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

Grise, 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 Grise surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grise in America

Grise is the 24934th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grise surname appeared 997 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 Grise.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grise 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 Grise

The surname Grise originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "gris," meaning "gray." This name was likely first used as a descriptive nickname referring to someone with gray hair or complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Grise appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, an invaluable record of landowners in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Willelmus Grise," indicating that the family had roots in Normandy, France, before spreading to other regions.

By the 13th century, the surname Grise had become well-established in various parts of France, particularly in the regions of Normandy, Brittany, and Picardy. In these areas, local records and medieval charters often mention individuals with the name, such as Jean Grise (c. 1220-1285), a prominent landowner in the village of Calleville.

As the name spread throughout Europe, it underwent slight variations in spelling, including Gryse, Gryze, and Grize. These alternate spellings can be found in historical documents from England, Germany, and the Low Countries.

One notable figure with the surname Grise was Étienne Grise (c. 1450-1521), a French merchant and explorer who is believed to have been one of the first Europeans to establish trade relations with the indigenous peoples of North America.

Another individual of note was Sir John Grise (c. 1520-1589), an English soldier and diplomat who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in the Anglo-Spanish War and was knighted for his service.

In the 17th century, the name Grise appeared in various records of early settlers in the New World. For instance, Jacques Grise (c. 1610-1675) was among the first French colonists to establish a settlement in what is now Quebec, Canada.

Other historical figures with the surname Grise include Pierre Grise (c. 1720-1785), a French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris, and William Grise (c. 1780-1842), an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grise

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

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

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

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