NameCensus.

UK surname

Grigson

An English patronymic surname derived from the given name Gregory.

In the 1881 census there were 125 people recorded with the Grigson surname, ranking it #17,335 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 135, ranked #25,505, down from #17,335 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Castle Point, Adur and Peterborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grigson is 184 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.0%.

1881 census count

125

Ranked #17,335

Modern count

135

2016, ranked #25,505

Peak year

1891

184 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grigson had 125 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,335 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 135 in 2016, ranked #25,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 184 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Grigson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grigson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grigson 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 133 #14,106
1861 historical 175 #13,409
1881 historical 125 #17,335
1891 historical 184 #15,869
1901 historical 167 #16,943
1911 historical 180 #15,961
1997 modern 152 #20,948
1998 modern 168 #20,181
1999 modern 170 #20,153
2000 modern 156 #21,235
2001 modern 154 #21,122
2002 modern 161 #20,925
2003 modern 159 #20,881
2004 modern 158 #21,077
2005 modern 152 #21,572
2006 modern 148 #22,111
2007 modern 140 #23,231
2008 modern 142 #23,270
2009 modern 145 #23,473
2010 modern 146 #23,921
2011 modern 150 #23,309
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 151 #23,529
2014 modern 147 #24,177
2015 modern 144 #24,369
2016 modern 135 #25,505

Geography

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Where Grigsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Castle Point, Adur, Peterborough, Havering and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
2 London parishes London 1
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Castle Point 008 Castle Point
2 Adur 002 Adur
3 Peterborough 004 Peterborough
4 Havering 003 Havering
5 Stoke-on-Trent 008 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grigson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grigson

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Grigson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Grigson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Grigson 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

Grigson is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Grigson falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Grigson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Grigson

The surname Grigson has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "grig" meaning "downy" and "sunu" meaning "son", referring to someone who was the son of a man with a downy beard or hair.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a John Griggesone. The name also appears in various other medieval records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1332, where a Richard Griggesone is mentioned.

The Grigson surname was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Northumberland. Some early examples of the name's spelling variations include Griggesone, Griggeson, and Griggesoun.

In the 16th century, the name Grigson appeared in several notable historical records. One such record is the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1524, which mentions a John Grigson. Additionally, the Visitation of Yorkshire in 1584 recorded the pedigree of the Grigson family, tracing their lineage back several generations.

Notable individuals with the surname Grigson include:

1. Geoffrey Grigson (1905-1985), an English poet, writer, and critic. 2. Jane Grigson (1928-1990), an English food writer and author of several cookbooks. 3. William Grigson (1804-1871), an English botanist and naturalist. 4. Samuel Grigson (1761-1840), an English architect and surveyor. 5. Henry Grigson (1806-1861), an English architect and civil engineer.

The Grigson name has also been associated with various place names in England. For example, Grigson's Farm in Staffordshire and Grigson's Hill in Lancashire are believed to be named after families bearing the surname.

While the Grigson surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the northern counties of England and the Old English words that gave rise to this distinctive surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grigson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grigson 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. Middlesex leads with 38 Grigsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.09x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 38 3.09x
Suffolk 19 12.69x
Essex 15 6.18x
Sussex 12 5.79x
Devon 11 4.30x
Lancashire 8 0.55x
Gloucestershire 5 2.07x
Norfolk 5 2.65x
Surrey 5 0.83x
Yorkshire 2 0.16x
Anglesey 1 4.59x
Dorset 1 1.24x
Durham 1 0.27x
Kent 1 0.24x
Royal Navy 1 6.83x
Somerset 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. New Shoreham in Sussex leads with 12 Grigsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 967.74x.

Place Total Index
New Shoreham 12 967.74x
Hackney London 11 15.97x
Ipswich St Clement 10 262.47x
Great Clacton 8 963.86x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 18.83x
Mile End Old Town London 6 22.94x
Bethnal Green London 5 9.37x
Bristol St George 5 44.84x
Highweek 5 549.45x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 5 359.71x
Tottenham 5 25.55x
Buckfastleigh 4 338.98x
Islington London 4 3.36x
Lambeth 3 2.80x
Walthamstow 3 34.36x
Whinburgh 3 3000.00x
Beccles 2 82.99x
Gorleston 2 52.63x
Guiseley 2 128.21x
Harwich St Nicholas 2 106.95x
Norton Folgate London 2 500.00x
West Ham 2 3.73x
Blofield 1 208.33x
Bury 1 6.00x
Camberwell 1 1.27x
Cliffe 1 105.26x
Holyhead 1 24.63x
Kingskerswell 1 238.10x
Limehouse London 1 7.41x
Newington 1 2.20x
Newton Abbot St Nicholas 1 192.31x
Royal Navy 1 7.99x
Shaftesbury St James 1 238.10x
Shipdham 1 156.25x
Shoreditch London 1 1.88x
Skelmersdale 1 41.15x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.62x
St Pancras London 1 1.01x
Stranton 1 8.12x
Westminster St James 1 7.92x
Yeovil 1 24.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Sarah 5
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Amy 2
Annie 2
Polly 2
Ruth 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
E. 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Ester 1
Esther 1
Eugini 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frederica 1
Georgie 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Lillian 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Mercy 1
Priscella 1
Rebecca 1
Redelpha 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
George 5
Thomas 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Chas. 3
James 3
John 3
Alfred 2
Edward 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Adolphus 1
Albert 1
Barley 1
Edgar 1
Eliza 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Herbert 1
Joshua 1
Louis 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Raymer 1
Raynur 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Seeley 1

FAQ

Grigson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grigson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 125 people were recorded with the Grigson surname. That placed it at #17,335 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grigson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 135 in 2016. That gives Grigson a modern rank of #25,505.

What does the Grigson surname mean?

An English patronymic surname derived from the given name Gregory.

What does the Grigson map show?

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