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Grey Family History

Grey Surname Meaning

English, Scottish, and Irish: variant of Gray.

German: dialect variant of Grau.

In some cases also an American shortened and altered form of Ukrainian Grushko: nickname or topographic name derived from a Russian-influenced transliteration of grushka ‘pear pear tree’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Grey family from?

You can see how Grey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Grey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Grey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 799 Grey families living in London. This was about 15% of all the recorded Grey's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Grey families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Grey 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 Grey ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Grey. 9% of Grey men worked as a General Labourer and 65% of Grey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Grey were Retired and Housewife.

View Census Data for Grey | 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

  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Retired
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    65%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Grey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 218,000 census records available for the last name Grey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Grey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Grey

Passenger Lists

There are 26,000 immigration records available for the last name Grey. 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 Grey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 28,000 military records available for the last name Grey. For the veterans among your Grey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Grey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Grey family history

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What is the average Grey lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Grey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Grey in 1943 was 64, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Grey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Grey 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Grey family tree

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