NameCensus.

UK surname

Grounds

A surname derived from living near an open field or common ground.

In the 1881 census there were 506 people recorded with the Grounds surname, ranking it #6,724 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 431, ranked #11,170, down from #6,724 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Grappenhall (Latchford) , Runcorn (Thelwall), Wigan and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton, Fenland and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grounds is 509 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.8%.

1881 census count

506

Ranked #6,724

Modern count

431

2016, ranked #11,170

Peak year

1891

509 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grounds had 506 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,724 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016, ranked #11,170.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 509 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Grounds surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grounds surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grounds 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 335 #6,984
1861 historical 391 #6,549
1881 historical 506 #6,724
1891 historical 509 #7,323
1901 historical 484 #8,244
1911 historical 509 #7,732
1997 modern 399 #11,028
1998 modern 405 #11,241
1999 modern 422 #10,999
2000 modern 397 #11,463
2001 modern 395 #11,324
2002 modern 407 #11,294
2003 modern 404 #11,191
2004 modern 403 #11,224
2005 modern 403 #11,120
2006 modern 401 #11,237
2007 modern 406 #11,249
2008 modern 402 #11,419
2009 modern 391 #11,925
2010 modern 408 #11,804
2011 modern 402 #11,828
2012 modern 431 #11,047
2013 modern 438 #11,071
2014 modern 435 #11,224
2015 modern 437 #11,077
2016 modern 431 #11,170

Geography

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Where Grounds' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Grappenhall (Latchford) , Runcorn (Thelwall), Wigan, Manchester, Standish and Doddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton, Fenland, Wigan and Blackpool. 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 Grappenhall (Latchford) , Runcorn (Thelwall) Lancashire
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Standish Lancashire
5 Doddington Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 033 Bolton
2 Fenland 009 Fenland
3 Fenland 005 Fenland
4 Wigan 032 Wigan
5 Blackpool 009 Blackpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grounds

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grounds

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Grounds surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Grounds household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Grounds 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

Grounds is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Grounds falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Grounds

The surname Grounds is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "grund" or "grunnd," meaning "ground" or "earth." It likely originated as a surname in the 13th or 14th century, referring to someone who lived near or worked on the ground or land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Grounds surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where a William atte Grounds is listed. The prefix "atte" indicates "at the," suggesting that William lived near or was associated with a particular area known as "Grounds."

In the 15th century, the Grounds surname appeared in various records, such as the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1486, mentioning a Thomas Groundes. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1512 recorded a John Groundes.

The Grounds surname has been associated with various place names throughout its history. For example, in the 16th century, there were references to the Groundes family of Groundes in Hertfordshire. This place name likely contributed to the surname's development.

Notable individuals with the Grounds surname include Sir William Grounds (1615-1671), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire in the 17th century. Another prominent figure was John Grounds (1786-1864), an English architect and surveyor known for his work on churches and public buildings in London.

Other individuals worth mentioning are Richard Grounds (1795-1853), an English engraver and artist, and Edward Grounds (1862-1942), an Australian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives.

In the 19th century, the Grounds surname appeared in various literary works, such as the novel "John Caldigate" by Anthony Trollope, published in 1879, which featured a character named Grounds.

Overall, the surname Grounds has a long history rooted in the English language and has been associated with various locations and notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grounds families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grounds 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. Lancashire leads with 230 Grounds' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.93x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 230 3.93x
Cheshire 77 7.07x
Kent 41 2.43x
Middlesex 36 0.73x
Cambridgeshire 34 10.88x
Durham 13 0.89x
Lincolnshire 13 1.65x
Norfolk 10 1.32x
Denbighshire 9 4.83x
Warwickshire 8 0.64x
Hampshire 6 0.59x
Leicestershire 6 1.10x
Sussex 6 0.72x
Essex 5 0.51x
Huntingdonshire 4 4.08x
Hertfordshire 2 0.59x
Northamptonshire 2 0.43x
Surrey 2 0.08x
Lanarkshire 1 0.06x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Warrington in Lancashire leads with 39 Grounds' recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.17x.

