NameCensus.

UK surname

Grubb

An English occupational surname referring to someone who dug or cleared out ditches or drains.

In the 1881 census there were 1,852 people recorded with the Grubb surname, ranking it #2,357 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,329, ranked #2,800, down from #2,357 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dysart, Kirkcaldy Gallatown and Sinclairtown and Kirkcaldy Linktown & Seafield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grubb is 2,558 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.8%.

1881 census count

1,852

Ranked #2,357

Modern count

2,329

2016, ranked #2,800

Peak year

1998

2,558 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grubb had 1,852 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,357 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,329 in 2016, ranked #2,800.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,169 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Grubb surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grubb surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grubb 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 1,210 #2,358
1861 historical 1,138 #2,472
1881 historical 1,852 #2,357
1891 historical 1,942 #2,370
1901 historical 2,169 #2,482
1911 historical 1,984 #2,502
1997 modern 2,475 #2,531
1998 modern 2,558 #2,553
1999 modern 2,503 #2,634
2000 modern 2,481 #2,636
2001 modern 2,383 #2,678
2002 modern 2,433 #2,685
2003 modern 2,401 #2,657
2004 modern 2,365 #2,696
2005 modern 2,320 #2,703
2006 modern 2,313 #2,711
2007 modern 2,336 #2,715
2008 modern 2,340 #2,730
2009 modern 2,386 #2,748
2010 modern 2,397 #2,789
2011 modern 2,388 #2,767
2012 modern 2,336 #2,775
2013 modern 2,370 #2,780
2014 modern 2,394 #2,771
2015 modern 2,348 #2,791
2016 modern 2,329 #2,800

Geography

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Where Grubbs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Portsmouth, Portsea and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dysart, Kirkcaldy Gallatown and Sinclairtown, Kirkcaldy Linktown & Seafield, Redditch and Worcester. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dysart Fife
2 Kirkcaldy Gallatown and Sinclairtown Fife
3 Kirkcaldy Linktown & Seafield Fife
4 Redditch 012 Redditch
5 Worcester 005 Worcester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grubb

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grubb

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Grubb surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Grubb household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Grubb is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Grubb 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

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

Meaning and origin of Grubb

The surname Grubb is believed to have originated in Germany, where it was derived from the Middle High German word "grube," meaning "pit" or "ditch." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a pit or worked in a mining or quarrying occupation.

In its earliest recorded instances, the name appeared as "Grubbe" in various German regions during the 13th and 14th centuries. Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, Grubb. The name also has variations such as Grub, Grube, and Grubbs.

One of the earliest known references to the name Grubb can be found in the Liber Censuum, a 13th-century tax record from the city of Cologne, Germany. This document mentions a person named Henricus Grubbe, suggesting the name was present in this region during that period.

As the name spread across Europe, it appeared in various historical records. In England, the Grubb surname can be traced back to the late 16th century, with one of the earliest recorded instances being John Grubb, who was born in Wiltshire in 1585.

Another notable bearer of the Grubb name was Henry Grubb, an English clergyman and writer who lived from 1679 to 1657. He was known for his work "The Mirrour of Divine Love Unveiled," published in 1633.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Grubb name was that of John Grubb, who arrived in Pennsylvania from England in 1677. His descendants went on to play significant roles in the early history of the American colonies.

Among the notable figures with the Grubb surname was Obadiah Grubb, an American Quaker and merchant who lived from 1702 to 1767. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly and played a crucial role in the establishment of the University of Pennsylvania.

Sarah Grubb, born in 1778 in Pennsylvania, was another prominent figure. She was a Quaker minister and activist who advocated for the abolition of slavery and the rights of Native Americans.

