Grinnell
A surname with uncertain roots, probably an old English place-name or nickname formation that later settled into a family name.
The #9,038 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 85,407 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Grinnell is not securely explained in the excerpts provided. In English surname studies it is often treated as an uncertain or possibly locational name, perhaps from a lost or altered place-name, or from an older personal-name form that was later reshaped in spelling. The ending -ell may reflect later diminutive or spelling variation rather than the original form of the name.
History
The available excerpts only mention Grinnell in passing, not as a full etymological entry, so they do not give a firm origin story. The name is found in English-language surname tradition and is established in North America, where it is relatively uncommon. Because the historical evidence here is indirect, any precise derivation should be treated cautiously.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Grinnell is uncommon enough that census-style surname data can help trace its modern concentration, even when older dictionaries leave its origin unclear.
From the historical record
“Grier, Greig, Greyham (see p. 32, a?itc), Gribben, Grindle, Grindley, Grinnell, Grissom, Gristan, Groenevelt, Groot, Groppi, Gross (formerly spelt Grosse), Grothusen, Grozelier, Gruber, Grummun, Grundin, Grupee, Grush, Guainazzo, Guell, Gd- ello, Guelpa, Guenter and Guenther, Guewey, GuiLFOYLE, Guinan, Gulcher…”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)