NameCensus.

UK surname

Gribben

A toponymic surname derived from a place name referring to a small grove or thicket.

In the 1881 census there were 215 people recorded with the Gribben surname, ranking it #12,249 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 964, ranked #5,964, up from #12,249 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Agnes, Govan Combination and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirkshaws, Greenend and Carnbroe and Dundyvan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gribben is 970 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 348.4%.

1881 census count

215

Ranked #12,249

Modern count

964

2016, ranked #5,964

Peak year

2014

970 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gribben had 215 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,249 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 964 in 2016, ranked #5,964.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 335 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gribben surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gribben surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gribben 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 107 #16,402
1861 historical 161 #14,392
1881 historical 215 #12,249
1891 historical 226 #13,668
1901 historical 335 #10,782
1911 historical 151 #17,797
1997 modern 885 #6,039
1998 modern 931 #5,999
1999 modern 908 #6,156
2000 modern 924 #6,062
2001 modern 902 #6,078
2002 modern 884 #6,264
2003 modern 868 #6,239
2004 modern 860 #6,293
2005 modern 862 #6,243
2006 modern 873 #6,183
2007 modern 896 #6,108
2008 modern 924 #6,014
2009 modern 940 #6,045
2010 modern 960 #6,071
2011 modern 966 #5,982
2012 modern 967 #5,891
2013 modern 962 #6,013
2014 modern 970 #6,015
2015 modern 957 #6,035
2016 modern 964 #5,964

Geography

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Where Gribbens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Agnes, Govan Combination, Glasgow, Liverpool and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirkshaws, Greenend and Carnbroe, Dundyvan, Ardrossan Central and Townhead. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St Agnes Cornwall
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirkshaws North Lanarkshire
2 Greenend and Carnbroe North Lanarkshire
3 Dundyvan North Lanarkshire
4 Ardrossan Central North Ayrshire
5 Townhead North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gribben

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gribben

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

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Gribben surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gribben household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gribben 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

Gribben is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gribben falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gribben 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Gribben

The surname Gribben has its roots in Ireland, with origins dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have evolved from the Irish Gaelic word "gribín," which means "a small branch" or "a twig." This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with someone who lived near a prominent or notable branch or twig-like feature in the landscape.

The earliest known records of the Gribben surname can be found in the Ulster Plantation, a planned process of colonization that took place in the early 17th century in the northern province of Ulster, Ireland. During this period, many Scottish and English settlers arrived in Ulster, leading to the anglicization of many Irish surnames, including Gribben.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gribben surname is in the Petty's Census of Ireland, conducted in 1659. This census provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames across Ireland during that time period.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Gribben surname. One such figure is Sir John Gribben (1618-1687), an Irish politician and landowner who served as Member of Parliament for County Down in the Irish Parliament.

Another prominent Gribben was Robert Gribben (1784-1859), an Irish-born Australian settler and farmer. He was among the earliest European settlers in the Hawkesbury region of New South Wales, Australia, and played a significant role in the development of the area's agricultural industry.

In the literary realm, James Gribben (1896-1973) was a notable Irish poet and author. He was born in County Down and published several collections of poetry, including "The Winds of May" (1924) and "Songs of the Blackbird" (1926).

Moving to more modern times, John Gribben (1946-2005) was a renowned British astrophysicist and science writer. He authored numerous popular science books, including "In Search of Schrodinger's Cat" (1984) and "Erwin Schrodinger and the Quantum Revolution" (2012), which explored the fascinating world of quantum mechanics.

Lastly, Maureen Gribben (born 1941) is an Irish actress and singer who has had a long and successful career in both stage and screen productions. She is particularly known for her roles in various Irish television series and her performances in traditional Irish music.

While the Gribben surname may have humble beginnings, it has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions across various fields, from politics and agriculture to literature and science.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gribben families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gribben 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. Lanarkshire leads with 72 Gribbens recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.42x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 72 10.42x
Cornwall 43 17.78x
Lancashire 28 1.10x
Yorkshire 24 1.13x
Wigtownshire 13 45.84x
Cumberland 7 3.81x
Midlothian 6 2.10x
Northumberland 6 1.89x
Isle of Man 4 10.08x
Renfrewshire 4 2.42x
Middlesex 3 0.14x
Devon 2 0.45x
Durham 2 0.31x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.74x
Essex 1 0.24x
Staffordshire 1 0.14x
Surrey 1 0.10x
West Lothian 1 3.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Agnes in Cornwall leads with 34 Gribbens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1002.95x.

Place Total Index
St Agnes 34 1002.95x
Barony 21 12.01x
Govan 17 9.95x
New Monkland 13 63.66x
Old Monkland 11 40.13x
Brightside Bierlow 9 21.68x
Liverpool 9 5.85x
Everton 8 9.90x
New Luce 7 1346.15x
Edinburgh New 6 270.27x
Longbenton 6 44.58x
Ormesby 6 105.45x
Stoneykirk 6 295.57x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 25.36x
Glasgow 5 4.08x
Gwinear 5 434.78x
Manchester 5 4.39x
Arlecdon 4 81.80x
Onchan 4 35.00x
Dalziel 3 40.38x
Holbeck 3 21.40x
Madron Penzance 3 34.13x
Paisley Middle Church 3 31.12x
Dalton In Furness 2 20.45x
Heworth 2 15.97x
Shettleston 2 32.31x
St Pancras London 2 1.16x
Whitehaven 2 20.41x
Wigan 2 5.65x
Abbey 1 3.96x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.81x
Barrow In Furness 1 2.90x
Bere Ferrers 1 136.99x
Colchester St Botolph 1 27.86x
Dumbarton 1 12.52x
Halifax 1 3.22x
Lambeth 1 0.54x
Rickergate 1 25.71x
St Erth 1 68.03x
Stafford St Mary 1 9.79x
Stoke Damerel 1 3.21x
Uphall 1 28.25x
Westminster St James 1 4.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Catherine 4
Elizabeth 4
Jane 4
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Margaret 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Elth. 2
Emma 2
Margerat 2
Rebecca 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Bessie 1
Bridget 1
Cathrine 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Emiliane 1
Emily 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Nancy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 7
Henry 6
Edward 4
James 4
Peter 4
Charles 3
Joseph 3
Thomas 3
Michael 2
Willm. 2
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Frederick 1
Norman 1
Patrick 1

FAQ

Gribben surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gribben surname in 1881?

In 1881, 215 people were recorded with the Gribben surname. That placed it at #12,249 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gribben surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 964 in 2016. That gives Gribben a modern rank of #5,964.

What does the Gribben surname mean?

A toponymic surname derived from a place name referring to a small grove or thicket.

What does the Gribben map show?

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