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

Griswald, 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 Griswald surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Griswald in America

Griswald is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Griswald surname appeared 150 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 Griswald.

We can also compare 2010 data for Griswald 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 Griswald

The surname GRISWALD is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period in England. The name is derived from the Old English words "gris" meaning "gray" and "weald" meaning "forest," suggesting that the original bearers of this name resided in a grayish or dense woodland area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GRISWALD surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The spelling variations found in this document include Griswold, Grissewold, and Grisewalde, reflecting the evolving nature of surnames during that time.

In the 13th century, the GRISWALD family was known to have settled in the county of Essex, where they held lands and properties. The village of Griswald Green, located in this region, is believed to have been named after the family, further cementing their presence in the area.

One notable figure bearing the GRISWALD surname was Sir Richard Griswald (1490-1553), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. He played a significant role in the dissolution of monasteries in England and was known for his staunch support of the English Reformation.

Another prominent individual was John Griswald (1619-1699), an early Puritan settler who emigrated from England to the American colonies in the 17th century. He became a respected figure in the town of Windsor, Connecticut, and his descendants went on to establish themselves across various parts of New England.

In the literary realm, the American author Clement Moore (1779-1863), best known for his famous poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (commonly known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"), was born with the surname GRISWALD. However, he later changed the spelling to Moore, which became the more widely recognized form of his name.

The GRISWALD surname also found its way into popular culture with the character of Clark Griswald, portrayed by actor Chevy Chase in the National Lampoon's Vacation film series. Though a fictional character, the name added to the recognition and familiarity of the GRISWALD surname in modern times.

Throughout history, the GRISWALD name has been associated with various professions, from landed gentry and politicians to early settlers and literary figures, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this surname across different eras and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Griswald

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!