Origins of the Graham surname

What does the name Graham mean?

The Graham surname has a number of origins, but has been found in England and Scotland as early as the 1100s. The first supposed origin of those with this name is geographic, relating to the Old English 'grasgham' (grey home), those who are from the town that later became Grantham, Lincolnshire. A notable Norman knight William de Graham of this area moved to Scotland in around 1128 and is thought to be an early progenitor of the name in the country. Graham is also thought to be a descriptive name from 'Graeme', an Anglo-Saxon word for 'grim' or 'gloomy' and would describe those who were particularly sullen or fierce, and their descendants.

Alternative variations of the name Graham

Graham, Grahame, Graeme, Graem, Grame

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Delve deeper into the Graham family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 5707North West 4267Isle of Man 61Yorkshire 2439East Midlands 272West Midlands 279East 535London 5146South East 1304South West 280South Wales 98Mid Wales 19West Wales 2North Wales 60Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Grahams lived in north-east

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Interesting facts about Graham

How common is your surname?

101st most common surname in the UK

We have for the Graham surname. The oldest one dates back to 1100.

Who were Grahams most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Grahams.

What are the most common Graham first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Graham family members
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Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Grahams

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Commmon female occupations for Grahams in 1921

Dressmaker

1,645

Domestic Servant

998

Housekeeper

781

House Servant

689

Cotton Weaver

679

Commmon male occupations for Grahams in 1921

Coal Miner

2,185

General Labourer

1,104

Farmer

1,085

Joiner

1,070

Tailor

841

We found over 1,000,000 family trees with the Graham surname

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