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Grim Family History

Grim Name Meaning

Dutch and German variant of Grimm . English: from the Middle English personal name Grim (Old Norse Grímr originally an epithet of the god Óthinn with the meaning ‘masked person’ or ‘shape-changer’). The name may have been bestowed on male children in an attempt to secure the protection of the god. English: alternatively a nickname from Middle English grim ‘fierce grim’ (compare Grimm ). Scottish: variant of Graham .

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


Similar surnames: Grimm, Prim, Grime, Trim, Grill, Gram, Prime, Crim, Krim, Grine

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Grim family from?

You can see how Grim families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Grim family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Grim families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 61 Grim families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 39% of all the recorded Grim's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Grim families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Grim surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Grim ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Waitress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Grim. 21% of Grim men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Grim women worked as a Waitress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Grim were Clerk and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Grim | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    21%
  • Laborer
    18%
  • Truck Driver
    5%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Waitress
    9%
  • Teacher
    7%
  • Maid
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Grim family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 42,000 census records available for the last name Grim. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Grim census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Grim

Passenger Lists

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

View all Grim immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Grim. For the veterans among your Grim ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Grim military records

You've only scratched the surface of Grim family history

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What is the average Grim lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Grim life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Grim in 1940 was 58, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Grim

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Grim family tree

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