NameCensus.

UK surname

Grierson

A Scottish surname derived from the Old French "gresillon" meaning a piece of burning coal.

In the 1881 census there were 1,672 people recorded with the Grierson surname, ranking it #2,567 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,098, ranked #3,085, down from #2,567 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hawick and Wilton, Edinburgh and Dumfries. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carlisle, Troqueer and Trinity East and The Dudleys.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grierson is 2,112 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.5%.

1881 census count

1,672

Ranked #2,567

Modern count

2,098

2016, ranked #3,085

Peak year

2010

2,112 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grierson had 1,672 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,567 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,098 in 2016, ranked #3,085.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,894 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Grierson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grierson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grierson 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 1,195 #2,380
1861 historical 1,208 #2,348
1881 historical 1,672 #2,567
1891 historical 1,771 #2,579
1901 historical 1,894 #2,791
1911 historical 893 #4,989
1997 modern 2,008 #3,042
1998 modern 2,040 #3,109
1999 modern 2,043 #3,135
2000 modern 2,064 #3,092
2001 modern 1,985 #3,130
2002 modern 2,046 #3,120
2003 modern 2,011 #3,102
2004 modern 2,042 #3,064
2005 modern 2,011 #3,071
2006 modern 2,007 #3,083
2007 modern 2,015 #3,107
2008 modern 2,020 #3,123
2009 modern 2,068 #3,125
2010 modern 2,112 #3,136
2011 modern 2,062 #3,157
2012 modern 2,035 #3,145
2013 modern 2,041 #3,189
2014 modern 2,078 #3,157
2015 modern 2,078 #3,129
2016 modern 2,098 #3,085

Geography

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Where Griersons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hawick and Wilton, Edinburgh, Dumfries, Glasgow and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carlisle, Troqueer, Trinity East and The Dudleys and Upper Nithsdale. 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 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dumfries Dumfries
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carlisle 009 Carlisle
2 Troqueer Dumfries and Galloway
3 Trinity East and The Dudleys City of Edinburgh
4 Upper Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
5 Carlisle 010 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grierson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grierson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Grierson, 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 Grierson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Grierson 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, Grierson 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

Grierson 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

Grierson falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Grierson

The surname GRIERSON originated in Scotland, deriving from the Scottish Gaelic name Mac Griogair, meaning "son of Griogair" or "son of Griogar". The name Griogar is thought to be an old Scottish form of the name Gregory. In medieval Scotland, this surname was primarily found in the counties of Dumfries and Galloway.

The earliest recorded instance of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Scottish Wars of Independence. The entry listed "Gilbert Grerson del Counte de Drumfres" (Gilbert Grierson of the County of Dumfries).

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Grierson (c. 1505-1586), a Scottish landowner and courtier who served as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to King James V of Scotland. Another prominent figure was Sir Alexander Grierson of Lag (1619-1683), a Scottish soldier and persecutor of Covenanters during the Killing Times.

The name Grierson can also be traced to place names in Scotland, such as Grierson in Dumfries and Galloway, which was derived from the surname itself. The earliest recorded spelling of this place name was "Greiresone" in 1507.

Among other notable individuals with the surname were Constantia Grierson (1705-1733), a Scottish poet and writer; George Abraham Grierson (1851-1941), an Irish linguist and civil servant in British India; and Francis Grierson (1848-1927), a Scottish-born American artist and educator.

It is worth noting that the name has been spelled in various ways throughout history, including Greirson, Grerson, and Gresoun, reflecting regional dialects and spelling variations common in earlier times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grierson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grierson 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. Dumfriesshire leads with 260 Griersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.51x.

