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

Grizzard, 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 Grizzard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Grizzard in America

Grizzard is the 14881st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Grizzard surname appeared 1,988 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Grizzard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Grizzard 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 Grizzard

The surname Grizzard is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English words "gris" meaning "gray" and "ard" meaning "hardy" or "brave." It is believed to have emerged in the 7th or 8th century in the southern regions of England.

Early records indicate that the name was initially spelled as "Grysard" or "Grizzerd." One of the earliest known references to the surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named Grysard in the county of Wiltshire.

In the 13th century, the name Grizzard can be found in various historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded a William Grizzard in Oxfordshire. During this period, the name was also associated with certain place names, such as Grizard's Hill in Herefordshire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Grizzard was John Grizzard, born around 1450 in Somerset, England. He was a prominent landowner and served as a local magistrate in his community.

In the 16th century, the name gained recognition with Sir Thomas Grizzard (1520-1589), a successful merchant and alderman in the City of London. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and founded a school for underprivileged children.

Another notable figure was Captain William Grizzard (1621-1678), a naval officer who served in the English Civil War and later became a member of Parliament.

During the 17th century, the Grizzard family established themselves in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire. One prominent member was Reverend John Grizzard (1640-1712), a respected clergyman and scholar who authored several religious texts.

In the 18th century, the name Grizzard appeared in several literary works, including a reference to a character named Mr. Grizzard in the novel "The Vicar of Wakefield" by Oliver Goldsmith, published in 1766.

By the 19th century, the surname had spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond, with individuals bearing the name Grizzard found in Scotland, Ireland, and even in the British colonies of North America and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Grizzard

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

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

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

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