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

Grayes, 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 Grayes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grayes in America

Grayes is the 91221st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grayes surname appeared 202 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Grayes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grayes 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 Grayes

The surname Grayes is of English origin and dates back to the late 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'graeg', meaning 'gray' or 'badger-gray'. The name was likely first used as a descriptive nickname for someone with gray hair or a grayish complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Grayes can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as 'Greys' and 'Greyes', reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that time.

During the medieval period, the Grayes family was associated with several notable figures. Sir Thomas Grayes (c. 1350-1418) was a renowned knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War, and his son, Sir John Grayes (c. 1380-1456), was a prominent landowner and politician who served as a member of parliament for Kent.

The Grayes surname also has connections to several place names in England. For example, the village of Grays in Essex is believed to have derived its name from the Grayes family, who were once prominent landowners in the area. Similarly, the town of Grayshott in Hampshire may have origins in the Old English 'Grayes holt', meaning 'Grayes' wood'.

Notable individuals with the surname Grayes include:

1. William Grayes (c. 1505-1580), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Colchester.
2. Thomas Grayes (c. 1560-1635), an English clergyman and author known for his work on the Book of Common Prayer.
3. Elizabeth Grayes (c. 1580-1645), an English poet and translator, known for her translations of works by Petrarch and Tasso.
4. Robert Grayes (c. 1620-1692), an English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Baron of the Exchequer.
5. Mary Grayes (c. 1670-1738), an influential English Quaker and writer, known for her advocacy of women's rights and education.

The surname Grayes has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been associated with notable figures across various fields, including politics, religion, literature, and law.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grayes

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

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

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

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