County Total Index
Dumfriesshire 260 72.51x
Kirkcudbrightshire 230 97.88x
Lancashire 230 1.19x
Lanarkshire 156 2.97x
Midlothian 94 4.32x
Cumberland 82 5.87x
Roxburghshire 80 27.21x
Yorkshire 61 0.38x
Durham 51 1.06x
Middlesex 48 0.30x
Selkirkshire 41 27.92x
Northumberland 31 1.28x
East Lothian 27 12.56x
Cheshire 24 0.67x
Fife 22 2.29x
Renfrewshire 22 1.75x
Stirlingshire 21 3.51x
Surrey 16 0.20x
Ayrshire 15 1.23x
Kent 12 0.22x
Devon 11 0.33x
Dunbartonshire 11 2.52x
Buteshire 10 10.17x
Derbyshire 10 0.39x
Hampshire 10 0.30x
Berkshire 9 0.74x
Warwickshire 9 0.22x
Argyllshire 8 1.77x
Ross-shire 8 1.79x
Aberdeenshire 6 0.40x
Flintshire 6 1.38x
Gloucestershire 6 0.19x
Angus 5 0.33x
Essex 5 0.16x
Glamorgan 5 0.18x
Kincardineshire 3 1.52x
Oxfordshire 3 0.30x
Perthshire 3 0.41x
Worcestershire 3 0.14x
Berwickshire 2 1.02x
Channel Islands 2 0.42x
Norfolk 2 0.08x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.15x
Staffordshire 1 0.02x
Wigtownshire 1 0.46x
Wiltshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 57 Griersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.52x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 57 6.52x
Troqueer 53 171.91x
Urr 47 153.75x
Govan 39 3.00x
Liverpool 39 3.33x
Selkirk 34 82.19x
Barony 30 2.26x
Everton 29 4.72x
Ruthwell 29 600.41x
Wilton 28 86.79x
Bishopwearmouth 23 5.55x
Dumfries 23 65.03x
Manchester 23 2.66x
Mouswald 23 739.55x
Balmaclellan 21 401.53x
Caldewgate 20 26.12x
Kirkdale 20 6.17x
Glasgow 19 2.04x
Rerrick 19 188.49x
Hawick 17 25.84x
Kirkpatrick Durham 17 232.56x
Lochmaben 17 108.21x
St Cuthbert W O 17 24.96x
Melrose 16 62.94x
South Leith 16 6.54x
Torthorwald 16 290.38x
Dryfesdale 15 90.80x
Keir 15 361.45x
Cheetham 14 9.75x
Durrisdeer 13 211.38x
Marske In Guisbrough 13 45.52x
Penrith 13 25.18x
Cambusnethan 12 10.29x
Kelton 12 62.18x
Maryhill 12 11.68x
New Monkland 12 7.73x
West Derby 12 2.13x
Wetheral 12 64.83x
Athelstaneford 11 259.43x
Middlesbrough 11 5.25x
Moffat 11 67.24x
Morton 11 92.44x
Tormoham 11 7.69x
Abbey 10 5.21x
Broughton In Salford 10 5.68x
Chesterfield 10 10.50x
Closeburn 10 119.62x
Glencairn 10 103.73x
Holy Trinity 10 2.58x
Lesmahagow 10 18.01x
Westgate 10 6.69x
Annan 9 29.22x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 2.14x
Carlaverock 9 153.85x
Crawford 9 91.84x
Great Bolton 9 3.53x
Hackney London 9 0.99x
Kirkgunzeon 9 246.58x
Penpont 9 136.57x
Applegarth 8 147.06x
Bray 8 22.35x
Conside Knitsley 8 21.30x
Elswick 8 4.15x
Gladsmuir 8 83.51x
Hornsey 8 3.90x
Kirkcudbright 8 41.13x
Mearns 8 36.30x
New Kilpatrick 8 19.28x
Tranmere 8 6.08x
Birkenhead 7 2.45x
Blackburn 7 1.37x
Bromley London 7 1.96x
Buittle 7 126.81x
Crossmichael 7 94.21x
Dalry 7 127.50x
Galashiels 7 12.89x
Greenwich 7 2.71x
Kirkton 7 376.34x
Rothesay 7 14.70x
Sanquhar 7 55.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 52
Jane 26
Elizabeth 24
Margaret 24
Ann 13
Sarah 12
Isabella 11
Ellen 10
Annie 9
Agnes 8
Jessie 8
Eliza 7
Janet 6
Martha 6
Alice 5
Catherine 5
Amelia 4
Barbara 4
Charlotte 4
Emma 4
Grace 4
Ada 3
Agness 3
Emily 3
Ethel 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Lucy 3
Maggie 3
Bertha 2
Dorothy 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Henrietta 2
Johanna 2
Sophia 2
Wilhelmina 2
Adelaide 1
Bersha 1
Bessie 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizebeth 1
Euphemia 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Jennet 1
Jesse 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 48
William 41
James 32
Robert 31
Thomas 19
George 13
Joseph 11
David 8
Edward 8
Henry 6
Arthur 5
Alfred 4
Andrew 4
Frederick 4
Mathew 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
Ernest 3
Hugh 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Alexander 2
Archibald 2
Donald 2
Douglas 2
Edgar 2
Frank 2
Jas. 2
Michael 2
Robt. 2
Samuel 2
Constance 1
Dudley 1
Ebenezer 1
Fred 1
Gilbert 1
H. 1
Harold 1
Herold 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Julian 1
Lllewellen 1
Malcolm 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Maxwell 1
Nicholas 1
Roberty 1
Wm.Graham 1

FAQ

Grierson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grierson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,672 people were recorded with the Grierson surname. That placed it at #2,567 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grierson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,098 in 2016. That gives Grierson a modern rank of #3,085.

What does the Grierson surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Old French "gresillon" meaning a piece of burning coal.

What does the Grierson map show?

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