Grieve Surname

32,218th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 16,541 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
Scotland
Highest density in:
Scotland

Grieve Surname Definition:

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'at the greave' or 'greaves.' For variants and many instances, v. Grave and Graver. Equivalent to Grove, which see. Originally a glade or lane cut through the trees in the forest; from English verb grave, to cut; Anglo-Saxon graf, a grove.

Read More About This Surname

Grieve Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Scotland3,1401:1,705310
Australia3,1281:8,6301,285
United States2,9871:121,34512,961
England2,7301:20,4102,887
Canada2,1691:16,9872,438
New Zealand8131:5,570905
South Africa4051:133,77215,565
Argentina3121:136,99811,599
Northern Ireland2731:6,7581,200
Peru1151:276,38410,837
Ireland821:57,4263,925
Wales541:57,3065,200
Germany541:1,490,84290,195
United Arab Emirates311:295,55719,854
Belgium241:479,02747,365
France241:2,767,613196,808
Jersey221:4,509908
Thailand221:3,210,834301,565
Netherlands171:993,36365,241
Spain141:3,339,43167,428
Switzerland131:631,76343,230
Denmark101:564,47234,222
Iceland91:42,2322,922
Hungary81:1,227,03553,030
Mexico71:17,732,31550,495
Hong Kong51:1,467,0975,611
Indonesia51:26,449,839597,308
Philippines51:20,247,645262,352
Zimbabwe41:3,859,560114,807
Singapore41:1,376,92628,409
Brazil41:53,518,583632,670
Norway41:1,285,57269,185
China41:341,830,39216,990
Malta41:107,5681,849
Guernsey41:16,1101,225
Malaysia31:9,831,408269,765
Italy31:20,385,563143,117
Sweden21:4,923,378241,212
Ecuador21:7,952,92334,269
India21:383,532,6911,645,216
Japan21:63,922,14662,827
South Korea21:25,620,1284,175
Oman21:1,843,9869,590
Finland11:5,496,70284,025
Cambodia11:15,487,14614,824
Costa Rica11:4,780,06913,345
Cyprus11:884,87613,055
Angola11:26,989,21411,853
Bahrain11:1,348,60810,432
Brunei11:418,7313,893
Zambia11:15,849,92253,989
Kuwait11:3,800,69427,187
Barbados11:287,4482,772
Qatar11:2,357,99976,403
Russia11:144,123,056881,408
Botswana11:2,186,92930,250
Moldova11:3,561,36878,271
Sri Lanka11:20,808,56018,521
Senegal11:14,579,34211,705
Latvia11:2,050,04660,295
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland681:65,1454,955
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Scotland2,9431:1,272226
England5331:45,7325,690
Wales111:142,5835,610
Guernsey51:6,5311,136
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States2161:232,49419,571

Grieve (56) may also be a first name.

Grieve Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'at the greave' or 'greaves.' For variants and many instances, v. Grave and Graver. Equivalent to Grove, which see. Originally a glade or lane cut through the trees in the forest; from English verb grave, to cut; Anglo-Saxon graf, a grove. 'For so raythely thay rusche with roselde speris, That the raskaille was rade, and rane to the grefes.'

Morte Arthure, MS. Lincoln, F. 83 (Halliwell). Fairfax speaks of the 'Wind in holts and shady greaves.'

Agnes de Greues (u for v), 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

1610. Bant.—May, d. John Greaues, pwterer: St. Dionis Backchurch (London).

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

From the office of 'grieve,' overseer of a farm, bailiff, or under steward. The name may be the equivalent of mediaeval 'prepositus.' Johan Greve of Haytone, Berwickshire, rendered homage, 1296 (Bain, II, p. 207). Johannes Grefe in the parish of Fyvy was excommunicated in 1382 (REA., I, p. 165). John Grefe was one of an inquest in Prestwick, 1470 (Prestwick, p. 2). Lawrence Greif witnessed a sasine in Lauderdale, 1493 (Laing, 217), Andro Greiff was member of an assize at Cuper, 1521 (SCBF., p. 222), and George Greif witnessed a sasine in 1525 (Home, 35). Alexander Greif was admitted burgess of Aberdeen, 1528 (NSCM., I, p. 49), and in the same year John Greif was 'rentalit in mylne of Edylstoun' (Rental). James Greife was tenant under Kelso Abbey, 1567 (Kelso, p. 520), Mathow Greif was 'redar' at the Kirk of Monekyn, 1569 (RPC., I, p. 684), Alexander Greif was schoolmaster in Stirling, 1603 (SBR., p. 103), and Johannes Grieff, burgess of Bruntiland before 1605 (Inquls., 213). John Grieve was a minor Border poet, and another John Grieve, provost of Edinburgh, 1782—83, was publicly horsewhipped by some roughs because he had placed some of their lady friends, ladies of easy virtue, in the pillory. The Greves of Greviston, in Traquair parish, may have been so named from the office which they held. They gave name to Greviston there, spelled Grewiston in 1436, in 1463 Greistoun. Gref 1470, Greiuve 1585, Greyf 1526, Greyve 1296.

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

= Greave, q.v.

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

Anglo-Saxon gerefa, prases, like the German graf. In Scotland the manager of a farm, or superintendent of any work-a reeve. It has been variously corrupted to Greive, Greaves, Greeves, &c.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

A superintendent of a coal pit.

