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Grieve Family History

Grieve Surname Meaning

English:: occupational name for a steward or estate manager from Middle English greve ‘steward, farm bailiff, or principal officer of a town’ (Old Northumbrian English grǣfa). Compare Reeve and Sheriff.

The name is characteristic of northeastern England and southern and southeastern Scotland. Alternatively, a variant of Grave.

These words were originally distinct but some confusion has occurred as a result of the close similarity in both form and meaning.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Grieve family from?

You can see how Grieve families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Grieve family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Grieve families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 143 Grieve families living in London. This was about 21% of all the recorded Grieve's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Grieve families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Grieve surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Grieve ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Railway Clerk and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Grieve. 11% of Grieve men worked as a Railway Clerk and 74% of Grieve women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Grieve were Rabbit Catcher and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Grieve | 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

  • Railway Clerk
    11%
  • Carpenter
    8%
  • Insurance Agent
    8%
  • Rabbit Catcher
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    2%

What Grieve family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 67,000 census records available for the last name Grieve. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Grieve census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Grieve

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Grieve. 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 Grieve immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Grieve. For the veterans among your Grieve ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Grieve military records

You've only scratched the surface of Grieve family history

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What is the average Grieve lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Grieve life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Grieve in 1945 was 48, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Grieve

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Grieve ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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