NameCensus.

UK surname

Grayston

A place name referring to someone living near a grayish-colored settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 426 people recorded with the Grayston surname, ranking it #7,620 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 645, ranked #8,231, down from #7,620 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Walton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ribble Valley, Bradford and Stevenston Hayocks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grayston is 654 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.4%.

1881 census count

426

Ranked #7,620

Modern count

645

2016, ranked #8,231

Peak year

2009

654 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grayston had 426 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,620 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 645 in 2016, ranked #8,231.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 645 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Grayston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grayston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grayston 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 269 #8,303
1861 historical 260 #9,516
1881 historical 426 #7,620
1891 historical 418 #8,561
1901 historical 479 #8,313
1911 historical 645 #6,480
1997 modern 638 #7,776
1998 modern 637 #8,026
1999 modern 637 #8,084
2000 modern 632 #8,111
2001 modern 620 #8,085
2002 modern 628 #8,180
2003 modern 619 #8,134
2004 modern 632 #8,004
2005 modern 622 #8,047
2006 modern 624 #8,046
2007 modern 627 #8,078
2008 modern 634 #8,060
2009 modern 654 #8,030
2010 modern 649 #8,252
2011 modern 636 #8,302
2012 modern 634 #8,229
2013 modern 639 #8,319
2014 modern 643 #8,337
2015 modern 649 #8,210
2016 modern 645 #8,231

Geography

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Where Graystons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Walton, London parishes, Woodbridge and Aughton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ribble Valley, Bradford, Stevenston Hayocks and Stevenston North West. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Walton Suffolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Woodbridge Suffolk
5 Aughton Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ribble Valley 006 Ribble Valley
2 Bradford 004 Bradford
3 Stevenston Hayocks North Ayrshire
4 Ribble Valley 004 Ribble Valley
5 Stevenston North West North Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grayston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grayston

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Grayston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Grayston household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Grayston is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Grayston is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Grayston falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Grayston

The surname Grayston is of English origin, derived from a locational name from a place called Graystone or Greystone in various counties across England. The name likely originates from the Old English words "graeg" meaning grey and "stan" meaning stone, referring to a prominent grey stone or landmark in the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Grayston can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Greistan" in the county of Wiltshire. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

In the 13th century, records show instances of the surname spelled as "de Greyston" and "de Grayston," indicating its use as a locational surname derived from a specific place. These early spellings suggest that the name was likely associated with landowners or people from the area known as Grayston.

Historical records from the 16th century mention notable individuals bearing the Grayston surname, including John Grayston (1518-1586), a prominent English merchant and landowner from Staffordshire. Another notable figure was Robert Grayston (1570-1644), a clergyman and author who served as the rector of Brixton in Devon.

In the 17th century, the Grayston surname appeared in various parish records across England, particularly in counties like Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Derbyshire. One notable individual from this period was William Grayston (1625-1690), a member of the English gentry and landowner in Yorkshire.

Moving into the 18th century, the name Grayston continued to be found in various records, with instances of individuals bearing the surname across different professions and social classes. One notable figure was Samuel Grayston (1735-1802), a prominent English clergyman and author from Buckinghamshire.

Throughout history, the Grayston surname has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, with individuals contributing to various fields, including commerce, religion, literature, and landowner ship. While the name may have originated from a specific location, its prevalence across multiple counties suggests that it spread and became established in different regions over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grayston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grayston 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. Suffolk leads with 124 Graystons recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.50x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 124 24.50x
Lancashire 100 2.03x
Yorkshire 55 1.34x
Middlesex 38 0.91x
Essex 28 3.41x
Norfolk 14 2.19x
Cambridgeshire 13 4.94x
Kent 11 0.78x
Surrey 11 0.54x
Warwickshire 11 1.05x
Cheshire 4 0.44x
Northumberland 4 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.71x
Derbyshire 3 0.46x
Worcestershire 3 0.55x
Angus 1 0.26x
Durham 1 0.08x
Hampshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ipswich St Mathew in Suffolk leads with 25 Graystons recorded in 1881 and an index of 176.30x.

