Meaning and origin
The last name Grimes is of English and Irish origin, derived from several possible sources. In England, it is believed to have originated from the Old English word "grima," meaning a mask or helmet; thus, it likely referred to someone who made or wore masks or helmets. Alternatively, in Irish Gaelic, "Ó Gríofa" and "Mag Ríomha" are variants of Grimes and are associated with the personal name "Grian," meaning "sun." These Irish variants may have denoted someone who had a solar or radiant personality.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#686
Grimes was the 686th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 50,245 people, about 17 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Grimes
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Grimes is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.