Grey Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Grey Name Meaning: Thought to have derived from the Anglo Saxon word 'graeg' meaning 'grey'. May have also been taken from the place name 'Graye' in France.

An Anglo-Saxon nickname which referred to someone with grey coloured hair. May have also been taken from the place name 'graye' in France for someone who lived there.

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Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Grey Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Grey family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 930
Agricultural Labourer 162
Labourer 110
Domestic Servant 81
General Servant 76
Coal Miner 65
Servant 57
Dress Maker 45
House Keeper 35
Laundress 35
Annuitant 35
Nurse 30
Farm Servant 24
Shoe Maker 24
Cook 23
Joiner 21
Charwoman 20
Gardener 20
Miner 19
House Maid 18
General Servant Domestic 17
Farm Labourer 17
Dressmaker 17
Carpenter 16
Wife 15

Grey Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Gray 75% 210,083
2 Grey 100% 43,115
3 Geary 40% 15,928
4 Gary 50% 1,867
5 Garey 80% 1,488
6 Gorey 80% 1,122
7 Gury 50% 1,007
8 Gearey 67% 621
9 Gery 50% 461
10 Greey 80% 212
11 Groy 75% 204
12 Gory 50% 200
13 Greay 80% 190
14 Gry 75% 123
15 Geory 40% 107

Did you know?

The surname Grey is the 2nd most popular variant of Gray.

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