NameCensus.

UK surname

Griggs

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a ravine, gulch, or narrow cleft.

In the 1881 census there were 2,330 people recorded with the Griggs surname, ranking it #1,908 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,346, ranked #2,031, down from #1,908 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew and Boxford, Groton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Cambridgeshire, Tendring and Shepway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Griggs is 3,526 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.6%.

1881 census count

2,330

Ranked #1,908

Modern count

3,346

2016, ranked #2,031

Peak year

1998

3,526 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Griggs had 2,330 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,908 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,346 in 2016, ranked #2,031.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,495 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Griggs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Griggs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Griggs 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 1,440 #1,997
1861 historical 1,543 #1,841
1881 historical 2,330 #1,908
1891 historical 2,668 #1,784
1901 historical 3,120 #1,796
1911 historical 3,495 #1,494
1997 modern 3,390 #1,911
1998 modern 3,526 #1,909
1999 modern 3,513 #1,930
2000 modern 3,453 #1,958
2001 modern 3,397 #1,945
2002 modern 3,450 #1,960
2003 modern 3,351 #1,974
2004 modern 3,347 #1,979
2005 modern 3,238 #2,010
2006 modern 3,241 #2,020
2007 modern 3,222 #2,047
2008 modern 3,248 #2,050
2009 modern 3,344 #2,046
2010 modern 3,383 #2,058
2011 modern 3,319 #2,065
2012 modern 3,323 #2,030
2013 modern 3,387 #2,028
2014 modern 3,424 #2,018
2015 modern 3,358 #2,035
2016 modern 3,346 #2,031

Geography

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Where Griggs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew, Boxford, Groton 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 East Cambridgeshire, Tendring, Shepway, Arun and Babergh. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew Suffolk
4 Boxford, Groton Suffolk
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
2 Tendring 011 Tendring
3 Shepway 010 Shepway
4 Arun 019 Arun
5 Babergh 004 Babergh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Griggs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Griggs

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Griggs is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Griggs is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Griggs falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Griggs

The surname Griggs is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "grig," meaning a small hill or ridge. It is believed to have originated in the 11th century as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a small hill or ridge.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Grigge" and "Grigges." This suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the name was commonly spelled in various ways, including Grigge, Grigges, Gryggs, and Grygges, reflecting the inconsistent spelling practices of the time. Over the centuries, the spelling eventually stabilized to its modern form, Griggs.

The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk, where many early bearers of the name were landowners or farmers living near ridges or small hills.

One notable figure bearing the name Griggs was Sir Edward Griggs (1545-1611), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He served as the Recorder of York and was knighted in 1603.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Griggs (1683-1766), an English architect and surveyor who worked on various notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the Queen's House in Greenwich.

In the 18th century, John Griggs (1720-1789) was a renowned English engraver and printmaker, known for his intricate landscape prints and book illustrations.

During the American Revolutionary War, Samuel Griggs (1756-1819) served as a lieutenant in the Continental Army and fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Monmouth and the Siege of Yorktown.

In the 19th century, John Griggs (1828-1903) was a prominent American politician and lawyer who served as the Governor of New Jersey from 1896 to 1898.

The surname Griggs has a rich history, originating from the Old English language and reflecting the geographic features of the areas where its early bearers lived. It has been carried by notable individuals across various fields, from law and politics to architecture and the arts, throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Griggs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Griggs 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. Kent leads with 472 Griggs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.08x.

County Total Index
Kent 472 6.08x
Middlesex 441 1.94x
Essex 389 8.66x
Suffolk 259 9.34x
Surrey 194 1.75x
Hertfordshire 80 5.10x
Norfolk 80 2.29x
Cambridgeshire 57 3.95x
Hampshire 37 0.79x
Yorkshire 37 0.16x
Lincolnshire 33 0.91x
Northamptonshire 32 1.49x
Buckinghamshire 31 2.25x
Lancashire 26 0.10x
Northumberland 26 0.77x
Staffordshire 23 0.30x
Sussex 21 0.55x
Durham 17 0.25x
Bedfordshire 15 1.27x
Devon 14 0.30x
Wiltshire 11 0.55x
Warwickshire 10 0.17x
Berkshire 6 0.35x
Derbyshire 5 0.14x
Glamorgan 4 0.10x
Leicestershire 4 0.16x
Gloucestershire 3 0.07x
Midlothian 2 0.07x
Dorset 1 0.07x
East Lothian 1 0.33x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.22x
Royal Navy 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Ham in Essex leads with 56 Griggs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.65x.

