NameCensus.

UK surname

Gresswell

In the 1881 census there were 214 people recorded with the Gresswell surname, ranking it #12,284 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 380, ranked #12,346, down from #12,284 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Calverley, Louth and Thorpe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newark and Sherwood, Bradford and South Hams.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gresswell is 433 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 77.6%.

1881 census count

214

Ranked #12,284

Modern count

380

2016, ranked #12,346

Peak year

1998

433 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gresswell had 214 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,284 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016, ranked #12,346.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 373 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gresswell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gresswell surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Gresswell 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 129 #14,406
1861 historical 146 #15,628
1881 historical 214 #12,284
1891 historical 323 #10,480
1901 historical 335 #10,782
1911 historical 373 #9,787
1997 modern 399 #11,028
1998 modern 433 #10,718
1999 modern 425 #10,954
2000 modern 422 #10,960
2001 modern 414 #10,942
2002 modern 429 #10,858
2003 modern 418 #10,896
2004 modern 392 #11,453
2005 modern 383 #11,565
2006 modern 377 #11,743
2007 modern 380 #11,820
2008 modern 383 #11,876
2009 modern 390 #11,950
2010 modern 399 #12,018
2011 modern 395 #11,966
2012 modern 383 #12,099
2013 modern 377 #12,449
2014 modern 393 #12,168
2015 modern 381 #12,345
2016 modern 380 #12,346

Geography

Back to top

Where Gresswells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Calverley, Louth, Thorpe, Balderton and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newark and Sherwood, Bradford, South Hams and South Holland. 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 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Louth Lincolnshire
3 Thorpe Lincolnshire
4 Balderton Nottinghamshire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newark and Sherwood 005 Newark and Sherwood
2 Newark and Sherwood 012 Newark and Sherwood
3 Bradford 015 Bradford
4 South Hams 007 South Hams
5 South Holland 007 South Holland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Gresswell

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Gresswell

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Gresswell 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

Gresswell 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

Gresswell falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Gresswell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gresswell 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. Lincolnshire leads with 83 Gresswells recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.87x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 83 24.87x
Lancashire 34 1.37x
Yorkshire 30 1.45x
Nottinghamshire 24 8.53x
Middlesex 12 0.57x
Hampshire 6 1.40x
Northamptonshire 6 3.06x
Essex 5 1.21x
Cheshire 3 0.65x
Kent 3 0.42x
Surrey 3 0.30x
Devon 2 0.46x
Durham 1 0.16x
Gloucestershire 1 0.24x
Hertfordshire 1 0.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Louth in Lincolnshire leads with 21 Gresswells recorded in 1881 and an index of 274.51x.

Place Total Index
Louth 21 274.51x
Surfleet 11 1594.20x
Crompton 10 141.84x
Islington London 10 4.94x
Balderton 9 1168.83x
Shipley 9 83.88x
Farndon 8 1600.00x
Hulme 8 15.47x
North Meols 8 32.99x
Aslackby 6 1818.18x
Great Grimsby 6 28.33x
Holy Trinity 6 12.06x
Portsea 6 7.16x
Willoughby 6 1363.64x
Bridlington 5 105.49x
Clee With Weelsby 5 68.40x
Leeds 5 4.28x
Loughton 5 245.10x
Stamford Baron St Martin 5 476.19x
Thorpe St Peter 5 1219.51x
Leasingham 4 1481.48x
Spalding 4 60.42x
Boston 3 29.62x
Coddington 3 810.81x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 7.13x
Lambeth 3 1.65x
Rowston 3 1875.00x
Tonbridge 3 11.68x
Aston By Budworth 2 625.00x
Halton Holegate 2 555.56x
Hawton 2 1000.00x
Nottingham St Mary 2 2.75x
Radcliffe 2 16.75x
Reddish 2 58.65x
Rumworth 2 56.50x
Stamford All Sts 2 106.95x
Barnsley 1 4.69x
Crowley 1 714.29x
Hatfield 1 34.25x
Haughton 1 27.70x
Kensington London 1 0.86x
Langrivile Kirkstead 1 769.23x
Northam 1 31.55x
Ottery St Mary 1 35.09x
Oundle 1 45.66x
Spilsby 1 94.34x
St Maryle Wigford 1 38.61x
St Pancras London 1 0.60x
Stanhope 1 15.60x
Stroud 1 12.55x
Swaby 1 333.33x
Wainfleet St Mary 1 196.08x
Wakefield 1 6.30x
Wuerdle Wardle 1 13.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 6
Annie 5
Eliza 5
Emily 5
Emma 5
Sarah 5
Hannah 4
Jane 4
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Lucy 3
Margaret 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Francis 2
Henrietta 2
Isabella 2
Martha 2
Angelina 1
Anne 1
Azubah 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Janet 1
Julia 1
Juliett 1
Kate 1
Margelina 1
Marian 1
Mildred 1
Minnie 1
Olive 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Tessie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 11
Joseph 9
Thomas 8
Charles 7
George 6
Henry 5
Fred 4
Richard 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Dan 3
Frank 3
Benjamin 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Jason 2
Adley 1
Angus 1
Arth.Will.E. 1
Barton 1
Benjiman 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Frear 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Fridrick 1
James 1
Jesse 1
Kerkham 1
Leonard 1
Martin 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Gresswell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gresswell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 214 people were recorded with the Gresswell surname. That placed it at #12,284 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gresswell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016. That gives Gresswell a modern rank of #12,346.

What does the Gresswell map show?

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