Place Total Index
Ipswich St Mathew 25 176.30x
Ipswich St Margaret 22 128.13x
Aughton 20 409.84x
Lancaster 20 68.17x
Shoreditch London 17 9.44x
Ipswich St Peter 14 205.58x
Preston 14 10.61x
Woodbridge 13 200.93x
Barking 12 50.00x
Keighley 12 27.34x
Lambeth 11 3.04x
Skelmersdale 10 121.65x
Whixley 10 1351.35x
Alnesbourne Priory 9 11250.00x
Hadstock 9 1428.57x
Leeds 9 3.87x
Walton 9 497.24x
Garstang 8 720.72x
Great Witchingham 8 987.65x
Holy Trinity 7 7.07x
Islington London 7 1.74x
Linton 7 280.00x
Woolwich 7 13.36x
Charsfield 6 983.61x
Clerkenwell London 6 6.12x
Pudsey 6 27.26x
Saxstead 6 1250.00x
Woodford 6 64.59x
Atherstone 5 93.46x
Heigham 5 14.58x
Little Bolton 5 7.89x
St Andrewthe Less 5 16.63x
Birkenhead 4 5.47x
Bolehall Glascote 4 90.09x
Everton 4 2.55x
Hasketon 4 579.71x
Heveningham 4 888.89x
Huyton With Roby 4 69.20x
Ipswich St Clement 4 31.08x
Radford 4 14.06x
Wallsend 4 20.40x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.66x
Church Gresley 3 28.99x
Ormskirk 3 31.81x
Scarborough 3 8.02x
Worcester Blockhouse 3 100.67x
York St Saviour 3 76.34x
Adlington 2 43.29x
Bromley London 2 2.19x
Chatham 2 5.13x
Fishwick 2 65.57x
Great Bolton 2 3.06x
Huntington 2 238.10x
Nacton 2 273.97x
Wickham Market 2 95.69x
Akenham 1 625.00x
Arbroath 1 7.84x
Aston 1 0.35x
Barrow In Furness 1 1.49x
Bishopwearmouth 1 0.94x
Burgh 1 277.78x
Chesterton 1 12.33x
Gate Fulford 1 10.40x
Great Crosby 1 7.44x
Great Yarmouth 1 1.89x
Hampstead London 1 1.55x
Kensington London 1 0.43x
Kirton 1 111.11x
Layton With Warbreck 1 5.53x
Leamington Priors 1 3.88x
Little Hulton 1 12.25x
Maidstone 1 2.37x
Maldon St Peter 1 23.92x
Otley 1 111.11x
Pendleton In Salford 1 1.70x
Southampton St Mary 1 1.87x
Westminster St Margaret 1 4.99x
Widdington 1 2500.00x
Widnes 1 2.81x
York St Michael 1 169.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Sarah 17
Elizabeth 12
Alice 11
Ellen 10
Jane 10
Annie 7
Ann 6
Eliza 6
Margaret 6
Emma 5
Ada 4
Florence 4
Hannah 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Agnes 3
Bessie 3
Catherine 3
Emily 3
Fanny 3
Susan 3
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Harriet 2
Isobella 2
Jessie 2
Lillian 2
Martha 2
Rebecca 2
Rosa 2
Ruth 2
Anna 1
Bridget 1
Cecilia 1
E. 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Larua 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Lilla 1
Winifrid 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 22
John 21
William 19
Thomas 14
Robert 13
George 11
Richard 8
Henry 7
Charles 6
Harry 6
Arthur 5
Joseph 5
Alfred 4
Ernest 4
Peter 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Elias 3
Herbert 3
Oliver 3
Albert 2
Bartholomew 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Ellis 2
Frederick 2
Harold 2
Mark 2
Sidney 2
Charlie 1
Chas.Fredk. 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
G.William 1
Haddon 1
Horatio 1
Howard 1
Jesse 1
Luke 1
Nathaniell 1
Percy 1
Samuel 1
Searey 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Grayston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grayston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 426 people were recorded with the Grayston surname. That placed it at #7,620 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grayston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 645 in 2016. That gives Grayston a modern rank of #8,231.

What does the Grayston surname mean?

A place name referring to someone living near a grayish-colored settlement.

What does the Grayston map show?

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