Place Total Index
West Ham 56 5.65x
Ramsgate 55 43.39x
Islington London 45 2.04x
Sudbury St Gregory 44 198.02x
Hackney London 40 3.14x
Camberwell 36 2.48x
Assington 34 586.21x
Newington 34 4.04x
Brightlingsea 30 116.87x
Lambeth 29 1.46x
Stansted Mountfitchet 29 255.51x
Herne 28 81.44x
St Marylebone London 28 2.30x
Kensington London 27 2.13x
Milden 27 1942.45x
St Pancras London 27 1.47x
Boxford 26 506.82x
Bradwell 22 285.71x
Clerkenwell London 22 4.10x
Enfield 22 14.73x
St Lawrence 22 41.21x
Bishop Stortford 21 40.08x
Margate St John Baptist 21 14.77x
Southwark St George Martyr 19 4.15x
Olney 18 94.64x
Bromley London 17 3.40x
Poplar London 17 3.96x
Woodford 17 33.43x
Great Cornard 16 255.18x
Limehouse London 16 6.40x
Preston Next Wingham 16 458.45x
Hartest 15 312.50x
Hatfield Broad Oak 15 98.94x
Deptford St Paul 14 2.34x
Shoreditch London 14 1.42x
Walthamstow 14 8.66x
Brighton 13 1.68x
Deal 13 19.63x
East Winch 13 412.70x
Hadleigh 13 48.35x
Hampstead London 13 3.67x
Mile End Old Town London 13 2.68x
Portsea 13 1.42x
Woodnesborough 13 183.10x
Barking 12 9.13x
Bermondsey 12 1.77x
Bow London 12 4.14x
Chigwell 12 28.30x
Hougham 12 25.99x
Paddington London 12 1.43x
Battersea 11 1.31x
Lewisham 11 2.66x
Leyton Low 11 12.05x
Polstead 11 170.02x
Soberton 11 128.21x
All Hallows Barking 10 176.06x
Bethnal Green London 10 1.01x
Bridge 10 149.70x
Burton Upon Trent 10 5.56x
Chirton 10 13.05x
Colchester St Mary At 10 62.81x
Harlow 10 51.65x
Littleport 10 36.31x
Sellinge 10 197.63x
Springfield 10 50.79x
Sutton 10 434.78x
Westoe 10 2.61x
Britford 9 67.72x
Canterbury St Mary 9 17.27x
Chelsea London 9 1.31x
East Ham 9 10.80x
Great Amwell 9 57.22x
Guston 9 292.21x
Haverhill 9 36.56x
Leysdown 9 588.24x
Sandwich St Clement 9 137.20x
Tottenham 9 2.48x
Tynemouth 9 4.96x
Ware 9 20.01x
Watford 9 7.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 115
Elizabeth 93
Sarah 74
Emma 58
Alice 49
Ellen 49
Eliza 45
Annie 36
Emily 36
Jane 35
Martha 28
Ann 26
Charlotte 23
Louisa 21
Hannah 19
Fanny 16
Susan 16
Ada 15
Edith 15
Harriet 15
Maria 15
Harriett 13
Kate 13
Lucy 13
Rebecca 13
Agnes 12
Caroline 12
Florence 12
Amelia 11
Catherine 11
Maud 11
Clara 8
Esther 8
Ruth 8
Anne 7
Frances 7
Susannah 7
Isabella 6
Jessie 6
Julia 6
Margaret 6
Rose 6
Sophia 6
Gertrude 5
Helen 5
Minnie 5
Miriam 5
Elizth. 4
Flora 4
Matilda 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 158
John 106
George 101
James 78
Henry 57
Thomas 55
Charles 49
Walter 48
Alfred 37
Edward 37
Robert 35
Frederick 32
Samuel 29
Joseph 22
Arthur 19
Harry 16
Albert 15
Frank 12
Richard 12
Ernest 10
Herbert 9
Benjamin 7
Edmund 6
Jonathan 6
Abraham 5
Stephen 5
David 4
Isaac 4
Peter 4
Philip 4
Tom 4
Wm. 4
Daniel 3
Fred 3
Frederic 3
Fredrick 3
Henery 3
Joshua 3
Noah 3
Sidney 3
Clement 2
Edmond 2
Gardiner 2
Matthew 2
Maurice 2
Mendham 2
Nathaniel 2
Percy 2
Saml. 2
Thos. 2

FAQ

Griggs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Griggs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,330 people were recorded with the Griggs surname. That placed it at #1,908 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Griggs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,346 in 2016. That gives Griggs a modern rank of #2,031.

What does the Griggs surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a ravine, gulch, or narrow cleft.

What does the Griggs map show?

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