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

Grimley Family History

Grimley Name Meaning

English (Midlands): variant of Grimsley a habitational name from Grimley in Worcestershire probably so named from Old English grīma ‘specter goblin’ + Old English lēah ‘woodland clearing’. Irish (Armagh and Dublin): variant of Gormley .

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


Similar surnames: Brimley, Ridley, Grindley, Gailey, Riley, Bromley, Gidley, Brisley

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 Grimley family from?

You can see how Grimley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Grimley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Grimley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 14 Grimley families living in Ontario. This was about 44% of all the recorded Grimley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Grimley families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Grimley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Grimley ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Grimley. 64% of Grimley men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Grimley | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    64%
  • Polisher
    19%
  • Printer
    19%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Grimley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 17,000 census records available for the last name Grimley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Grimley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Grimley

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Grimley. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Grimley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Grimley. For the veterans among your Grimley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Grimley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Grimley family history

Discover More

What is the average Grimley lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Grimley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Grimley in 1944 was 57, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Grimley

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Grimley family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Grimley last name

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