NameCensus.

UK surname

Grinsell

A locational surname for someone from a place called Grinshall or Grinshall Green.

In the 1881 census there were 101 people recorded with the Grinsell surname, ranking it #19,636 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 141, ranked #24,753, down from #19,636 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Sedgley and Tipton otherwise Tibington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys, North Tyneside and Coventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grinsell is 164 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.6%.

1881 census count

101

Ranked #19,636

Modern count

141

2016, ranked #24,753

Peak year

2002

164 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grinsell had 101 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,636 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 141 in 2016, ranked #24,753.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 137 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Grinsell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grinsell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grinsell 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 31 #27,734
1861 historical 42 #28,691
1881 historical 101 #19,636
1891 historical 100 #24,045
1901 historical 137 #19,032
1911 historical 121 #20,336
1997 modern 153 #20,868
1998 modern 159 #20,916
1999 modern 150 #21,826
2000 modern 154 #21,415
2001 modern 152 #21,294
2002 modern 164 #20,687
2003 modern 148 #21,866
2004 modern 152 #21,628
2005 modern 156 #21,221
2006 modern 147 #22,221
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 147 #23,248
2010 modern 155 #22,985
2011 modern 149 #23,408
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 147 #23,977
2014 modern 147 #24,177
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 141 #24,753

Geography

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Where Grinsells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Solihull, Church Bickenhill and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys, North Tyneside, Coventry, Walsall and Leeds. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Sedgley Staffordshire
3 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
4 Solihull, Church Bickenhill Warwickshire
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 003 Powys
2 North Tyneside 018 North Tyneside
3 Coventry 019 Coventry
4 Walsall 039 Walsall
5 Leeds 002 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grinsell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grinsell

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Grinsell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Grinsell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Grinsell is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Grinsell is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Grinsell falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Grinsell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Grinsell

The surname Grinsell originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English words "grene" meaning green and "sele" meaning a dwelling or hall. The name likely referred to someone who lived in a green hall or a dwelling near a green area.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was written as "Greneshell". This entry suggests that the name was already established in parts of England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, several records mention individuals with the surname Grinsell or similar spellings such as "Grynsell" and "Grynshelle". These include Richard Grynsell, who was documented in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273, and John Grynshelle, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.

The name Grinsell has also been associated with various place names throughout England, including Greenhill in Buckinghamshire and Greensill in Cumbria. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Grinsell include:

1. William Grinsell (c. 1540-1610), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire in the late 16th century.

2. Thomas Grinsell (1690-1768), a British military officer who fought in the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War.

3. Mary Grinsell (1755-1834), an English author known for her novels and poetry.

4. John Grinsell (1804-1872), a prominent architect in London who designed several notable buildings, including St. Andrew's Church in Holborn.

5. Edward Grinsell (1878-1957), a British archaeologist and author who made significant contributions to the study of prehistoric monuments in England.

While the surname Grinsell has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and migration patterns. However, its origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era and the descriptive meaning of a dwelling or hall near a green area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grinsell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grinsell 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. Staffordshire leads with 70 Grinsells recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.05x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 70 21.05x
Middlesex 8 0.81x
Warwickshire 8 3.22x
Surrey 7 1.46x
Berkshire 4 5.41x
Lancashire 2 0.17x
Cheshire 1 0.46x
Midlothian 1 0.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Bromwich in Staffordshire leads with 17 Grinsells recorded in 1881 and an index of 89.29x.

Place Total Index
West Bromwich 17 89.29x
Tipton 14 137.52x
Walsall Foreign 10 58.21x
Warwick St Mary 8 370.37x
Handsworth 7 85.37x
Wednesfield 7 143.15x
Kingswinford 6 49.71x
St Pancras London 5 6.31x
Reading St Giles 4 55.17x
Sedgley 4 32.39x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 20.18x
Willenhall 4 64.21x
Islington London 3 3.14x
Camberwell 2 3.18x
Everton 2 5.37x
Birkenhead 1 5.77x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.88x
Great Wyrley 1 277.78x
Lambeth 1 1.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 6
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 4
Jane 4
Betsey 2
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Clare 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Lottie 1
Louisa 1
Martha 1
May 1
Mildred 1
Minnie 1
Phoebe 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Sushannah 1

Top male names

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

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 Grinsell households.

FAQ

Grinsell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grinsell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 101 people were recorded with the Grinsell surname. That placed it at #19,636 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grinsell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 141 in 2016. That gives Grinsell a modern rank of #24,753.

What does the Grinsell surname mean?

A locational surname for someone from a place called Grinshall or Grinshall Green.

What does the Grinsell map show?

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