NameCensus.

UK surname

Grayson

Son of a steward or bailiff, derived from the Middle English word "greyve" meaning a person in charge of property.

In the 1881 census there were 2,228 people recorded with the Grayson surname, ranking it #1,995 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,638, ranked #1,870, up from #1,995 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ecclesfield, Liverpool and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ryedale and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grayson is 3,700 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.3%.

1881 census count

2,228

Ranked #1,995

Modern count

3,638

2016, ranked #1,870

Peak year

2010

3,700 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grayson had 2,228 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,995 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,638 in 2016, ranked #1,870.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,209 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Grayson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grayson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grayson 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 1,437 #2,000
1861 historical 1,547 #1,837
1881 historical 2,228 #1,995
1891 historical 2,406 #1,955
1901 historical 2,759 #2,015
1911 historical 3,209 #1,622
1997 modern 3,571 #1,815
1998 modern 3,653 #1,842
1999 modern 3,683 #1,848
2000 modern 3,670 #1,838
2001 modern 3,554 #1,864
2002 modern 3,612 #1,875
2003 modern 3,556 #1,859
2004 modern 3,523 #1,877
2005 modern 3,476 #1,874
2006 modern 3,473 #1,877
2007 modern 3,501 #1,882
2008 modern 3,529 #1,884
2009 modern 3,622 #1,879
2010 modern 3,700 #1,879
2011 modern 3,667 #1,870
2012 modern 3,596 #1,870
2013 modern 3,644 #1,884
2014 modern 3,659 #1,885
2015 modern 3,642 #1,873
2016 modern 3,638 #1,870

Geography

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Where Graysons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ecclesfield, Liverpool, Sheffield, Prescot and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ryedale and Sheffield. 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 Ecclesfield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Liverpool Lancashire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Prescot Lancashire
5 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ryedale 002 Ryedale
2 Sheffield 075 Sheffield
3 Sheffield 009 Sheffield
4 Sheffield 023 Sheffield
5 Sheffield 076 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grayson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grayson

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Grayson is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Grayson 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

Grayson falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Grayson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Grayson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Grayson

The surname Grayson is of English origin, derived from an old English locational name meaning "gray's son" or "son of the gray-haired man." It is believed to have originated in the late 11th or early 12th century, with the earliest recorded instances of the name found in various English counties, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the Grayson surname was William Grayson, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1199. Another early reference can be found in the Feet of Fines for Staffordshire in 1242, which mentions a John Grayzun.

The Grayson surname is thought to have been derived from the Old English words "græg" meaning "gray" and "sunu" meaning "son." It may have also been influenced by the Old French word "grison," which means "gray-haired."

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several references to places with similar names, such as Gresham and Grayswood, which may have contributed to the development of the Grayson surname.

Some notable individuals with the Grayson surname throughout history include William Grayson (1736-1790), an American statesman and one of the first two U.S. Senators from Virginia. Another prominent figure was Maurice Grayson (1892-1977), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.

In literature, the Grayson name has also been notable, with Evelyn Grayson (1907-2003), an English novelist and children's writer, and Kathryn Grayson (1922-2010), an American actress and singer who starred in several MGM musicals in the 1940s and 1950s.

Additionally, the Grayson surname has been associated with several place names in England, such as Grayson in Lancashire and Grayson Gill in Yorkshire, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grayson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grayson 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 1,301 Graysons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.02x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,301 6.02x
Lancashire 399 1.54x
Lincolnshire 103 2.96x
Middlesex 94 0.43x
Cheshire 60 1.25x
Cumberland 44 2.35x
Surrey 39 0.37x
Durham 34 0.52x
Derbyshire 29 0.85x
Nottinghamshire 22 0.75x
Northumberland 18 0.56x
Staffordshire 15 0.20x
Warwickshire 9 0.16x
Westmorland 9 1.88x
Isle of Man 8 1.98x
Sussex 7 0.19x
Essex 6 0.14x
Lanarkshire 6 0.09x
Kent 5 0.07x
Hampshire 4 0.09x
Devon 3 0.07x
Dorset 3 0.21x
Glamorgan 3 0.08x
Cornwall 2 0.08x
Worcestershire 2 0.07x
Flintshire 1 0.17x
Gloucestershire 1 0.02x
Hertfordshire 1 0.07x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.32x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.14x
Renfrewshire 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.39x
Somerset 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bradfield in Yorkshire leads with 130 Graysons recorded in 1881 and an index of 156.16x.

