History of your Surname
Get access to Gresham family records.Start a free trial

Gresham Family History

Gresham Name Meaning

English (Yorkshire and Lincolnshire): habitational name from a place in Norfolk so named from Old English græs gærs ‘grass(land) pasturage’ + hām ‘homestead’ or hamm ‘enclosure hemmed in by water’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Grisham, Isham, Bradham, Derham, Worsham, Gotham, Needham, Braham

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Gresham family from?

You can see how Gresham families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gresham family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gresham families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 135 Gresham families living in Lincolnshire. This was about 35% of all the recorded Gresham's in United Kingdom. Lincolnshire had the highest population of Gresham families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gresham surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gresham ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Police Constable and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gresham. 15% of Gresham men worked as a Police Constable and 77% of Gresham women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gresham were Old Age Pensioner and Private Means. .

View Census Data for Gresham | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Police Constable
    15%
  • Publishers Bookkeeper
    15%
  • Chauffeur
    15%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • School Teacher
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gresham family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 46,000 census records available for the last name Gresham. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gresham census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gresham

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Gresham. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Gresham immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Gresham. For the veterans among your Gresham ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gresham military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gresham family history

Discover More

What is the average Gresham lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Gresham life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Gresham in 1941 was 37, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gresham

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Gresham family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Gresham last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial