2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Grimsey
From a small island near the coast of Denmark.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Grimsey. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Grimsey surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Grimsey with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Grimsey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Grimsey, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Grimsey
The surname Grimsey has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "grim" and "ey," meaning "grim" or "fierce" and "island," respectively. This suggests that the name may have originated from a location or landmark associated with an island or coastal area, possibly describing its rugged or imposing appearance.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Grimsey can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This historical document contains references to individuals with similar surnames, such as "Grimstone" and "Grimshaw," indicating the existence of the name in various forms during the Norman period.
In the 13th century, records show the presence of the Grimsey family in the county of Yorkshire, particularly in the village of Grimston, which may have derived its name from the same etymological roots. This locality could have been the place of origin for some branches of the Grimsey family.
Notable individuals bearing the Grimsey surname include Richard Grimsey (c. 1540-1610), an English poet and clergyman from Gloucestershire. Another figure was Sir Thomas Grimsey (1675-1749), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the early 18th century and participated in several military campaigns.
The name Grimsey has also been associated with geographical locations, such as the Grimsey Islands, a small archipelago off the northern coast of Iceland. This connection suggests a possible Viking influence or migration pattern that contributed to the spread of the surname across different regions.
Other historical figures include William Grimsey (1782-1856), a British architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in London, and Mary Grimsey (1840-1918), a renowned educator and advocate for women's rights in the United States.
While the Grimsey surname may not be among the most common today, its historical roots and associations with diverse locations and individuals across different eras demonstrate its enduring legacy and the rich tapestry of cultural influences that have shaped surnames over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Grimsey
Among Census respondents with the surname Grimsey, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Grimsey bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Grimsey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.4% · 103
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Grimsey
Grimsey appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+9 bearers (+8.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 294 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-7 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,794 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.5%) | Down 294 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 6,794 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Grimsey surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #144,141 | #150,935 | -4.7% |
| Count | 115 | 108 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Grimsey bearers went from 115 to 108 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 6,794 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #150,935.
FAQ
Grimsey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Grimsey?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Grimsey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Grimsey?
Grimsey ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 108 people with the surname Grimsey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Grimsey.
Has Grimsey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Grimsey went from 115 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Grimsey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Grimsey, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and Black (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Grimsey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.4% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Grimsey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.4%), Two or More Races (1.9%), Black (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Grimsey (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Grimsey mean?
From a small island near the coast of Denmark. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Grimsey (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Grimsey?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.