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

Grainger, 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 Grainger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grainger in America

Grainger is the 8337th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grainger surname appeared 3,972 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Grainger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grainger 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 Grainger

The surname GRAINGER originated in Northern England, particularly in the areas of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "granger," which means a grange or a farmstead. The name can be traced back to the 12th century, when the grange system was introduced by monastic orders to manage their agricultural properties.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GRAINGER surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named William le Granger is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk in 1273, which lists a John le Graungere.

During the medieval period, the GRAINGER surname was often associated with individuals who worked on granges or farms owned by religious establishments. It's possible that the name originated as an occupational surname for those employed in such roles.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the GRAINGER surname was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of England, with notable families residing in areas like Cumbria, Durham, and Northumberland. One of the earliest recorded place names associated with the surname is Grainger Townfield in Northumberland, which dates back to the 13th century.

Among the notable individuals with the GRAINGER surname throughout history are:

1. Sir Thomas Grainger (1535-1591), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne.
2. Richard Grainger (1798-1861), a prominent builder and developer in Newcastle upon Tyne, responsible for much of the city's Georgian architecture.
3. Percy Grainger (1882-1961), an Australian-born composer and pianist known for works like "Country Gardens" and his advocacy of folk music.
4. Lilian Grainger (1893-1981), a British mathematician and one of the first women to receive a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Cambridge.
5. Harry Grainger (1915-1995), an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper for clubs like Newcastle United and Huddersfield Town.

While the GRAINGER surname has spread worldwide, its origins can be traced back to the agricultural communities of northern England, where it was likely derived from the Old English word for a grange or farmstead.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grainger

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

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

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

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