NameCensus.

UK surname

Grigg

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "at the ridge" or "at the rock."

In the 1881 census there were 1,944 people recorded with the Grigg surname, ranking it #2,250 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,151, ranked #3,006, down from #2,250 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Dennis, London parishes and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Torridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grigg is 2,418 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.6%.

1881 census count

1,944

Ranked #2,250

Modern count

2,151

2016, ranked #3,006

Peak year

1911

2,418 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grigg had 1,944 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,250 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,151 in 2016, ranked #3,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,418 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Grigg surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grigg surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grigg 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 1,646 #1,748
1861 historical 1,596 #1,783
1881 historical 1,944 #2,250
1891 historical 2,236 #2,086
1901 historical 2,246 #2,411
1911 historical 2,418 #2,120
1997 modern 2,241 #2,768
1998 modern 2,318 #2,784
1999 modern 2,298 #2,829
2000 modern 2,291 #2,818
2001 modern 2,203 #2,867
2002 modern 2,270 #2,842
2003 modern 2,222 #2,841
2004 modern 2,233 #2,832
2005 modern 2,141 #2,897
2006 modern 2,144 #2,893
2007 modern 2,142 #2,921
2008 modern 2,181 #2,902
2009 modern 2,211 #2,940
2010 modern 2,257 #2,946
2011 modern 2,222 #2,949
2012 modern 2,188 #2,931
2013 modern 2,173 #3,000
2014 modern 2,195 #2,990
2015 modern 2,161 #3,000
2016 modern 2,151 #3,006

Geography

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Where Griggs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Dennis, London parishes and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Torridge. 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 St Dennis Cornwall
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 004 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 048 Cornwall
3 Torridge 005 Torridge
4 Cornwall 036 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 039 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grigg

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grigg

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

Grigg 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

Grigg falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Grigg

The surname Grigg is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English words "grig" or "gricg", meaning "Greek" or "young warrior". It is believed to have originated as a nickname or occupational name for someone who had spent time in Greece or had some association with Greek culture.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Grig" and "Grigge" in various counties across England. This suggests that the name was already well-established in different regions by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "le Grigge", "Grigges", and "Grygg", reflecting the diverse spellings common in medieval times. One notable early bearer of the name was John Grygg, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Surrey in 1243.

The name has also been associated with certain place names, such as Grigglestone in Yorkshire, which was recorded as "Grigeston" in the Domesday Book. This suggests that some bearers of the name may have taken their surnames from the locations where they lived or held land.

Notable historical figures with the surname Grigg include:

1. Thomas Grigg (c. 1561-1638), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1626 to 1638.

2. John Grigg (1646-1718), a Welsh politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Cardigan Boroughs from 1689 to 1701.

3. William Grigg (1766-1830), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. Pancras New Church.

4. John Grigg (1859-1937), a New Zealand politician and lawyer who served as the Attorney-General of New Zealand from 1919 to 1926.

5. Edward Grigg, 1st Baron Altrincham (1879-1955), a British politician and writer who served as the Governor of Kenya from 1925 to 1931 and later as the Rector of the University of Edinburgh.

While the name Grigg has its roots in England and Wales, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by migration and exploration over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grigg families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grigg 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. Cornwall leads with 464 Griggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.45x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 464 21.45x
Middlesex 210 1.10x
Devon 191 4.80x
Kent 135 2.07x
Hampshire 133 3.40x
Surrey 117 1.26x
Staffordshire 89 1.38x
Worcestershire 80 3.21x
Warwickshire 71 1.47x
Somerset 61 1.98x
Suffolk 44 1.89x
Essex 41 1.09x
Sussex 30 0.93x
Yorkshire 28 0.15x
Gloucestershire 27 0.72x
Hertfordshire 27 2.05x
Lancashire 25 0.11x
Berkshire 18 1.25x
Cumberland 16 0.97x
Durham 16 0.28x
Derbyshire 15 0.50x
Glamorgan 15 0.45x
Bedfordshire 14 1.41x
Channel Islands 10 1.77x
Herefordshire 8 1.02x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.58x
Cheshire 7 0.17x
Shetland 7 3.59x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.52x
Norfolk 6 0.20x
Leicestershire 5 0.24x
Royal Navy 5 2.20x
Flintshire 4 0.78x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.16x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.66x
Westmorland 4 0.95x
Denbighshire 3 0.42x
Northamptonshire 3 0.17x
Brecknockshire 2 0.52x
Dorset 2 0.16x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.12x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.24x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Northumberland 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Dennis in Cornwall leads with 115 Griggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1423.27x.

