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Grimes Family History

Grimes Surname Meaning

English: variant of Grim with post-medieval excrescent -s.

Irish: adopted occasionally in Ireland for Gormley and even Houlihan.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Grimes family from?

You can see how Grimes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Grimes family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Grimes families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 669 Grimes families living in Lancashire. This was about 19% of all the recorded Grimes's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Grimes families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Grimes 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 Grimes 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 Grimes. 15% of Grimes men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Grimes women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Grimes were Builders Labourer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Grimes | 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
    15%
  • Farm Labourer
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    3%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Grimes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 261,000 census records available for the last name Grimes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Grimes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Grimes

Passenger Lists

There are 20,000 immigration records available for the last name Grimes. 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 Grimes immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 54,000 military records available for the last name Grimes. For the veterans among your Grimes ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Grimes military records

You've only scratched the surface of Grimes family history

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What is the average Grimes lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Grimes life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Grimes in 1940 was 30, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Grimes

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Grimes 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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