NameCensus.

UK surname

Grote

A German and Dutch occupational surname referring to a large or tall person, derived from the word "groot".

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Grote surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 142, ranked #24,625, up from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Havering, Bury and Coventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grote is 144 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 184.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

142

2016, ranked #24,625

Peak year

2013

144 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grote had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 142 in 2016, ranked #24,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 82 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Grote surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grote surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grote 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 26 #28,667
1861 historical 43 #28,562
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 42 #31,018
1901 historical 75 #25,852
1911 historical 82 #24,635
1997 modern 112 #25,244
1998 modern 117 #25,190
1999 modern 121 #24,855
2000 modern 119 #25,072
2001 modern 126 #23,883
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 119 #25,026
2004 modern 116 #25,580
2005 modern 126 #24,287
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 133 #24,817
2010 modern 142 #24,352
2011 modern 142 #24,182
2012 modern 130 #25,559
2013 modern 144 #24,323
2014 modern 141 #24,855
2015 modern 143 #24,481
2016 modern 142 #24,625

Geography

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Where Grotes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Havering, Bury, Coventry and South Cambridgeshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Havering 019 Havering
2 Havering 017 Havering
3 Bury 021 Bury
4 Coventry 010 Coventry
5 South Cambridgeshire 018 South Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grote

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grote

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Grote, 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 Grote surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Grote 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Grote is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Grote is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Grote falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Grote 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 Grote, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Grote

The surname "Grote" is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German word "groter" meaning "large" or "great." It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around Hanover and Westphalia, as early as the 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the Kingdom of Saxony, dating back to the year 1190. The name appears as "Grote" in reference to a landowner or nobleman in the region.

During the Middle Ages, the name "Grote" was often associated with members of the clergy or religious orders. One notable figure was Geert Grote (1340-1384), a Dutch Roman Catholic deacon and founder of the Brethren of the Common Life, a religious movement that emphasized spiritual renewal and education.

In the 15th century, the name "Grote" appeared in various records and manuscripts from the Hanseatic League, a powerful medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northern Europe. This suggests that the name may have been connected to prominent merchant families in the region.

Another significant figure was Hugo Grotius (1583-1645), a Dutch jurist, philosopher, and theologian who is considered one of the founding fathers of modern international law. His seminal work, "On the Law of War and Peace," published in 1625, laid the groundwork for the principles of just war theory and the rights of nations.

In the realm of literature, the name "Grote" is associated with George Grote (1794-1871), an English classical historian and politician. His influential work, "History of Greece," published in 12 volumes between 1846 and 1856, is regarded as a landmark in the study of ancient Greek history and culture.

The surname "Grote" also has a notable presence in the field of astronomy. George Grote III (1794-1868), the son of the historian George Grote, was an amateur astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the orbits of comets.

While the surname "Grote" has its roots in Germany, it has spread to various parts of the world due to migration and immigration patterns over the centuries. However, it is important to note that this report focuses solely on the historical origins and notable bearers of the surname, rather than providing modern census data or demographic information.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grote families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grote 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 33 Grotes recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.77x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 33 6.77x
Staffordshire 6 3.65x
Worcestershire 4 6.28x
Surrey 3 1.26x
Dunbartonshire 1 7.63x
Lanarkshire 1 0.63x
Midlothian 1 1.53x
Warwickshire 1 0.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bow London in Middlesex leads with 7 Grotes recorded in 1881 and an index of 112.72x.

Place Total Index
Bow London 7 112.72x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 206.19x
St Giles In Fields London 6 251.05x
St Martin In Fields 6 205.48x
Bethnal Green London 4 18.89x
Kidderminster Foreign 3 333.33x
Limehouse London 3 56.07x
Spitalfields London 3 81.74x
Streatham 2 55.25x
Aston 1 2.95x
Edinburgh Newington 1 833.33x
Govan 1 2.56x
Kensington London 1 3.69x
Kirkintilloch 1 56.18x
Rock 1 400.00x
St George Hanover Square 1 11.64x
St Pancras London 1 2.55x
Wandsworth 1 21.32x
Westminster St James 1 19.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Alice 1
Annie 1
Cattrinn 1
Eliza 1
Ellis 1
Hannah 1
Helena 1
Lizzie 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Mary 1
Murd 1
Nelly 1
Rebekah 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 3
John 3
Charles 2
William 2
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Frederk 1
G.Whitcombe 1
George 1
Hurbert 1
James 1
Johan 1
Joseph 1
Robt 1
Roland 1
Walter 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 Grote households.

FAQ

Grote surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grote surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Grote surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grote surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 142 in 2016. That gives Grote a modern rank of #24,625.

What does the Grote surname mean?

A German and Dutch occupational surname referring to a large or tall person, derived from the word "groot".

What does the Grote map show?

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