NameCensus.

UK surname

Grimmitt

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "gray valley" or "gray stream."

In the 1881 census there were 57 people recorded with the Grimmitt surname, ranking it #25,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 100, ranked #31,123, down from #25,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Burton-on-Trent, Bourn and Buckland with Laverton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Somerset, Birmingham and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grimmitt is 188 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 75.4%.

1881 census count

57

Ranked #25,575

Modern count

100

2016, ranked #31,123

Peak year

1911

188 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grimmitt had 57 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016, ranked #31,123.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 188 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Grimmitt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grimmitt surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grimmitt 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 58 #22,928
1861 historical 64 #25,747
1881 historical 57 #25,575
1891 historical 64 #28,781
1901 historical 117 #20,830
1911 historical 188 #15,550
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 109 #26,273
1999 modern 116 #25,487
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 112 #26,165
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 113 #25,999
2005 modern 120 #25,066
2006 modern 108 #27,015
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 102 #29,930
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 92 #31,528
2013 modern 97 #31,239
2014 modern 101 #30,855
2015 modern 101 #30,816
2016 modern 100 #31,123

Geography

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Where Grimmitts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Burton-on-Trent, Bourn, Buckland with Laverton, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Somerset, Birmingham, The Vale of Glamorgan and Tewkesbury. 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 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
2 Bourn Lincolnshire
3 Buckland with Laverton Gloucestershire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Somerset 008 North Somerset
2 Birmingham 101 Birmingham
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 008 Vale of Glamorgan
4 Birmingham 127 Birmingham
5 Tewkesbury 003 Tewkesbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grimmitt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grimmitt

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Grimmitt 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

Grimmitt is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Grimmitt 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 Grimmitt 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 Grimmitt, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Grimmitt

The surname Grimmitt is believed to have originated in England, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period, specifically the 12th to 15th centuries. It is thought to derive from the Old English personal name Grim or Grimma, combined with the diminutive suffix -itt, meaning “little” or “son of.” The Old English Grimma means "fierce" or "grim," suggesting that the original bearers of the name may have been regarded as formidable or stern individuals.

Historical records indicate various spellings including Grymet, Grymmett, and Grimet. The name commonly appears in regions such as Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where a William Grymet is mentioned. This indicates that the name had been in use for at least several decades prior.

A notable figure with this surname is John Grimmett, recorded in the 1524 Subsidy Rolls of Sussex. This points to the geographic spread of the name across different counties by the early 16th century. The evolution of spelling throughout this period also reflects the lack of standardized orthography in English personal names.

Richard Grimett, born in 1593 in Worcestershire, is another historical bearer of the name. He is noted for his role as a yeoman, reflecting the agrarian lifestyle predominantly associated with the surname's early bearers. Such occupational ties add an element of socio-economic history to the name.

In the 17th century, a prominent individual is Thomas Grimmett, who was an English sheriff in Nottinghamshire. He is recorded to have been active around 1650, playing a part in the local governance and legal enforcement of his region.

In the realm of arts and literature, Mary Grimmett, born in 1787, made her mark in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as a poet and writer. While not widely known, her work contributed to the cultural fabric of her time, providing insights into the era's literary trends.

Finally, Edwin Grimmett, born in 1843, a figure from the 19th century, is recognized for his involvement in the industrial sector during the industrial revolution in England. His contributions as an engineer or tradesman highlight the adaptive nature of those bearing the surname to the changing economic conditions of their times.

The surname Grimmitt, with its rich historical lineage, encompasses a variety of societal roles and regional origins, reflecting the diverse paths taken by its bearers over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grimmitt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grimmitt 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. Gloucestershire leads with 18 Grimmitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.51x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 18 16.51x
Warwickshire 14 9.99x
Worcestershire 6 8.26x
Cheshire 5 4.07x
Staffordshire 4 2.13x
Leicestershire 3 4.87x
Lincolnshire 2 2.25x
Surrey 2 0.74x
Derbyshire 1 1.15x
Oxfordshire 1 2.91x
Suffolk 1 1.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Buckland in Gloucestershire leads with 14 Grimmitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 28000.00x.

Place Total Index
Buckland 14 28000.00x
Birmingham 8 17.12x
Church Coppenhall 5 909.09x
Aston 4 10.36x
Burton Upon Trent 4 91.12x
Didbrook 4 10000.00x
Leicester All Sts 3 247.93x
Oldbury 3 84.03x
Staunton 3 3750.00x
Sutterton 2 1111.11x
Albury 1 400.00x
Coventry Holy Trinity 1 23.87x
Halford 1 2000.00x
Salford 1 1428.57x
Shere 1 303.03x
Southwold 1 250.00x
Walton On Trent 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Sarah 4
Anne 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Caraline 1
Charlotte 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Franciss 1
Jane 1
Kezia 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mary 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
Thomas 6
Joseph 4
George 2
Alfred 1
Auther 1
Charley 1
Christopher 1
James 1
John 1
Rubin 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Grimmitt households.

FAQ

Grimmitt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grimmitt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 57 people were recorded with the Grimmitt surname. That placed it at #25,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grimmitt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016. That gives Grimmitt a modern rank of #31,123.

What does the Grimmitt surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "gray valley" or "gray stream."

What does the Grimmitt map show?

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