Get access to Grant family records.Start a free trial

Grant Family History

Grant Name Meaning

Irish English and especially Scottish (of Norman origin): nickname from Anglo-Norman French graund graunt ‘tall large’ (Old French grand grant from Latin grandis) given either to a person of remarkable size or else in a relative way to distinguish two bearers of the same personal name often representatives of different generations within the same family. English: from the rare Middle English (and Old English) personal name Grante or Grente. Irish: in Ireland this is usually the Norman Scottish name (see 1 above) but it was also adopted for Irish Mag Raighne see Graney . French: variant of Grand 1 ‘tall large’ (see also 1 above). American shortened and altered form of French Lagrandeur: soldier's name from la grandeur ‘(the) size/height; greatness’. Probably also an altered form of German Grandt or Grand .7: African American: adoption of the surname in 1 above in honor of Ulysses S. Grant a general commanding the US Army in winning the American Civil War who later served as the 18th president of the US.

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

Similar surnames: Gant, Grand, Granat, Grass, Gast, Great, Grande, Graft, Grandt, Grist

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

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Grant family from?

You can see how Grant families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Grant family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Grant families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 283 Grant families living in New York. This was about 18% of all the recorded Grant's in USA. New York had the highest population of Grant families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Grant surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Grant

What did your Grant ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Grant | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Laborer
18%
Farmer
12%
Salesman
5%
Truck Driver
3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Maid
9%
Housekeeper
6%
Cook
6%
Teacher
5%

Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Grant family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 1 million census records available for the last name Grant. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Grant census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search US census records for Grant
Passenger Lists
There are 202,000 immigration records available for the last name Grant. 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 Grant immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 191,000 military records available for the last name Grant. For the veterans among your Grant ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Grant military records

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Grant. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Grant census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Grant

Passenger Lists

There are 202,000 immigration records available for the last name Grant. 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 Grant immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 191,000 military records available for the last name Grant. For the veterans among your Grant ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Grant military records

You've only scratched the surface of Grant family history

Discover More

What is the average Grant lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Grant life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Grant in 1940 was 42, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Grant

Browse profiles of historical people with the Grant last name