Gratton
An English occupational surname referring to a grower or seller of peas or a nickname for a stubborn person.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,605 Americans carry the last name Gratton. That puts it at #13,588 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.76 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 131,576 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gratton surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.6K
1 in 131,576
Census rank
#13,588
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,231 bearers of the surname Gratton in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.76 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13588th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gratton, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gratton
The surname Gratton is believed to have originated in England, deriving from the Old English word "gretan," which means "to lament" or "to weep." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with a melancholic or sorrowful disposition.
In its earliest forms, the name was often spelled as "Greten" or "Greton," and it is found in various historical records dating back to the 13th century. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which mention a "Robertus Greton" residing in Oxfordshire.
As the name evolved over time, it took on various spellings, including "Gratton," "Grattan," and "Gretton." These variations can be found in various medieval documents, such as the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, which list a "Johannes Greton" in Cambridgeshire.
The name Gratton has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John Grattan (c. 1350 - 1427), an English knight who served under King Henry V during the Hundred Years' War. He was present at the famous Battle of Agincourt in 1415 and was later appointed as the Constable of Windsor Castle.
Another prominent figure was Henry Grattan (1746 - 1820), an Irish politician and orator who played a significant role in the Irish Patriot movement and the campaign for Irish legislative independence from Great Britain in the late 18th century.
In the literary world, Thomas Colley Grattan (1792 - 1864) was an Irish novelist and biographer known for works such as "Traits of Travel" and "Civilized America," which offered insights into American society during the early 19th century.
Moving to the realm of science, John Gratton (1857 - 1917) was a British astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the calculation of comet orbits.
Finally, one cannot overlook the legacy of Noel Gratton (1907 - 1988), a British Olympic rower who won a gold medal in the coxless fours event at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
While the surname Gratton may have originated from humble beginnings, it has been carried by individuals who have left their mark across various fields, from military service and politics to literature, science, and sports.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gratton
Among Census respondents with the surname Gratton, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Gratton bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Gratton surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.4%
- Black or African American7.5%
- Hispanic or Latino2.4%
- Two or more races2.0%
- Unknown or suppressed0.7%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Gratton surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,277 | #13,588 | -2.3% |
| Count | 2,108 | 2,231 | 5.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.78 | 0.76 | -2.6% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Gratton bearers went from 2,108 to 2,231 (+5.8% change). The surname moved down 311 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,277 to #13,588.
FAQ
Gratton surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Gratton?
The surname Gratton holds position #13,588 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 2,605 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.76 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Gratton surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gratton, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Hispanic (2.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.