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

Grice, 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 Grice surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grice in America

Grice is the 3984th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grice surname appeared 8,914 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Grice.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grice 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 Grice

The surname Grice originated in the north of England during the medieval period, deriving from the Old Norse word "grís" meaning a young pig or piglet. It is believed to have been an occupational name given to those who raised and tended to pigs, likely on a farm or small holding.

The earliest known record of the name Grice appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where one Richard Grice is listed. In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273 also mention a Hugo Griz, using the older spelling variant.

During the 14th century, the surname Grice began appearing more frequently in various records across northern England, particularly in areas like Lancashire and Yorkshire. The Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332 list a John del Gryse, showcasing the locative prefix "del" which was common at the time.

Over time, the name Grice became associated with various place names in the region, such as Grice Huish in Devon and Grizedale in Lancashire. The latter likely derived from the Old Norse "gríss-dalr" meaning "valley of the young pigs".

Notable individuals bearing the surname Grice throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Grice (c.1558-1628), an English merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1618.
2. John Grice (c.1580-1657), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge.
3. Nathaniel Grice (1648-1720), an English non-conformist minister and writer known for his work "A Rich Cabinet with Variety of Inventions".
4. John Grice (1723-1797), an English portrait painter and member of the Royal Academy.
5. Joseph Grice (1793-1863), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London.

While the surname Grice is of English origin, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and colonization. However, its roots can be traced back to the northern counties of England, where it was once a common occupational surname connected to the raising of pigs.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grice

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

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

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

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