is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English word "graeg" or "gragg," meaning gray-haired or gray. It is believed to have originated in the 8th or 9th century, initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with gray hair.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Gregorius Graegge." This entry suggests that the name had already been established in England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the surname GRAYER was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where it was often associated with families of landowners or farmers. Records from the 13th and 14th centuries show variations in spelling, such as "Grayre," "Graier," and "Greyere."

Notable individuals with the surname GRAYER include Sir Thomas Grayer (c. 1460-1516), a prominent English politician and courtier during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. Another was John Grayer (1586-1654), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

In the 17th century, the GRAYER surname can be found in records from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, indicating that some individuals with this name were among the early Puritan settlers in New England. One such individual was Edward Grayer (c. 1620-1688), who was granted land in Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1642.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the GRAYER surname spread to other parts of the United States and Canada, with several notable individuals bearing the name. These include James Grayer (1767-1841), an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, and William Grayer (1811-1892), a Canadian merchant and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada.

Other notable individuals with the surname GRAYER include the British author and journalist George Grayer (1856-1933), known for his works on history and travel, and the American educator and civil rights activist Ella Grayer (1895-1977), who played a significant role in the desegregation of schools in the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grayer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grayer 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. Wiltshire leads with 27 Grayers recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.57x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 27 35.57x
Hampshire 23 13.07x
Devon 17 9.51x
Staffordshire 11 3.80x
Worcestershire 4 3.57x
Middlesex 2 0.23x
Sussex 2 1.38x
Lancashire 1 0.10x
Surrey 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Downton in Wiltshire leads with 14 Grayers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1414.14x.

Place Total Index
Downton 14 1414.14x
Minstead 14 5600.00x
Tiverton 10 324.68x
West Bromwich 9 54.25x
Eling 5 280.90x
Landford 5 6250.00x
West Wellow 4 2352.94x
Bickleigh 3 1666.67x
Redditch 3 132.16x
Bramshaw 2 909.09x
No Mans Land 2 5000.00x
Sidmouth 2 196.08x
Stoke Damerel 2 16.00x
Tipton 2 22.55x
Bow London 1 9.15x
Brighton 1 3.42x
Devizes St John 1 175.44x
Hove 1 15.75x
Lambeth 1 1.34x
Manchester 1 2.18x
Millbrook 1 22.57x
Oldbury 1 18.15x
St George Hanover Square 1 6.61x
Whippingham 1 75.19x
Whiteparish 1 312.50x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Grayer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grayer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 89 people were recorded with the Grayer surname. That placed it at #21,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grayer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016. That gives Grayer a modern rank of #25,765.

What does the Grayer surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French word "gris" meaning gray or gray-haired.

What does the Grayer map show?

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