UK surname
An English surname originating as the name of a fishing town in Lincolnshire.
In the 1881 census there were 52 people recorded with the Grimsby surname, ranking it #26,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 50, ranked #34,889, down from #26,281 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Walthamstow, Low Leyton and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grimsby is 105 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.8%.
1881 census count
52
Ranked #26,281
Modern count
50
2016, ranked #34,889
Peak year
1891
105 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Grimsby surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Grimsby surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 27 | #28,467 |
| 1861 | historical | 92 | #22,112 |
| 1881 | historical | 52 | #26,281 |
| 1891 | historical | 105 | #23,241 |
| 1901 | historical | 86 | #24,508 |
| 1911 | historical | 54 | #27,423 |
| 1997 | modern | 37 | #33,964 |
| 1998 | modern | 42 | #33,651 |
| 1999 | modern | 42 | #33,778 |
| 2000 | modern | 37 | #34,217 |
| 2001 | modern | 37 | #34,082 |
| 2002 | modern | 38 | #34,307 |
| 2003 | modern | 39 | #34,296 |
| 2004 | modern | 42 | #34,222 |
| 2005 | modern | 44 | #34,255 |
| 2006 | modern | 44 | #34,568 |
| 2007 | modern | 44 | #34,760 |
| 2008 | modern | 45 | #34,818 |
| 2009 | modern | 46 | #34,918 |
| 2010 | modern | 46 | #35,062 |
| 2011 | modern | 47 | #34,989 |
| 2012 | modern | 46 | #35,053 |
| 2013 | modern | 45 | #35,167 |
| 2014 | modern | 44 | #35,241 |
| 2015 | modern | 49 | #34,946 |
| 2016 | modern | 50 | #34,889 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Walthamstow, Low Leyton, Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes and Govan Combination. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | Walthamstow, Low Leyton | Essex |
| 3 | Hull Holy Trinity | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 4 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 5 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Grimsby surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Grimsby, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Grimsby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Grimsby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Grimsby is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Grimsby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Grimsby, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Grimsby originated in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the town of Grimsby in Lincolnshire. The name Grimsby itself is believed to come from the Old Norse words "Grim" (a personal name) and "by" (meaning a farmstead or village).
Grimsby was first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Grime's by." This suggests that the town was named after a person named Grim who likely lived there or owned land in the area. The spelling of the name has evolved over time, with variations such as Grymesby, Grymsby, and Grymesbye appearing in historical records.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Grimsby dates back to 1273, when a Richard de Grymesby was mentioned in the Hundredorum Rolls of Lincolnshire. Another early bearer of the name was John de Grimsby, who was listed in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1334.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named William de Grimsby served as a Benedictine monk and theologian. He was born around 1320 and wrote several works on philosophy and theology.
During the 15th century, a Walter Grimsby was recorded as a member of the Guild of Corpus Christi in York in 1446. This guild was a religious and social organization for craftsmen and tradesmen.
In the 16th century, a Thomas Grimsby was mentioned in the records of the Merchant Taylors' Company in London in 1567. This company was a guild for tailors and merchants involved in the cloth trade.
Another individual with the surname Grimsby was Robert Grimsby, who was born in Lincolnshire around 1570. He was a clergyman and served as the rector of Saltfleetby St. Peter in Lincolnshire from 1602 until his death in 1635.
These are just a few examples of people throughout history who bore the surname Grimsby, which has its roots in the medieval English town of the same name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grimsby surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 11 Grimsbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.83x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 11 | 1.83x |
| Yorkshire | 9 | 1.79x |
| Somerset | 7 | 8.57x |
| Gloucestershire | 6 | 6.03x |
| Warwickshire | 6 | 4.69x |
| Surrey | 4 | 1.62x |
| Middlesex | 3 | 0.59x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.66x |
| Essex | 1 | 1.00x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.96x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.58x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 1.23x |
| Sussex | 1 | 1.17x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 8 Grimsbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 66.17x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Holy Trinity | 8 | 66.17x |
| Bedminster | 7 | 91.26x |
| Coventry Holy Trinity | 6 | 157.07x |
| Toxteth Park | 6 | 29.44x |
| Leckhampton | 5 | 819.67x |
| Battersea | 4 | 21.44x |
| Clerkenwell London | 3 | 25.06x |
| Hulme | 3 | 23.89x |
| Bexley | 1 | 65.36x |
| Bradford | 1 | 8.22x |
| Bristol St Philip Jacob | 1 | 10.68x |
| Chorlton On Medlock | 1 | 10.46x |
| Colchester St Nicholas | 1 | 1111.11x |
| Farnborough | 1 | 91.74x |
| Salford | 1 | 5.65x |
| South Bersted | 1 | 136.99x |
| Stockton On Tees | 1 | 13.76x |
| Thoresway | 1 | 2500.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Grimsby surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Grimsby surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Grimsby households.
FAQ
In 1881, 52 people were recorded with the Grimsby surname. That placed it at #26,281 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 50 in 2016. That gives Grimsby a modern rank of #34,889.
An English surname originating as the name of a fishing town in Lincolnshire.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Grimsby bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.