NameCensus.

UK surname

Grisley

In the 1881 census there were 75 people recorded with the Grisley surname, ranking it #22,893 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 115, ranked #28,348, down from #22,893 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Newchurch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lewisham, Caerphilly and Milton Keynes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grisley is 117 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.3%.

1881 census count

75

Ranked #22,893

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

1998

117 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grisley had 75 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,893 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 100 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Grisley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grisley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grisley 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 38 #26,502
1861 historical 54 #27,127
1881 historical 75 #22,893
1891 historical 69 #28,188
1901 historical 91 #23,921
1911 historical 100 #22,717
1997 modern 102 #26,638
1998 modern 117 #25,190
1999 modern 117 #25,362
2000 modern 116 #25,452
2001 modern 111 #25,767
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 103 #27,234
2004 modern 103 #27,503
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 106 #27,722
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 106 #29,157
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 112 #28,675
2014 modern 109 #29,452
2015 modern 110 #29,157
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Grisleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Newchurch, London parishes, Tarvin and St James Clerkenwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lewisham, Caerphilly, Milton Keynes, Basildon and Castle Point. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 Newchurch Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Tarvin Cheshire
5 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lewisham 024 Lewisham
2 Caerphilly 001 Caerphilly
3 Milton Keynes 011 Milton Keynes
4 Basildon 018 Basildon
5 Castle Point 003 Castle Point

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grisley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grisley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Grisley is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Grisley 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

Grisley 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 Grisley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Grisley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grisley 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. Middlesex leads with 47 Grisleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.98x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 47 6.98x
Essex 8 6.02x
Surrey 7 2.13x
Leicestershire 4 5.36x
Kent 1 0.44x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 10.27x
Lancashire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clerkenwell London in Middlesex leads with 13 Grisleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 81.81x.

Place Total Index
Clerkenwell London 13 81.81x
Shoreditch London 13 44.55x
Bethnal Green London 8 27.36x
West Ham 8 27.28x
Bow London 5 58.34x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 36.93x
Appleby 4 2352.94x
Limehouse London 4 54.13x
St Gilesin Fields London 2 350.88x
Bermondsey 1 4.99x
Deptford St Paul 1 5.65x
Feltham 1 149.25x
Lambeth 1 1.70x
Manchester 1 2.78x
St George Hanover Square 1 8.43x
Urr 1 78.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Mary 3
Rebecca 3
Sarah 3
Anne 2
Annie 2
Ellen 2
Sophia 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Celia 1
Elizab. 1
Elizb. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Maud 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 4
John 3
Wm. 3
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Joseph 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
James 1
Joshua 1
Luke 1
Saml. 1
W. 1
Willm. 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 Grisley households.

FAQ

Grisley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grisley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 75 people were recorded with the Grisley surname. That placed it at #22,893 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grisley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Grisley a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Grisley map show?

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