Graham (surname)


Graham is a surname of Scottish and English origin. It is typically an Anglo-French form of the name of the town of Grantham, in Lincolnshire, England. The settlement is recorded in the 11th century Domesday Book variously as Grantham, Grandham, Granham and Graham. This place name is thought to be derived from the Old English elements grand, possibly meaning "gravel", and ham, meaning "hamlet" the English word given to small settlements of smaller size than villages.

Variants and use

In the 12th century, the surname was taken from England to Scotland by Sir William de Graham, who founded Clan Graham. The surname was later taken to Northern Ireland by settlers from Scotland and England in the 17th century. Variant spellings are Grahame and Graeme.
Its origin as a surname has led to its use as a given name, as for example in the case of Graham Cockburn, a daughter of Henry Cockburn, Lord Cockburn.
The surname is presently commonly used as a masculine given name.

Notable people