2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Grinley
An English surname derived from a place name, possibly from a location with a green meadow or field.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Grinley. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Grinley 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.
Bearers in the US
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Grinley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Grinley, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Black (7.0%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Grinley
The surname Grinley has its origins in the British Isles, specifically in England and Ireland. It likely emerged during the Middle Ages, between the 11th and 15th centuries. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "grene" and "leah," meaning "green" and "woodland clearing" respectively, suggesting it may have originated as a place name referring to a settlement in a green meadow or clearing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Grenelei" in reference to a landowner or tenant in the county of Gloucestershire. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the Norman period in England.
In the 13th century, records show a Robert de Greneley in Somerset, England, and a William de Greneley in Nottinghamshire, both of whom were likely landowners or nobles with the name derived from their estates or properties.
During the 16th century, the spelling of the name began to evolve, with variations such as Grinley, Grindley, and Grynley appearing in parish records and census data across various regions of England and Ireland.
One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Grinley (1538-1612), an English military commander and landowner who served under Queen Elizabeth I during the Anglo-Spanish War. He was knighted for his bravery in battle and later became a member of Parliament.
Another famous individual with this surname was Robert Grinley (1695-1768), an Irish clergyman and philosopher who served as the Bishop of Raphoe in County Donegal, Ireland. He was a prominent figure in the Irish Protestant community and authored several theological works.
In the 18th century, the Grinley family had a strong presence in the county of Shropshire, England, with several members serving as prominent landowners and local officials, such as Thomas Grinley (1712-1789), a magistrate and justice of the peace.
The name Grinley also appeared in Scotland, with records indicating a John Grinley (1756-1832) who was a merchant and shipowner based in Glasgow, playing a significant role in the city's maritime trade during the Industrial Revolution.
In the 19th century, the Grinley surname spread to other parts of the world as a result of emigration from the British Isles, with notable individuals such as William Grinley (1821-1896), a successful businessman and philanthropist who settled in New York City after emigrating from Ireland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Grinley
Among Census respondents with the surname Grinley, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Black (7.0%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Grinley 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 Grinley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.0% · 89
- Black or African American7.0% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Grinley
Grinley 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-23 bearers (-18.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 32,032 places
2020
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-2 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 2,750 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -23 bearers (-18.4%) | Down 32,032 places |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | -2 bearers (-2.0%) | Up 2,750 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 Grinley 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 | #158,432 | #155,682 | 1.7% |
| Count | 102 | 100 | -2.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 11.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Grinley bearers went from 102 to 100 (-2.0% change). The surname moved up 2,750 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #155,682.
FAQ
Grinley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Grinley?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Grinley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Grinley?
Grinley ranks #155,682 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 100 people with the surname Grinley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Grinley.
Has Grinley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Grinley went from 102 recorded bearers to 100. That is a decrease of 2 (-2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Grinley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Grinley, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Black (7.0%) and Hispanic (2.0%). 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 Grinley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.0% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Grinley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.0%), Black (7.0%), Hispanic (2.0%). 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 Grinley (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 Grinley mean?
An English surname derived from a place name, possibly from a location with a green meadow or field. 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 Grinley (0.03 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 Grinley?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.