Find out how popular the last name Grady is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Grady.

Grady, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Grady surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grady in America

Grady is the 1355th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grady surname appeared 26,103 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Grady.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grady to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Grady

The surname Grady is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic word "gráduighe" which means "illustrious" or "noble." It is believed to have emerged in the 12th century in the counties of Cork and Tipperary, Ireland.

The name Grady is thought to be an anglicized version of the Irish surname "Ó Grádaigh," which translates to "descendant of Grádach." Grádach was likely a personal name derived from the word "gráduighe," signifying someone of noble or distinguished character.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a "Gradaigh" in the year 1167. The name also appears in various medieval Irish manuscripts, such as the Book of Leinster and the Book of Ballymote.

In the 16th century, the Grady family was prominent in the Barony of Arra and Owney, located in County Tipperary. They were among the leading septs (clans) in the region and held significant influence. Notable members from this era include Thomas Grady, who served as the Archbishop of Cashel from 1564 to 1572.

Over time, the name Grady evolved into various spellings, including Gráda, Grádaigh, and Gradey. These variations were often influenced by the local dialects and the anglicization of the name by English record keepers.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Grady was Donough Grady, who lived in County Cork in the late 16th century. He is mentioned in the Fiants of Elizabeth I, which were records of official pardons and grants issued during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Grady family played a significant role in the Irish Confederate Wars (1641-1653). Edmond Grady, born around 1610, was a prominent leader in these conflicts and served as a colonel in the Confederate forces.

Another notable figure from this period was Silius Grady (1610-1675), a Franciscan friar and author. He was born in County Tipperary and wrote several works on religious subjects, including a treatise on the sacraments.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, many individuals with the surname Grady emigrated from Ireland to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, contributing to the global spread of the name.

In more recent history, individuals with the surname Grady have achieved recognition in various fields. For example, Henry Francis Grady (1850-1889) was an influential American journalist and orator from Georgia, known for his role in promoting the "New South" after the American Civil War.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grady

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Grady.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Grady was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Grady has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Grady was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Grady, please contact us.

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