NameCensus.

UK surname

Grunfeld

A German surname denoting someone who lived on or near a green field or meadow.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grunfeld is 124 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

2014

124 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Grunfeld surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grunfeld surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grunfeld 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
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 3 #34,063
1911 historical 5 #33,427
1997 modern 55 #32,114
1998 modern 65 #31,477
1999 modern 64 #31,692
2000 modern 76 #30,578
2001 modern 67 #31,297
2002 modern 68 #31,626
2003 modern 66 #31,879
2004 modern 69 #31,784
2005 modern 76 #31,267
2006 modern 83 #30,808
2007 modern 91 #30,061
2008 modern 95 #29,822
2009 modern 99 #29,754
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 109 #28,689
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 124 #27,049
2015 modern 122 #27,245
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Grunfelds 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 Hackney and Barnet. 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 Hackney 003 Hackney
2 Hackney 001 Hackney
3 Barnet 037 Barnet
4 Hackney 004 Hackney
5 Hackney 029 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grunfeld

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grunfeld

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Grunfeld surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Grunfeld 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Grunfeld is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Grunfeld is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Grunfeld falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Grunfeld is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Grunfeld, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Grunfeld

The surname Grunfeld has its origins in Germany and Austria, where it first emerged in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German words "grün" meaning "green" and "feld" meaning "field," suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a green field or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a 14th-century document from the town of Nuremberg, where a certain Hans Grunfeld is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by at least the 1300s in southern Germany.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Grunfeld name appears in various records from across German-speaking regions, including church registers, tax rolls, and guild documents. For example, a Johannes Grunfeld is recorded as a member of the weavers' guild in Augsburg in 1587.

In the 18th century, the name Grunfeld began to spread more widely across Europe, with some bearers of the name migrating to other countries. One notable figure from this period was Heinrich Grunfeld (1711-1783), a German composer and organist who worked in the court of the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg.

As the 19th century dawned, the Grunfeld name continued to be found in various parts of central Europe. One prominent individual was Alfred Grunfeld (1852-1924), an Austrian chess master and writer who authored several books on the game.

Another notable figure was the German-Jewish philosopher and critic Walter Grunfeld (1878-1951), who fled Nazi persecution and settled in the United States, where he taught at several universities until his death.

Other historical figures with the Grunfeld surname include the Austrian pianist and composer Alfred Grunfeld (1852-1924), the German-Jewish writer and translator Ernst Grunfeld (1900-1975), and the Hungarian-born American chess grandmaster Ernest Grunfeld (1923-2020), whose opening variation bears his name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Grunfeld surname: questions and answers

How common is the Grunfeld surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Grunfeld a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Grunfeld surname mean?

A German surname denoting someone who lived on or near a green field or meadow.

What does the Grunfeld map show?

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