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

Grey, 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 Grey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grey in America

Grey is the 2845th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grey surname appeared 12,680 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Grey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grey 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 Grey

The surname Grey is of English origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "gris," meaning gray, which was used to describe someone with gray hair or a grayish complexion.

The earliest known record of the surname Grey can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Grai" or "Grei." This suggests that the name may have been introduced to England by Norman settlers after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 12th century, the Grey family emerged as one of the most prominent noble families in England. The first recorded person with the surname Grey was Anchetil de Greye, who lived in Rotherfield Greys, Oxfordshire, in 1166.

Another notable figure was John de Grey, who was appointed Lord Chancellor of England in 1233. He played a crucial role in the development of English law and served as a regent during the minority of King Henry III.

In the 14th century, the Grey family gained further prominence with Reginald de Grey, who was appointed Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports in 1322. His descendants included Edmund Grey, Earl of Kent (c. 1420-1489), and Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset (1457-1501), who was a key figure in the Wars of the Roses.

During the Tudor period, Lady Jane Grey (1537-1554), a descendant of the Grey family, briefly reigned as Queen of England for nine days in 1553. Her claim to the throne was disputed, and she was eventually executed for treason.

Other notable individuals with the surname Grey include Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1764-1845), who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834 and was responsible for the Reform Act of 1832, and Zane Grey (1872-1939), an American author best known for his popular Western novels.

While the surname Grey has been spelled in various ways throughout history, including Grai, Grei, Greye, and Gray, the modern spelling of Grey is predominantly used in England and other English-speaking countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grey

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

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

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

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