NameCensus.

UK surname

Grist

A mill or grinding worker, referring to those historically employed at a gristmill.

In the 1881 census there were 1,452 people recorded with the Grist surname, ranking it #2,868 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,795, ranked #3,514, down from #2,868 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, Blaenau Gwent and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grist is 1,929 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.6%.

1881 census count

1,452

Ranked #2,868

Modern count

1,795

2016, ranked #3,514

Peak year

1999

1,929 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grist had 1,452 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,868 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,795 in 2016, ranked #3,514.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,910 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Grist surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grist surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grist 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 1,013 #2,755
1861 historical 839 #3,289
1881 historical 1,452 #2,868
1891 historical 1,461 #3,007
1901 historical 1,784 #2,928
1911 historical 1,910 #2,599
1997 modern 1,863 #3,232
1998 modern 1,903 #3,288
1999 modern 1,929 #3,270
2000 modern 1,879 #3,336
2001 modern 1,835 #3,334
2002 modern 1,865 #3,361
2003 modern 1,824 #3,361
2004 modern 1,852 #3,310
2005 modern 1,785 #3,392
2006 modern 1,793 #3,384
2007 modern 1,812 #3,383
2008 modern 1,814 #3,413
2009 modern 1,828 #3,460
2010 modern 1,868 #3,468
2011 modern 1,836 #3,472
2012 modern 1,798 #3,485
2013 modern 1,845 #3,458
2014 modern 1,836 #3,496
2015 modern 1,816 #3,500
2016 modern 1,795 #3,514

Geography

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Where Grists are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, Blaenau Gwent and Barnsley. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 012 Isle of Wight
2 Blaenau Gwent 007 Blaenau Gwent
3 Blaenau Gwent 001 Blaenau Gwent
4 Blaenau Gwent 004 Blaenau Gwent
5 Barnsley 021 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grist

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grist

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

Grist is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Grist

The surname GRIST is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "grist" which referred to the grain that was ground at a mill. The name likely originated as an occupational surname, given to those who worked as millers or were involved in the milling trade.

In medieval times, the milling of grain was an essential industry, and millers played a crucial role in providing flour for bread and other staple foods. As a result, the surname GRIST would have been widespread in areas where mills were prevalent, particularly in rural regions of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GRIST surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mention a William le Grist. The prefix "le" was a common way of indicating occupations or trades in those days.

The GRIST surname also appears in the Hertfordshire Assize Rolls of 1341, where a Thomas Grist is mentioned. This record suggests that the surname had solidified its spelling by the mid-14th century.

During the late medieval period, the GRIST surname appeared in various forms, reflecting regional dialects and variations in spelling conventions. Some of these variations included Gryst, Griste, and Gryste.

One notable bearer of the GRIST surname was John Grist (c. 1560-1624), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucester in the early 17th century. Another individual of note was Thomas Grist (1627-1687), a Quaker preacher and writer from Gloucestershire.

In the 18th century, Samuel Grist (1683-1754) was a prominent English mathematician and surveyor who authored several treatises on navigation and surveying techniques. His work contributed to the advancement of these fields during the Age of Enlightenment.

The GRIST surname also has historical connections to place names in England. For example, the village of Gristhorpe in North Yorkshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English "grist" combined with the word "thorpe," meaning a small village or hamlet.

Throughout history, the GRIST surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, tradesmen, and professionals. While the name may have originated from a humble occupation, it has endured for centuries and continues to be a part of the rich tapestry of English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grist families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grist 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. Hampshire leads with 279 Grists recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.62x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 279 9.62x
Middlesex 190 1.34x
Somerset 129 5.67x
Surrey 121 1.76x
Wiltshire 117 9.35x
Gloucestershire 102 3.68x
Kent 99 2.05x
Yorkshire 56 0.40x
Sussex 52 2.18x
Devon 47 1.60x
Lancashire 30 0.18x
Glamorgan 27 1.10x
Lincolnshire 25 1.11x
Monmouthshire 24 2.35x
Berkshire 17 1.60x
Montgomeryshire 16 4.94x
Suffolk 16 0.93x
Essex 15 0.54x
Oxfordshire 14 1.60x
Cambridgeshire 11 1.23x
Shropshire 10 0.82x
Herefordshire 9 1.55x
Northamptonshire 8 0.60x
Warwickshire 8 0.22x
Worcestershire 6 0.32x
Dorset 4 0.43x
Norfolk 4 0.18x
Cumberland 3 0.25x
Huntingdonshire 3 1.07x
Northumberland 3 0.14x
Staffordshire 2 0.04x
Denbighshire 1 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tormoham in Devon leads with 40 Grists recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.11x.