Place Total Index
St Dennis 115 1423.27x
St Pancras London 45 2.93x
Oldbury 43 35.02x
Birmingham 42 2.61x
Harborne 41 19.83x
Groton 33 1081.97x
Lambeth 32 1.92x
Portsea 32 4.17x
St Stephen In Brannel 31 157.04x
Camberwell 26 2.13x
St Austell 24 32.45x
St Columb Major 24 133.63x
Stoke Damerel 24 8.62x
Kensington London 21 1.98x
Roche 21 191.08x
Greywell 20 1000.00x
Thundersley 20 588.24x
Woolfardisworthy 20 347.22x
Littleham 19 65.34x
Islington London 17 0.92x
Perranzabuloe 17 91.10x
Ramsgate 17 15.97x
Aston 16 1.21x
Fareham 15 31.87x
Chelsea London 14 2.43x
Dudley 14 4.61x
Flamstead 14 115.42x
Warbstow 14 1076.92x
Hammersmith London 13 2.76x
Mile End Old Town London 13 3.20x
Parkham 13 247.62x
West Bromwich 13 3.52x
Deal 12 21.58x
Linkinhorne 12 79.63x
Middlesbrough 12 4.87x
Battersea 11 1.56x
Deptford St Paul 11 2.19x
Dursley 11 71.38x
Kings Norton 11 4.92x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 3.59x
St Marylebone London 11 1.08x
Taunton St Mary 11 19.48x
Bromley London 10 2.38x
Hatch Beauchamp 10 421.94x
Luxulyan 10 138.89x
Newington 10 1.42x
Reading St Giles 10 7.11x
Basingstoke 9 19.98x
Handsworth 9 5.66x
Mortimer West End 9 358.57x
Plymouth Charles The 9 5.14x
Plympton St Mary 9 39.15x
Rowley Regis 9 5.01x
Sittingbourne 9 17.48x
St Breock 9 76.99x
St Enoder 9 122.45x
St Mary Magdalene 9 56.60x
Stratfieldsaye 9 240.00x
Tawstock 9 127.48x
Brighton 8 1.23x
Calstock 8 18.85x
Chatham 8 4.46x
Freshwater 8 44.69x
Graveley 8 321.29x
Great Wakering 8 94.90x
Kenwyn 8 14.14x
Lanlivery 8 88.01x
Littlehampton 8 31.10x
Paddington London 8 1.14x
Penge 8 6.55x
Rochester St Margaret 8 11.63x
St Columb Minor 8 44.03x
Aberdare 7 3.06x
Bideford 7 16.43x
Cuby 7 721.65x
Easton 7 510.95x
Hackney London 7 0.65x
St Clement Danes London 7 17.70x
Staunton On Wye 7 201.73x
Sutton Coldfield 7 13.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 150
Elizabeth 78
Jane 52
Sarah 40
Alice 32
Annie 31
Eliza 30
Ann 29
Ellen 28
Emma 27
Emily 23
Fanny 18
Edith 15
Hannah 14
Louisa 13
Harriet 12
Harriett 12
Maria 12
Caroline 11
Grace 11
Kate 11
Lucy 11
Martha 11
Susan 11
Catherine 10
Charlotte 10
Frances 10
Jessie 10
Anna 9
Bessie 9
Florence 9
Agnes 8
Amelia 8
Beatrice 8
Margaret 8
Ada 7
Amy 7
Anne 7
Rose 7
Clara 6
Julia 6
Laura 5
Isabel 4
Isabella 4
Lizzie 4
Mabel 4
Matilda 4
Rebecca 4
Marian 3
May 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 135
John 103
George 61
James 57
Thomas 57
Henry 41
Richard 37
Joseph 36
Charles 34
Samuel 30
Frederick 21
Alfred 20
Arthur 18
Edward 18
Robert 18
Albert 17
Ernest 12
Walter 11
Frank 10
Edwin 9
Isaac 9
Harry 8
Francis 7
David 6
Herbert 6
Fred 5
Nicholas 5
Benjamin 4
Jacob 4
Lewis 4
Willm. 4
Edmund 3
Fredk. 3
Job 3
Richd. 3
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Emanuel 2
Fredk.H. 2
Hart 2
Howard 2
Jethro 2
Mark 2
Mathew 2
Nathaniel 2
Paul 2
Percival 2
Reuben 2
Stephen 2
Sydney 2

FAQ

Grigg surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grigg surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,944 people were recorded with the Grigg surname. That placed it at #2,250 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grigg surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,151 in 2016. That gives Grigg a modern rank of #3,006.

What does the Grigg surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "at the ridge" or "at the rock."

What does the Grigg map show?

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