NameCensus.

UK surname

Greves

A topographic surname possibly denoting someone who lived near a gravelly beach or grove.

In the 1881 census there were 221 people recorded with the Greves surname, ranking it #12,049 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 123, ranked #27,115, down from #12,049 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kings Norton, Corley and Bale or Baithley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Solihull, Shropshire and West Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greves is 255 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 44.3%.

1881 census count

221

Ranked #12,049

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

1861

255 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greves had 221 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,049 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 255 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Greves surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Greves surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Greves 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 184 #11,120
1861 historical 255 #9,699
1881 historical 221 #12,049
1891 historical 210 #14,412
1901 historical 191 #15,579
1911 historical 186 #15,643
1997 modern 119 #24,302
1998 modern 140 #22,615
1999 modern 138 #22,983
2000 modern 140 #22,752
2001 modern 134 #23,037
2002 modern 136 #23,296
2003 modern 134 #23,260
2004 modern 126 #24,335
2005 modern 124 #24,529
2006 modern 121 #25,133
2007 modern 125 #24,987
2008 modern 122 #25,638
2009 modern 121 #26,373
2010 modern 121 #27,005
2011 modern 126 #26,060
2012 modern 126 #26,148
2013 modern 131 #25,932
2014 modern 125 #26,896
2015 modern 121 #27,405
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

Back to top

Where Greves' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kings Norton, Corley, Bale or Baithley, Liverpool and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Solihull, Shropshire, West Oxfordshire, Broadland and North Norfolk. 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 Kings Norton Worcestershire
2 Corley Warwickshire
3 Bale or Baithley Norfolk
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Solihull 029 Solihull
2 Shropshire 035 Shropshire
3 West Oxfordshire 007 West Oxfordshire
4 Broadland 002 Broadland
5 North Norfolk 008 North Norfolk

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Greves

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Greves

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Greves is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Greves is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Greves

The surname GREVES is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Greves, an old spelling of the modern Greaves, which refers to areas of gravel or shingle. The name was likely adopted by families who lived near such areas or worked as gravel diggers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "de Grevis." This entry suggests that the name was already established in parts of England by the late 11th century.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved into various spellings such as Greves, Grevys, and Grevys. These variations can be found in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273 and the Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was John Greves, a landowner and merchant from Yorkshire. He is mentioned in several documents from the time, including the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1348.

During the 15th century, the surname gained prominence in the county of Derbyshire. One noteworthy individual was William Greves, a wealthy landowner and benefactor who lived in the village of Greaves near Glossop. He is recorded in the Derbyshire Wills of 1487.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various parish records across England. One example is Thomas Greves, a farmer from Oxfordshire, who was baptized in the village of Watlington in 1572.

In the 17th century, the name spread to other parts of the British Isles. A prominent figure was Robert Greves, a Scottish merchant and trader who operated in the port of Leith near Edinburgh in the 1650s.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals with the surname GREVES. One was John Greves, an English clergyman and author who was born in London in 1715 and wrote several religious works.

Another was Samuel Greves, a successful businessman and philanthropist from Bristol, who lived from 1735 to 1811 and was known for his charitable contributions to the city.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Greves families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greves 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. Middlesex leads with 42 Greves' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.96x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 42 1.96x
Warwickshire 30 5.54x
Norfolk 29 8.79x
Worcestershire 28 9.99x
Lancashire 26 1.02x
Durham 23 3.60x
Hampshire 7 1.59x
Yorkshire 7 0.33x
Renfrewshire 5 3.01x
Staffordshire 5 0.69x
Northumberland 4 1.25x
Essex 3 0.71x
Gloucestershire 2 0.48x
Surrey 2 0.19x
Cheshire 1 0.21x
Cumberland 1 0.54x
Kent 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.29x
Monmouthshire 1 0.64x
Oxfordshire 1 0.75x
Perthshire 1 1.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kings Norton in Worcestershire leads with 23 Greves' recorded in 1881 and an index of 91.52x.

Place Total Index
Kings Norton 23 91.52x
Bale 20 11764.71x
Aston 15 10.07x
Bow London 14 51.24x
Liverpool 10 6.47x
Eccleston In Prescot 9 70.42x
Paddington London 9 11.41x
Birmingham 7 3.88x
Islington London 7 3.37x
Thornage 7 2916.67x
St Mary Extra 6 169.49x
Monkwearmouth 5 81.83x
Newton Cap 5 505.05x
Oldham 5 6.08x
Rowington 5 819.67x
Stourbridge 5 69.35x
Walsall Foreign 5 13.36x
West Greenock 5 16.75x
Chirton 4 55.33x
Friern Barnet 4 84.57x
Gateshead 4 8.37x
Harraton 4 322.58x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 32.10x
Westminster St James 3 13.60x
Edgbaston 2 11.92x
Hunworth 2 1250.00x
Laughton En Le Morthen 2 408.16x
Middleton In Oldham 2 26.18x
St Botolph Aldersgate 2 81.30x
Walthamstow 2 13.11x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 2.52x
Cockfield 1 112.36x
Dingestow 1 714.29x
Goole 1 28.09x
Great Grimsby 1 4.59x
Hurdsfield 1 34.36x
Limehouse London 1 4.24x
Meigle 1 138.89x
Moreton In Marsh 1 95.24x
Oxford St Clement 1 29.94x
Penge 1 7.29x
Prittlewell 1 17.04x
Rotherhithe 1 3.77x
Ryde 1 10.58x
Scarborough 1 5.18x
Sheffield 1 1.48x
St Luke London 1 2.91x
St Marylebone London 1 0.87x
St Peters 1 29.50x
Tanworth 1 69.93x
Whitby 1 13.95x
Whitehaven 1 10.15x
Womersley 1 357.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 8
Ann 5
Alice 4
Annie 4
Charlotte 3
Frances 3
Caroline 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Ester 2
Esther 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Betty 1
Catherine 1
Cathren 1
Delilah 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elisa 1
Elizebth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emley 1
Evelyn 1
Fanney 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Hellen 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Katherine 1
Kati 1
Katie 1
Leonora 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Olivia 1
Pricilla 1
Rose 1
Rosemary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 10
James 7
Robert 6
Thomas 6
Arthur 5
George 5
Charles 4
Henry 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Herbert 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Frederick 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Seymour 2
Ewd. 1
Ezra 1
Franz 1
Gilbert 1
Ingram 1
Isaac 1
Johnn 1
Mino 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Walter 1
Watson 1
Wittian 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Greves surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greves surname in 1881?

In 1881, 221 people were recorded with the Greves surname. That placed it at #12,049 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greves surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Greves a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Greves surname mean?

A topographic surname possibly denoting someone who lived near a gravelly beach or grove.

What does the Greves map show?

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