UK surname
A variant of the surname Gritton meaning "quarrelsome" from the Old English gritian "to complain".
In the 1881 census there were 69 people recorded with the Gritten surname, ranking it #23,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 70, ranked #33,700, down from #23,816 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Poole St James and Ealing, Chiswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gritten is 102 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.4%.
1881 census count
69
Ranked #23,816
Modern count
70
2016, ranked #33,700
Peak year
1911
102 bearers
Map years
1
1911 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Gritten surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Gritten surname density by area, 1911 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 | 25 | #28,853 |
| 1861 | historical | 31 | #30,058 |
| 1881 | historical | 69 | #23,816 |
| 1891 | historical | 99 | #24,200 |
| 1901 | historical | 89 | #24,154 |
| 1911 | historical | 102 | #22,465 |
| 1997 | modern | 76 | #29,997 |
| 1998 | modern | 79 | #30,080 |
| 1999 | modern | 76 | #30,546 |
| 2000 | modern | 90 | #29,068 |
| 2001 | modern | 82 | #29,714 |
| 2002 | modern | 79 | #30,499 |
| 2003 | modern | 78 | #30,654 |
| 2004 | modern | 74 | #31,306 |
| 2005 | modern | 70 | #31,912 |
| 2006 | modern | 76 | #31,633 |
| 2007 | modern | 80 | #31,527 |
| 2008 | modern | 75 | #32,373 |
| 2009 | modern | 79 | #32,372 |
| 2010 | modern | 72 | #33,324 |
| 2011 | modern | 73 | #33,230 |
| 2012 | modern | 78 | #33,044 |
| 2013 | modern | 82 | #32,903 |
| 2014 | modern | 83 | #32,910 |
| 2015 | modern | 77 | #33,272 |
| 2016 | modern | 70 | #33,700 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Poole St James, Ealing, Chiswick and Lambeth. 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 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 2 | Poole St James | Dorset |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Ealing, Chiswick | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Gritten 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 Gritten, 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 Gritten surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Gritten 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, Gritten 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 Gritten is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Gritten, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Gritten is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, particularly in the areas around the town of Grit, which itself derives from the Old English word "greot," meaning "grit" or "gravel."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gritten can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1195, where a certain William de Gritton is mentioned. This early spelling variation, "Gritton," suggests a direct link between the surname and the place name from which it originated.
In the 13th century, the Gritten name appeared in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire, indicating the family's presence and prominence in the region during this time. One notable figure bearing this surname was John Gritten, who was recorded as a landowner in the village of Gritton in 1273.
The Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like survey conducted in England during the reign of King Edward I, also contains references to individuals with the surname Gritten or variations of it, such as Gritton and Gryton. This further solidifies the name's connection to the Yorkshire area.
By the 14th century, the Gritten family had spread across various parts of northern England, as evidenced by records in the Yorkshire Inquisitions and the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire. One remarkable figure from this era was Roger Gritten, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of York, who lived between 1320 and 1389.
The Gritten name continued to flourish in the following centuries, with notable individuals such as William Gritten, a yeoman farmer from Yorkshire, who was born in 1524 and died in 1603. Another prominent figure was John Gritten, a renowned scholar and theologian from Cambridge, who lived from 1668 to 1735.
Throughout its long history, the surname Gritten has maintained its connection to its Yorkshire origins, with many bearers of the name still residing in the northern counties of England. The name's evolution from the Old English "greot" to its modern form reflects the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the region.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gritten 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. Middlesex leads with 17 Grittens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.53x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 17 | 2.53x |
| Surrey | 15 | 4.57x |
| Warwickshire | 15 | 8.84x |
| Staffordshire | 8 | 3.52x |
| Sussex | 4 | 3.52x |
| Dorset | 2 | 4.53x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 1.45x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.87x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 0.67x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 2.16x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.13x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.15x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 12 Grittens recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.67x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Aston | 12 | 25.67x |
| Lambeth | 9 | 15.33x |
| West Bromwich | 8 | 61.49x |
| Camberwell | 5 | 11.63x |
| St Marylebone London | 5 | 13.91x |
| Kensington London | 4 | 10.69x |
| St George Hanover Square | 4 | 33.73x |
| Birmingham | 3 | 5.30x |
| Hastings All Sts | 3 | 280.37x |
| Clerkenwell London | 2 | 12.59x |
| Minster In Sheppey | 2 | 52.63x |
| Ealing | 1 | 16.61x |
| Elstree | 1 | 666.67x |
| Eskdaleside | 1 | 303.03x |
| Garston | 1 | 42.37x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.53x |
| Mitcham | 1 | 48.31x |
| Odiham | 1 | 163.93x |
| Ore | 1 | 119.05x |
| Poole St James | 1 | 60.24x |
| Runcorn | 1 | 29.15x |
| South Stoneham | 1 | 33.44x |
| Wareham Lady St Mary | 1 | 294.12x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Gritten 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 Gritten 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 Gritten households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 15 |
| Boat Loader (Wharf) | 2 |
| Joiner | 2 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Baker | 1 |
| Baker Wife | 1 |
| Builder Employing 28 Men And 2 Boys | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Carriage Painter (Coach) | 1 |
| Civil Engineer | 1 |
| Clay Carrier In Bk Kiln Wk | 1 |
| Dom Serv | 1 |
| Engineers Assistant (E & M) | 1 |
| Formerly Dressmaker | 1 |
| Gardener (Jobbing) | 1 |
| Gen Serv Dom | 1 |
| Journeyman Bootmaker | 1 |
| Labr Genl | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Pianoforte Tuner | 1 |
| Police Constable | 1 |
| Seamstress | 1 |
| Serveyor Of Building | 1 |
| Sister | 1 |
| Slater | 1 |
| Student | 1 |
| Surveyor | 1 |
| Tailors Shopman | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 69 people were recorded with the Gritten surname. That placed it at #23,816 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 70 in 2016. That gives Gritten a modern rank of #33,700.
A variant of the surname Gritton meaning "quarrelsome" from the Old English gritian "to complain".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gritten 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.