NameCensus.

UK surname

Grimble

Northern English place name from a location called Grimbald's Hill.

In the 1881 census there were 243 people recorded with the Grimble surname, ranking it #11,294 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 272, ranked #15,832, down from #11,294 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Martham, St Dunstan Stepney and Wymondham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, South Norfolk and Great Yarmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grimble is 316 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.9%.

1881 census count

243

Ranked #11,294

Modern count

272

2016, ranked #15,832

Peak year

2002

316 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grimble had 243 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,294 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 272 in 2016, ranked #15,832.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 297 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Grimble surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grimble surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grimble 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 130 #14,314
1861 historical 160 #14,468
1881 historical 243 #11,294
1891 historical 246 #12,912
1901 historical 275 #12,332
1911 historical 297 #11,524
1997 modern 289 #13,859
1998 modern 301 #13,861
1999 modern 311 #13,642
2000 modern 305 #13,769
2001 modern 309 #13,487
2002 modern 316 #13,532
2003 modern 281 #14,443
2004 modern 274 #14,762
2005 modern 266 #15,007
2006 modern 260 #15,329
2007 modern 266 #15,261
2008 modern 267 #15,349
2009 modern 278 #15,230
2010 modern 283 #15,363
2011 modern 275 #15,517
2012 modern 281 #15,198
2013 modern 282 #15,441
2014 modern 280 #15,621
2015 modern 274 #15,749
2016 modern 272 #15,832

Geography

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Where Grimbles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Martham, St Dunstan Stepney, Wymondham, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney, South Norfolk, Great Yarmouth and North East Lincolnshire. 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 Martham Norfolk
2 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
3 Wymondham Norfolk
4 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 004 Waveney
2 South Norfolk 013 South Norfolk
3 Waveney 007 Waveney
4 Great Yarmouth 009 Great Yarmouth
5 North East Lincolnshire 022 North East Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grimble

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grimble

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Grimble surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Grimble household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Grimble is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Grimble 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

Grimble falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Grimble

The surname Grimble is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, during the medieval period. It likely derives from an Old English word "grimbil," which referred to a type of plant or herb. This suggests that the name may have been initially applied as a surname to someone who lived near or cultivated a particular type of plant.

The earliest recorded instances of the Grimble surname can be found in various historical records from the 14th century onwards. One notable mention is in the Yorkshire Poll Tax returns of 1379, where a John Grymbelfeld is listed as a resident of the village of Bradfield. This indicates that variations of the name, such as Grymbelfeld, were in use at the time.

In the 16th century, the Grimble surname appears in several parish records and legal documents across northern England. For instance, a Thomas Grimble is recorded as having been born in 1543 in the parish of Giggleswick, Yorkshire. Additionally, a William Grimble is mentioned in the court records of Lancashire in 1587 in relation to a property dispute.

The name Grimble has also been associated with various place names in northern England, such as Grimbles Farm in Middleton, Lancashire, and Grimble Crag, a hill near Giggleswick, Yorkshire. These place names likely originated from the surname itself, suggesting that the Grimble family may have had connections to these locations.

One notable individual bearing the Grimble surname was John Grimble (1640-1718), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Vicar of Adwick-le-Street in Yorkshire. He was known for his work in translating and publishing ancient Greek texts.

Another prominent figure was William Grimble (1784-1872), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a renowned writer and historian, publishing several books on military tactics and strategy.

In the 19th century, the Grimble surname gained further recognition with the birth of Augustus Grimble (1829-1901), a prominent British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Holloway College and the Whitechapel Art Gallery.

More recently, the name Grimble has been carried by individuals such as Arthur Grimble (1888-1963), a British colonial administrator and author who wrote extensively about the indigenous cultures of the Pacific Islands, and Eric Grimble (1920-2008), a British actor known for his roles in various television series and films during the mid-20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grimble families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grimble 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 87 Grimbles recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.87x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 87 23.87x
Middlesex 60 2.53x
Suffolk 45 15.59x
Surrey 18 1.56x
Lincolnshire 10 2.64x
Durham 6 0.85x
Yorkshire 4 0.17x
Cheshire 2 0.38x
Cumberland 2 0.98x
Devon 2 0.41x
Warwickshire 2 0.33x
Berkshire 1 0.56x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.70x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.67x
Renfrewshire 1 0.54x
Sussex 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkley in Suffolk leads with 26 Grimbles recorded in 1881 and an index of 1074.38x.

Place Total Index
Kirkley 26 1074.38x
Martham 14 1573.03x
Mile End Old Town London 12 23.79x
Great Yarmouth 11 36.44x
Wymondham 11 294.91x
Bromley London 10 19.18x
Cromer 10 769.23x
Rollesby 9 1956.52x
Willesden 9 40.29x
Carlton Colville 7 660.38x
Putney 7 64.81x
Ratcliffe London 7 53.48x
Bethnal Green London 6 5.83x
Stratton St Mary 6 1200.00x
Belaugh 5 4545.45x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 16.37x
Heigham 5 25.56x
Lowestoft 5 36.66x
Westminster St John 5 17.32x
Boston 4 34.78x
Kingston On Thames 4 14.41x
Lambeth 4 1.94x
Norwich St Benedict 4 246.91x
Norwich St Saviour 4 312.50x
Oulton 4 408.16x
Scotter 4 459.77x
St George Hanover Square 4 9.58x
Doncaster 3 17.48x
Kensington London 3 2.28x
Repps Cum Bastwick 3 1363.64x
Camberwell 2 1.32x
Gorleston 2 27.25x
Hutton In Forest 2 1000.00x
Loddon 2 212.77x
St Marylebone London 2 1.58x
Stockport 2 7.43x
Stoke Damerel 2 5.79x
Warwick St Mary 2 38.54x
Aldeby 1 192.31x
Bicker 1 169.49x
Binfield 1 72.99x
Brighton 1 1.24x
Erpingham 1 333.33x
Eston 1 19.53x
Middle Greenock 1 19.96x
Mutford 1 312.50x
Norwich St Augustine 1 68.03x
Olney 1 50.51x
Poplar London 1 2.24x
Scawby 1 80.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.10x
St Marythe Great 1 204.08x
St Pancras London 1 0.52x
Stranton 1 4.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 15
James 10
John 9
George 8
Alfred 6
Henry 6
Arthur 5
Frederick 5
Robert 5
Samuel 5
Charles 4
Albert 3
Harry 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Benjn. 2
Edward 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
(Mr) 1
Caroline 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezer 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Ephraim 1
Ernest 1
Ezra 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.F. 1
Humphrey 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Penn 1
Phineas 1
Saml. 1
Sarah 1
Stephen 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Grimble surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grimble surname in 1881?

In 1881, 243 people were recorded with the Grimble surname. That placed it at #11,294 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grimble surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 272 in 2016. That gives Grimble a modern rank of #15,832.

What does the Grimble surname mean?

Northern English place name from a location called Grimbald's Hill.

What does the Grimble map show?

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