Place Total Index
Bradfield 130 156.16x
Sheffield 104 15.13x
Leeds 87 7.13x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 76 37.78x
Brightside Bierlow 43 10.15x
Nether Hallam 43 14.72x
Ecclesall Bierlow 35 7.97x
Barton Upon Irwell 33 16.95x
Barnsley 30 13.47x
Farnley In Bramley 30 111.28x
Widnes 29 15.55x
Pickering 27 99.30x
Bradford 25 4.78x
Rainford 24 85.81x
Potter Newton 23 60.37x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 21 81.49x
Everton 21 2.55x
Pickering Kingthorpe 21 860.66x
Knaresborough 20 58.96x
Windle 20 13.75x
Dukinfield 19 8.55x
Holbeck 19 13.28x
Liverpool 19 1.21x
Lydiate 18 223.33x
Toxteth Park 18 2.06x
Dean 17 276.42x
Huddersfield 17 5.40x
Middlesbrough 17 6.05x
St Marylebone London 16 1.38x
Thornhill 16 25.39x
Upholland 15 45.26x
Eccleston In Prescot 14 10.78x
Hunslet 14 4.16x
Glossop Dale 13 8.14x
Wombwell 13 20.64x
Aston Cum Aughton 12 67.95x
Egton 12 126.72x
Kimberworth 12 10.01x
Mirfield 12 10.12x
Rawmarsh 12 15.73x
Ripon 12 23.95x
Sandal Magna 12 37.58x
Skelmersdale 12 27.85x
Stayley 12 21.83x
West Derby 12 1.59x
Whitehaven 12 12.00x
Batley 11 5.36x
Claughton With Grange 11 50.21x
Cornsay 11 63.00x
Dodworth 11 49.04x
North Bierley 11 9.43x
Preston 11 1.59x
Preston Quarter 11 20.92x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 1.77x
Halifax 10 3.15x
Kirton Simon Weir 10 281.69x
Leake 10 62.66x
Morley 10 8.91x
Roystone 10 118.48x
Spotland 10 3.48x
Thimbleby 10 432.90x
Wortley In Bramley 10 5.85x
Greasbrough 9 31.56x
Headingley Cum Burley 9 6.47x
Methley 9 29.60x
Salford 9 1.18x
Wallsend 9 8.75x
Armley 8 8.40x
Aughton 8 31.24x
Bentham 8 48.60x
Dewsbury 8 3.61x
German Peel 8 34.33x
Heeley 8 12.19x
Hulme 8 1.48x
Kirkdale 8 1.84x
Lenton 8 11.56x
Mile End Old Town London 8 1.72x
Stranton 8 3.67x
Gomersal 7 6.95x
Wellingore 7 118.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 137
William 136
George 94
Thomas 90
James 54
Joseph 51
Henry 48
Charles 33
Robert 28
Alfred 25
Samuel 25
Benjamin 20
Arthur 18
Edward 18
Walter 16
Albert 14
Richard 14
Isaac 13
Fred 12
Wm. 12
Frank 11
Frederick 11
Harry 10
Ernest 9
Herbert 9
Thos. 9
Francis 7
Tom 7
Edwin 5
Elias 4
Hugh 4
Joe 4
Edmund 3
Fredrick 3
Geo. 3
Lewis 3
Sam 3
Amos 2
Ben 2
Dan 2
Daniel 2
Elisha 2
Frances 2
Hy. 2
Jesse 2
Jno. 2
Joshua 2
Leonard 2
Nathaniel 2
Patrick 2

FAQ

Grayson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grayson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,228 people were recorded with the Grayson surname. That placed it at #1,995 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grayson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,638 in 2016. That gives Grayson a modern rank of #1,870.

What does the Grayson surname mean?

Son of a steward or bailiff, derived from the Middle English word "greyve" meaning a person in charge of property.

What does the Grayson map show?

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