NameCensus.

UK surname

Grief

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a small brook or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 174 people recorded with the Grief surname, ranking it #14,042 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 340, ranked #13,456, up from #14,042 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Snettisham, Shernborne and Trowse with Newton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Denbighshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grief is 340 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 95.4%.

1881 census count

174

Ranked #14,042

Modern count

340

2016, ranked #13,456

Peak year

2011

340 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grief had 174 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,042 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 340 in 2016, ranked #13,456.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 227 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Grief surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grief surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grief 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 96 #21,648
1881 historical 174 #14,042
1891 historical 182 #15,983
1901 historical 184 #15,942
1911 historical 227 #13,795
1997 modern 305 #13,377
1998 modern 335 #12,915
1999 modern 333 #13,049
2000 modern 338 #12,877
2001 modern 317 #13,228
2002 modern 321 #13,378
2003 modern 318 #13,291
2004 modern 316 #13,425
2005 modern 321 #13,195
2006 modern 317 #13,376
2007 modern 308 #13,791
2008 modern 319 #13,581
2009 modern 323 #13,720
2010 modern 332 #13,745
2011 modern 340 #13,375
2012 modern 335 #13,408
2013 modern 335 #13,604
2014 modern 340 #13,554
2015 modern 333 #13,676
2016 modern 340 #13,456

Geography

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Where Griefs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Snettisham, Shernborne, Trowse with Newton, Shouldham and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Denbighshire. 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 Snettisham Norfolk
2 Shernborne Norfolk
3 Trowse with Newton Norfolk
4 Shouldham Norfolk
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 015 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 012 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 014 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 018 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 Denbighshire 011 Denbighshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grief

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grief

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

Grief is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Grief falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Grief is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Grief

The surname "GRIEF" is of English origin, emerging in the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "grēfe," which means "thicket" or "grove." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a dense wooded area or a small forest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the 1379 Poll Tax Returns for Yorkshire, where a "Johannes Grefe" is listed. This entry provides evidence that the name was already in use by the late 14th century in northern England.

In the 15th century, variations of the spelling included "Greve," "Greave," and "Greif." These variations likely resulted from regional dialects and the inconsistent nature of spelling during that era.

The name "GRIEF" can also be traced back to place names such as Greve, a village in Normandy, France. It is possible that the surname originated from this location and was brought to England by Norman settlers after the conquest of 1066.

Notable individuals bearing the surname "GRIEF" include:

1. Robert Grief (c. 1530-1597), an English Protestant reformer and theologian who served as the Bishop of Llandaff. 2. John Grief (1615-1677), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in the 1650s. 3. Mary Grief (1677-1738), an English writer and playwright known for her satirical works. 4. William Grief (1781-1856), a Scottish inventor and engineer credited with early innovations in steam engine technology. 5. Elizabeth Grief (1820-1901), an American philanthropist and social reformer who founded several charitable organizations in New York City.

While the surname "GRIEF" is not among the most common in English-speaking countries today, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and can be traced back to various regions of England, as well as potential Norman origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grief families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grief 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. Norfolk leads with 137 Griefs recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.49x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 137 52.49x
Yorkshire 10 0.59x
Surrey 8 0.97x
Kent 6 1.04x
Middlesex 6 0.35x
Durham 3 0.59x
Suffolk 2 0.97x
Lincolnshire 1 0.37x
Northumberland 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 23 Griefs recorded in 1881 and an index of 106.38x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 23 106.38x
Shouldham 21 5675.68x
Snettisham 20 2777.78x
Dersingham 19 3220.34x
Dunton Cum Doughton 9 9000.00x
Camberwell 8 7.38x
Trowse Cum Newton 7 1076.92x
Plumstead 6 31.09x
Terrington St Clement 6 508.47x
Wereham 6 1666.67x
Gayton 5 1136.36x
Lakenham 5 134.77x
Linthorpe 5 49.80x
Middlesbrough 5 22.83x
St Botolph Aldgate London 3 85.71x
Usworth 3 111.94x
Colveston 2 6666.67x
Drayton 2 833.33x
Gorleston 2 38.10x
Stoke Ferry 2 500.00x
Cockley Cley 1 833.33x
Downham Market 1 55.87x
Hilgay 1 102.04x
Kensington London 1 1.06x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 12.77x
Melton Constable 1 1428.57x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 7.64x
Sculthorpe 1 294.12x
Shernborne 1 1111.11x
St Marylebone London 1 1.10x
St Pancras London 1 0.73x
Stamford St Mary 1 181.82x
Strumpshaw 1 416.67x
Tilney All Sts 1 303.03x
West Newton 1 526.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 14
John 9
James 6
Robert 6
George 5
Henry 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Daniel 3
Edward 3
Walter 3
David 2
Ernest 2
Robt. 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Hamlet 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jacob 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Grief surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grief surname in 1881?

In 1881, 174 people were recorded with the Grief surname. That placed it at #14,042 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grief surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 340 in 2016. That gives Grief a modern rank of #13,456.

What does the Grief surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a small brook or stream.

What does the Grief map show?

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