In more recent times, the Grubb name has been associated with individuals such as Sir Howard Grubb, an Irish astronomer and telescope maker who lived from 1844 to 1931. His company, Grubb Parsons, was renowned for producing high-quality astronomical instruments.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grubb families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grubb 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 261 Grubbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.44x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 261 1.44x
Surrey 164 1.86x
Warwickshire 132 2.90x
Herefordshire 105 14.17x
Worcestershire 87 3.69x
Fife 86 8.04x
Kent 86 1.39x
Yorkshire 84 0.47x
Angus 76 4.54x
Essex 61 1.71x
Midlothian 61 2.52x
Gloucestershire 56 1.58x
Wiltshire 51 3.19x
Berkshire 43 3.17x
Durham 40 0.74x
Hampshire 39 1.05x
Aberdeenshire 36 2.15x
Lancashire 35 0.16x
Staffordshire 33 0.54x
Cornwall 32 1.56x
Cheshire 30 0.75x
Oxfordshire 25 2.24x
Lanarkshire 22 0.38x
Kincardineshire 21 9.54x
Ayrshire 19 1.40x
Suffolk 15 0.68x
Perthshire 14 1.73x
Renfrewshire 14 1.00x
Sussex 12 0.39x
Leicestershire 10 0.50x
Shropshire 10 0.64x
Hertfordshire 9 0.72x
Lincolnshire 9 0.31x
Argyllshire 8 1.59x
Monmouthshire 7 0.54x
Pembrokeshire 7 1.22x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.55x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.52x
Derbyshire 6 0.21x
Bedfordshire 4 0.43x
Morayshire 4 1.42x
Somerset 4 0.14x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 1.15x
Northumberland 3 0.11x
Brecknockshire 2 0.55x
Norfolk 2 0.07x
Northamptonshire 2 0.12x
Radnorshire 2 1.37x
Banffshire 1 0.27x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.14x
Devon 1 0.03x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.28x
Nairnshire 1 1.81x
Selkirkshire 1 0.61x
Stirlingshire 1 0.15x
West Lothian 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 38 Grubbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.23x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 38 5.23x
Dundee 36 5.76x
Birmingham 35 2.30x
Bethnal Green London 31 3.95x
Islington London 31 1.77x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 30 3.08x
Plumstead 24 11.67x
Shoreditch London 23 2.94x
Perranzabuloe 22 124.65x
Croydon 21 4.30x
Lambeth 21 1.33x
Aston 20 1.59x
Anstruther Easter 19 246.11x
Liff Benvie 19 7.47x
Camberwell 18 1.56x
Fenny Compton 18 495.87x
Highworth 18 88.06x
Ecclesall Bierlow 17 4.67x
St Marylebone London 17 1.76x
Southwark St George Martyr 16 4.40x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 15 4.79x
Battersea 15 2.26x
Chatham 15 8.84x
Paddington London 15 2.26x
Tottenham 14 4.86x
Barony 13 0.88x
Bermondsey 13 2.42x
Poplar London 13 3.81x
Holy Trinity 12 2.79x
Kirkcaldy 12 22.61x
Leominster 12 39.11x
Shalford 12 265.49x
Tupsley 12 190.78x
Westoe 12 3.94x
Wethersfield 12 133.33x
Whitbourne 12 260.30x
Burntisland 11 36.76x
Chilvers Coton 11 58.67x
Coleshill 11 75.29x
Irvine 11 29.27x
Penshurst 11 106.08x
South Leith 11 4.04x
Stratton St Margaret 11 44.86x
Thornbury 11 758.62x
Bromley 10 10.64x
Caterham 10 25.69x
Inverurie 10 52.83x
Leicester St Margaret 10 2.05x
Leigh 10 34.90x
Little Clacton 10 263.85x
Monifieth 10 16.91x
Newbury 10 23.01x
Putney 10 12.14x
Walsall Foreign 10 3.17x
Alfrick 9 323.74x
Brighton 9 1.46x
Bristol St Augustine 9 15.73x
Clerkenwell London 9 2.11x
Glenbervie 9 149.25x
Great Malvern 9 18.27x
Hackney London 9 0.89x
Harborne 9 4.60x
Leeds 9 0.89x
Macclesfield 9 5.07x
Mile End Old Town London 9 2.34x
St George In East London 9 5.29x
St Luke London 9 3.10x
Stanton Fitzwarren 9 756.30x
Thornton In Fylde 9 19.18x
Cradley 8 73.80x
East Greenock 8 6.05x
Ellel 8 72.33x
Erith 8 13.17x
Kilrenny 8 40.42x
Martley 8 118.34x
Monkwearmouth Shore 8 7.62x
Nuneaton 8 15.15x
Thundersley 8 248.45x
Tilehurst 8 29.19x
Warwick St Nicholas 8 23.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 100
Elizabeth 68
Sarah 53
Eliza 37
Emma 36
Alice 24
Ann 24
Annie 23
Jane 22
Ellen 19
Emily 18
Louisa 14
Harriet 13
Martha 13
Charlotte 12
Fanny 12
Ada 11
Edith 11
Florence 11
Hannah 11
Maria 11
Kate 9
Caroline 7
Clara 7
Agnes 6
Lucy 6
Minnie 6
Sophia 6
Anne 5
Harriett 5
Margaret 5
Rose 5
Amelia 4
Catherine 4
Frances 4
Francis 4
Isabella 4
Julia 4
Lavinia 4
Susan 4
Eleanor 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Laura 3
Matilda 3
Ruth 3
Anna 2
Jemima 2
Lily 2
Lizzie 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 97
John 72
Thomas 64
George 50
Charles 46
James 35
Henry 29
Alfred 21
Walter 21
Edward 20
Joseph 20
Albert 12
Arthur 12
Herbert 11
Richard 11
Samuel 11
Robert 10
Ernest 8
Harry 8
Edwin 7
Frederick 7
Fredk. 6
Frank 5
David 4
Oliver 4
Thos. 4
Earnest 3
Geo. 3
Percy 3
Sydney 3
Willm. 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Ebenezer 2
Eli 2
Fred 2
Horace 2
Isaac 2
Joshua 2
Reuben 2
Robt 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Augustus 1
Barnard 1
Edgar 1
Harold 1
Youall 1

FAQ

Grubb surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grubb surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,852 people were recorded with the Grubb surname. That placed it at #2,357 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grubb surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,329 in 2016. That gives Grubb a modern rank of #2,800.

What does the Grubb surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who dug or cleared out ditches or drains.

What does the Grubb map show?

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