Place Total Index
Tormoham 40 32.11x
Frome 32 58.77x
Portsea 27 4.75x
Deptford St Paul 25 6.72x
Minchinhampton 23 104.07x
St Pancras London 21 1.84x
Westbury 20 68.49x
Bethnal Green London 18 2.93x
Radstock 18 120.24x
Battersea 17 3.27x
Trowbridge 17 30.75x
Warminster 17 62.02x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 16 6.13x
Kensington London 16 2.03x
Over Wallop 16 608.37x
Worplesdon 16 192.54x
Bermondsey 15 3.56x
South Stoneham 15 23.85x
Aberystruth 14 15.53x
Camberwell 14 1.55x
Freshwater 14 105.66x
Lambeth 13 1.05x
Worsbrough 13 31.65x
Everton 12 2.24x
Hound 12 60.98x
Islington London 12 0.88x
Ruskington 12 207.97x
St George Hanover Square 12 4.82x
St Marylebone London 12 1.59x
Chelsea London 11 2.58x
Chichester St Pancras 11 154.28x
Hanworth 11 221.77x
Millbrook 11 15.06x
Brenzett 10 666.67x
Great Chart 10 277.78x
St Luke London 10 4.41x
Wells St Cuthbert 10 64.35x
Clapham 9 5.09x
Hawkesbury 9 95.34x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 9 25.46x
Llanidloes 9 37.47x
Mile End Old Town London 9 2.99x
Portsmouth 9 13.48x
Sawston 9 104.17x
St Helens 9 42.69x
Stockbridge 9 212.77x
Stroud 9 16.67x
Amport 8 243.16x
Anwick 8 476.19x
Calbourne 8 257.23x
East Woodhay 8 108.11x
Folkestone 8 8.55x
Hampton Wick London 8 77.22x
Hemington 8 282.69x
Hereford St Peter 8 51.65x
Mayfield 8 56.74x
Newington 8 1.53x
Peterborough 8 8.31x
Ryde 8 12.85x
Carisbrooke 7 17.39x
Cheltenham 7 3.27x
Chirbury 7 97.22x
Fisherton De La Mere 7 489.51x
Kings Somborne 7 115.13x
Longstock 7 331.75x
Midsomer Norton 7 32.63x
Neithrop 7 23.84x
Nunney 7 141.99x
Painswick 7 35.68x
South Hayling 7 135.66x
Southampton St Mary 7 3.84x
Swansea Higher 7 27.29x
West Derby 7 1.43x
Winkfield 7 39.73x
Bedminster 6 2.80x
Bradford On Avon 6 14.98x
Great Bolton 6 2.70x
North Hayling 6 461.54x
Shoreditch London 6 0.98x
Whitchurch 6 137.30x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 88
George 65
John 48
Charles 46
Henry 29
James 27
Thomas 27
Joseph 23
Alfred 20
Albert 19
Edward 14
Frank 14
Frederick 12
Walter 12
Arthur 11
Robert 11
Benjamin 10
Herbert 10
Richard 10
Samuel 10
Harry 9
Ernest 6
Wm. 5
Daniel 4
Francis 4
Geo. 4
Giles 4
Oliver 4
Sidney 4
David 3
Edwin 3
Jacob 3
Mark 3
Moses 3
Percy 3
Tom 3
B. 2
Cornelius 2
G. 2
Horace 2
Howard 2
Jas. 2
Jonathan 2
Laurent 2
Saml. 2
Stephen 2
Sydney 2
Thos. 2
Edgar 1
Edmund 1

FAQ

Grist surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grist surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,452 people were recorded with the Grist surname. That placed it at #2,868 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grist surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,795 in 2016. That gives Grist a modern rank of #3,514.

What does the Grist surname mean?

A mill or grinding worker, referring to those historically employed at a gristmill.

What does the Grist map show?

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