Place Total Index
Warrington 39 56.17x
Appleton 23 931.17x
Standish With Langtree 19 263.52x
Lewisham 15 16.70x
Bethnal Green London 13 6.06x
Rainford 13 205.37x
Upholland 13 173.10x
Chesterton 12 124.48x
March 12 114.61x
Billinge Chapel End 11 334.35x
Walton Inferior 11 1309.52x
Little Mongeham 10 3333.33x
Moulton 10 263.16x
Stockport 10 17.83x
Weston In Runcorn 10 353.36x
Ruabon 9 35.10x
Salford 9 5.22x
Windle 9 27.31x
Birmingham 8 1.93x
Westleigh 8 60.15x
Halliwell 7 32.83x
Parr 7 33.41x
Shevington 7 261.19x
Skelmersdale 7 71.72x
St Andrewthe Less 7 19.60x
St Pancras London 7 1.76x
West Derby 7 4.09x
Beswick 6 40.05x
Hackney London 6 2.17x
Kirkdale 6 6.09x
Lymm 6 75.76x
Maidstone 6 11.96x
Pendleton In Salford 6 8.60x
Stockton On Tees 6 8.48x
Billinge Higher End 5 210.97x
Clerkenwell London 5 4.29x
Great Budworth 5 259.07x
Leicester St Mary 5 11.31x
Pilkington 5 22.47x
Preston 5 34.41x
Seaham 5 93.46x
Wardleworth 5 14.94x
West Ham 5 2.32x
Hethersett 4 208.33x
Millbrook 4 15.70x
Paddington London 4 2.20x
Penketh 4 189.57x
Somersham 4 168.07x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 4 23.72x
Atherton 3 14.07x
Bury 3 4.48x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 3.22x
Cranbrook 3 42.08x
Haddenham 3 102.04x
Haughton 3 35.13x
Outwell 3 204.08x
Prescot 3 28.33x
Clifton 2 588.24x
Cornforth 2 46.30x
Dover St James 2 27.10x
Flixton 2 66.67x
Grafton Regis 2 689.66x
Hitchin 2 13.02x
Latchford 2 27.62x
Manchester 2 0.76x
North Meols 2 3.49x
Staplehurst 2 72.20x
Stretford 2 6.21x
Thelwall 2 238.10x
Wigan 2 2.44x
Amcotts 1 149.25x
Everton 1 0.54x
Farnworth 1 2.85x
Hale 1 26.60x
Leicester St Margaret 1 0.75x
Pemberton 1 4.28x
Portsmouth 1 4.29x
Todmorden Walsden 1 6.37x
Westhoughton 1 6.40x
Wrotham 1 17.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 48
Margaret 20
Ellen 18
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 14
Jane 12
Ann 11
Alice 7
Annie 5
Catherine 5
Emily 5
Esther 5
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Eliza 3
Martha 3
Beatrice 2
Blanche 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Aurora 1
Bertha 1
Eliz. 1
Elizebeth 1
Emaline 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Hilda 1
Infant 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Joana 1
Joanna 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 41
Thomas 29
William 21
Joseph 18
George 13
James 13
Henry 8
Peter 8
Charles 7
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
David 4
Edward 4
Albert 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Anthony 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Horace 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Sydney 2
Wm. 2
Ambrose 1
Dd. 1
Earnest 1
Fredr. 1
Geo.F.C. 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Holbrook 1
Job 1
Johnson 1
Luke 1
Matthew 1
Mich. 1
Noel 1
Samual 1
Septimus 1
Stanley 1
Wm.C. 1

FAQ

Grounds surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grounds surname in 1881?

In 1881, 506 people were recorded with the Grounds surname. That placed it at #6,724 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grounds surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016. That gives Grounds a modern rank of #11,170.

What does the Grounds surname mean?

A surname derived from living near an open field or common ground.

What does the Grounds map show?

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