UK surname
A surname likely derived from the Russian word "grin" meaning "wart" or "corn."
In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Grine surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9, ranked #37,705, down from #32,926 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bury, Wigan and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grine is 173 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.0%.
1881 census count
6
Ranked #32,926
Modern count
9
2016, ranked #37,705
Peak year
1861
173 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Grine surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Grine 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 | 94 | #17,837 |
| 1861 | historical | 173 | #13,553 |
| 1881 | historical | 6 | #32,926 |
| 1891 | historical | 120 | #21,292 |
| 1901 | historical | 25 | #31,259 |
| 1911 | historical | 31 | #29,952 |
| 1997 | modern | 1 | #38,839 |
| 1998 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 1999 | modern | 1 | #38,820 |
| 2000 | modern | 1 | #38,790 |
| 2001 | modern | 2 | #38,335 |
| 2002 | modern | 2 | #38,400 |
| 2003 | modern | 3 | #38,198 |
| 2004 | modern | 2 | #38,464 |
| 2005 | modern | 4 | #38,078 |
| 2006 | modern | 2 | #38,590 |
| 2007 | modern | 2 | #38,617 |
| 2008 | modern | 2 | #38,673 |
| 2009 | modern | 3 | #38,494 |
| 2010 | modern | 5 | #38,186 |
| 2011 | modern | 2 | #38,745 |
| 2012 | modern | 3 | #38,530 |
| 2013 | modern | 4 | #38,359 |
| 2014 | modern | 5 | #38,228 |
| 2015 | modern | 6 | #38,076 |
| 2016 | modern | 9 | #37,705 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bury, Wigan, Manchester, Leigh and Blackburn. 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 | Bury | Lancashire |
| 2 | Wigan | Lancashire |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Leigh | Lancashire |
| 5 | Blackburn | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Grine 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 Grine, 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 Grine surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Grine 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, Grine 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 Grine is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Grine, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname GRINE has its origins in Germany, dating back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "grün," meaning "green," which was likely used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a green complexion or someone who lived near a lush, green area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the GRINE surname can be found in the records of the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a Hans Grine is mentioned in a document from 1525. This document suggests that the name was already established in that region at the time.
As the name spread across Germany, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Grüne, Grün, and Griene. These variations were often the result of regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.
In the late 16th century, the GRINE surname appears to have gained some prominence when a Johann Grine (1562-1628) became a respected scholar and theologian in the city of Nuremberg. His writings on religious matters were widely circulated and contributed to the spread of the surname across southern Germany.
Another notable figure bearing the GRINE surname was Friedrich Grine (1701-1773), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Bavaria in Munich. His compositions, primarily for organ and church choir, were highly regarded during his lifetime.
Moving into the 19th century, the GRINE surname found its way to other parts of Europe and even to the United States. One such individual was Wilhelm Grine (1835-1901), a German-born painter who immigrated to Philadelphia in the 1860s and gained recognition for his landscapes and portraiture.
A more recent example is the German physicist and Nobel laureate, Max Grine (1879-1970), who made significant contributions to the field of quantum mechanics and is best known for his work on the wave-particle duality of light.
Throughout its history, the GRINE surname has had various connections to places and regions, such as the town of Grünenbach in Bavaria and the village of Grüningen in Switzerland, both of which likely derive their names from the same linguistic root as the surname.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grine 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. Buckinghamshire leads with 2 Grines recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.66x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Buckinghamshire | 2 | 56.66x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 3.42x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 22.78x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 1.44x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stewkley in Buckinghamshire leads with 2 Grines recorded in 1881 and an index of 6666.67x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Stewkley | 2 | 6666.67x |
| Westminster St James | 2 | 333.33x |
| Burnley | 1 | 172.41x |
| Reading St Giles | 1 | 232.56x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Grine surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Eliza | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Grine 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 Grine households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| General Porter | 2 |
| Coal Dealer | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Pedlar | 1 |
| Plait Maker | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Grine surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 9 in 2016. That gives Grine a modern rank of #37,705.
A surname likely derived from the Russian word "grin" meaning "wart" or "corn."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Grine 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.