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

Gravitt, 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 Gravitt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gravitt in America

Gravitt is the 10857th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gravitt surname appeared 2,934 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 Gravitt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gravitt 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 Gravitt

The surname "GRAVITT" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "graef" meaning "grave" and "hyd" meaning "hide" or a small area of land. This suggests that the name may have been used to identify someone who lived near a burial ground or graveyard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 13th century, where it is spelled as "Gravehyde." This indicates that the name was likely established in the Yorkshire region during this time period.

By the 16th century, the name had evolved to its more modern spelling of "Gravitt." In 1566, a Thomas Gravitt is listed in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, Yorkshire, as being a landowner in the area.

The Gravitt family appears to have remained concentrated in Yorkshire and the surrounding counties for several centuries. In the late 17th century, a John Gravitt (1652-1723) was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of York.

As the name spread, it began to appear in other parts of England as well. In the 18th century, a William Gravitt (1712-1782) was a notable architect and surveyor from Northamptonshire, responsible for designing several churches and country estates.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Gravitt was Sir Robert Gravitt (1795-1869), a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later led several expeditions to the Arctic regions.

Other notable individuals with the Gravitt surname include Elizabeth Gravitt (1820-1905), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in the United States, and James Gravitt (1876-1942), a renowned American artist and painter known for his landscapes and portraits.

While the name Gravitt is not among the most common surnames, it has a rich history spanning many centuries, with its origins firmly rooted in medieval England and the Yorkshire region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gravitt

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

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

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

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