NameCensus.

UK surname

Greef

In the 1881 census there were 66 people recorded with the Greef surname, ranking it #24,256 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, down from #24,256 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Cambridgeshire, Cornwall and Breckland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greef is 154 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 112.1%.

1881 census count

66

Ranked #24,256

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

2009

154 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greef had 66 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,256 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 66 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Greef surname distribution map

The map shows where the Greef surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Greef surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Greef over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 13 #30,970
1861 historical 22 #31,140
1881 historical 66 #24,256
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 51 #28,492
1911 historical 57 #27,099
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 127 #23,940
1999 modern 140 #22,789
2000 modern 134 #23,358
2001 modern 130 #23,457
2002 modern 137 #23,198
2003 modern 141 #22,549
2004 modern 143 #22,471
2005 modern 139 #22,887
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 138 #23,478
2008 modern 146 #22,822
2009 modern 154 #22,536
2010 modern 150 #23,482
2011 modern 147 #23,627
2012 modern 140 #24,376
2013 modern 144 #24,323
2014 modern 146 #24,274
2015 modern 141 #24,723
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Greefs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Breckland, Calderdale and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Cambridgeshire 021 South Cambridgeshire
2 Cornwall 061 Cornwall
3 Breckland 007 Breckland
4 Calderdale 001 Calderdale
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 002 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Greef

These lists show first names that appear often with the Greef surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Greef

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Greef, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Greef surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Greef household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Greef is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Greef is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Greef falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Greef is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Greef, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Greef families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greef surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Norfolk leads with 56 Greefs recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.24x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 56 62.24x
Cambridgeshire 3 8.10x
Northumberland 1 1.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caldecote in Norfolk leads with 18 Greefs recorded in 1881 and an index of 180000.00x.

Place Total Index
Caldecote 18 180000.00x
Beechamwell 15 25000.00x
Gooderstone 14 14000.00x
Hilgay 8 2352.94x
St Andrewthe Less 2 47.28x
Blickling 1 1666.67x
Ewart 1 10000.00x
St Benedict Cambridge 1 476.19x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Greef surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Ann 3
Emma 3
Mary 3
Alice 2
Elizabeth 2
Frances 2
Annie 1
Blanch 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Elizh. 1
Ellen 1
Flora 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Lydia 1
Naomi 1
Rebecca 1
Rosanna 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Greef surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 4
Arthur 2
George 2
Harry 2
Robert 2
William 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Algernon 1
Charles 1
Edgar 1
Frederick 1
Fredk 1
Harvey 1
Hebert 1
James 1
Walter 1
Willea 1
Wm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Greef households.

FAQ

Greef surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greef surname in 1881?

In 1881, 66 people were recorded with the Greef surname. That placed it at #24,256 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greef surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Greef a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Greef map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Greef bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.