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

Gragg, 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 Gragg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gragg in America

Gragg is the 6047th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gragg surname appeared 5,675 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Gragg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gragg 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 Gragg

The surname GRAGG is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "græg" meaning "gray" or "grizzled". The name was initially a descriptive nickname given to someone with gray hair or a grayish complexion.

The earliest recorded instance of the GRAGG surname dates back to the 13th century in the county of Yorkshire, England. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to a Richard Gragge residing in the village of Hovingham.

During the medieval period, the surname underwent various spelling variations, including Gragge, Graygg, and Gregge. These alterations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions and the influence of regional dialects.

One notable historical figure bearing the GRAGG surname was Sir Thomas Gragg (c. 1490-1555), a prominent English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. He served as a judge on the Court of Common Pleas and was knighted in 1547.

In the 17th century, the GRAGG surname appears in the parish records of Sowerby, Yorkshire, with the baptism of William Gragg in 1624. This region is believed to have been a stronghold for the surname during this period.

Another notable individual with the GRAGG surname was Captain John Gragg (1670-1721), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was commended for his bravery in several naval engagements against the French and the Spanish.

The GRAGG surname also has connections to place names in England. For instance, there is a village called Gragside in Northumberland, which may have derived its name from individuals bearing the GRAGG surname who lived in or owned land in the area.

Other notable individuals with the GRAGG surname include:

1. Robert Gragg (1718-1793), an English poet and writer from Yorkshire.
2. Elizabeth Gragg (1790-1867), a British philanthropist and advocate for women's education.
3. William Gragg (1829-1903), an American Civil War veteran who fought for the Union Army.
4. Henry Gragg (1855-1924), a British explorer and naturalist known for his expeditions to South America.
5. Alice Gragg (1876-1950), an American suffragist and activist for women's rights.

While the GRAGG surname may not have achieved widespread fame, it has a rich history rooted in the English countryside, with its origins dating back to the Middle Ages and its bearers contributing to various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gragg

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

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 Gragg 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 Gragg 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 Gragg was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!