The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames (1862) by Clifford Stanley Sims (1839-1896)

Grieve: the Gerefa or Reeve, the manorial bailiff. The “Boke of Curtasye” says: “Grayvis and baylys and parkers Shall come to accountes every yere Byfore the auditours of the lorde.”

As a surname the title is still with us, either as Grieves or Greaves or Greeves. We have also Grierson, the son of the Grieve.

Family Names And Their Story (1913) by Sabine Baring-Gould

Greaves, which is a characteristic name of the midland counties, has long been a Worcestershire name. The old family of Greves held some position in the county. Daniel Greves, probably a member of this family, bought certain lands in King's Norton of Richard Amphlett in 1669 (N.).

Homes of Family Names in Great Britain (1890) by Henry Brougham Guppy

Grieve Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Grieve Come From? nationality or country of origin

The surname Grieve is most common in Scotland. It may be rendered in the variant forms:. Click here for further possible spellings of this last name.

How Common Is The Last Name Grieve? popularity and diffusion

This last name is the 32,218th most prevalent family name world-wide. It is borne by around 1 in 440,575 people. Grieve is predominantly found in Europe, where 39 percent of Grieve reside; 38 percent reside in Northern Europe and 38 percent reside in British Isles. It is also the 1,321,957th most commonly used forename internationally. It is borne by 56 people.

It is most frequently held in Scotland, where it is held by 3,140 people, or 1 in 1,705. In Scotland Grieve is most prevalent in: Fife, where 17 percent are found, City of Edinburgh, where 12 percent are found and Scottish Borders, where 8 percent are found. Apart from Scotland Grieve occurs in 59 countries. It is also found in Australia, where 19 percent are found and The United States, where 18 percent are found.

Grieve Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The occurrence of Grieve has changed through the years. In Scotland the number of people carrying the Grieve surname increased 107 percent between 1881 and 2014; in The United States it increased 1,383 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it increased 512 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Ireland it increased 121 percent between 1901 and 2014 and in Wales it increased 491 percent between 1881 and 2014.

Grieve Last Name Statistics demography

The religious devotion of those carrying the Grieve last name is primarily Catholic (55%) in Ireland.

In The United States those holding the Grieve last name are 10.76% more likely to be registered Republicans than The US average, with 57.53% registered with the party.

The amount Grieve earn in different countries varies greatly. In Peru they earn 143.02% more than the national average, earning S/. 47,110 per year; in South Africa they earn 132.34% more than the national average, earning R 552,132 per year; in United States they earn 4.46% more than the national average, earning $45,075 USD per year and in Canada they earn 4.66% more than the national average, earning $52,000 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Grieves923,883/
Griever92126/
Greieve920/
Grievet920/
Grievie920/
Greve9118,514/
Grive91230/
Grivet831,572/
Greive831,090/
Graeve831,088/
Greeve83952/
Grever83885/
Greves83675/
Griebe83650/
Grevet83633/
Grivei83378/
Grives83250/
Grevey83166/
Griver83140/
Griewe83120/
Greave8377/
Grivea8376/
Graive8334/
Grivey8328/
Grivej8325/
Gresve8324/
Gräeve8319/
Grevez8312/
Groeve832/
Grevei832/
Grevea831/
Greuve831/
Grivez831/
Grivee831/
Griove830/
Gruive830/
Grievy830/
Grevee830/
Greaves7736,229/
Greeves771,867/
Greaver77841/
Greever77749/
Greives77196/
Griveas77150/
Grevett77124/
Graiver7794/
Greevey7752/
Greiver7751/
Grivett7745/
Grettve7743/
Griebie7726/
Greavey7722/
Greyver7712/
Grieber778/
Grivetz776/
Gretved776/
Hggreve774/
Graives773/
Grivets772/
Greavea772/
Grevets772/
Greuver771/
Griebed771/
Gruiver771/
Grievit771/
Griewes771/
Grievis770/
Grieues770/
Griebee770/
Griewer770/
Greisve770/
Grave7318,607/
Grebe7311,393/
Grewe7310,630/
Gräve73669/
Grevy73303/
Gribe7383/
Grevi7379/
Gruve7333/
Grivi7332/
Grivy7317/
Grève7312/
Grivé739/
Grevé735/
Grēve732/
Griwe730/
Greavett7136/
Greeaves711/
Grievich711/
Grayeves711/
Greeaver711/
Greisver710/
Greiwe671,607/
Gravey67448/
Greybe67360/
Greevy67245/
Graewe67202/
Grevis67183/
Greebe67182/
Greibe67165/
Grebeň67133/
Greeby6797/
Grebey6776/
Grevys6760/
Grouve6758/
Graave6756/
Graibe6748/
Grewey6741/
Greavy6734/
Grivňa6734/
Grevay6731/
Greevi6730/
Gravee6726/
Greywe6724/
Grevit6721/
Greube6717/
Gräver6712/
Greabe6711/
Grevér6711/
Grevie679/
Grevoy679/
Grebej679/
Ghribe676/
Griewa676/
Gravea674/
Gribej674/
Grayve674/
Grivès673/
Grivoy672/
Grisvy672/
Greiue672/
Grewes672/
Groewe672/
Gruibe671/
Gruiva671/
Grivis671/
Gribey671/
Ghrave671/
Gruwee671/
Grevio671/
Graëve671/
Grevai671/
Grevoi671/
Greivy671/
Grivay671/
Grêves671/
Greewe671/
Gribeh671/
Grawee671/
Grebhe671/
Greewa671/
Grevaj671/
Griesbech670/
Grivit670/
Grauve670/

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Grieve
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis