NameCensus.

UK surname

Greenall

An English surname possibly derived from a green meadow location.

In the 1881 census there were 917 people recorded with the Greenall surname, ranking it #4,177 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,772, ranked #3,548, up from #4,177 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Winwick and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greenall is 1,936 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 93.2%.

1881 census count

917

Ranked #4,177

Modern count

1,772

2016, ranked #3,548

Peak year

2000

1,936 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greenall had 917 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,177 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,772 in 2016, ranked #3,548.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,467 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Greenall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Greenall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Greenall 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 552 #4,585
1861 historical 475 #5,480
1881 historical 917 #4,177
1891 historical 1,091 #3,873
1901 historical 1,265 #3,916
1911 historical 1,467 #3,288
1997 modern 1,854 #3,250
1998 modern 1,890 #3,307
1999 modern 1,931 #3,266
2000 modern 1,936 #3,248
2001 modern 1,898 #3,241
2002 modern 1,917 #3,286
2003 modern 1,870 #3,280
2004 modern 1,878 #3,273
2005 modern 1,856 #3,273
2006 modern 1,851 #3,298
2007 modern 1,820 #3,367
2008 modern 1,816 #3,408
2009 modern 1,868 #3,401
2010 modern 1,916 #3,393
2011 modern 1,883 #3,405
2012 modern 1,805 #3,474
2013 modern 1,801 #3,529
2014 modern 1,802 #3,550
2015 modern 1,782 #3,550
2016 modern 1,772 #3,548

Geography

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Where Greenalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Winwick, Wigan, Preston and Prescot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Winwick Lancashire
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Prescot Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 005 St. Helens
2 St. Helens 012 St. Helens
3 St. Helens 004 St. Helens
4 St. Helens 020 St. Helens
5 St. Helens 019 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Greenall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Greenall

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Greenall, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Greenall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Greenall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Greenall is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Greenall is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Greenall falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Greenall is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Greenall

The surname Greenall is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the region of Lancashire. It is derived from the Old English words "grene" meaning green and "halh" meaning a nook or corner of land, suggesting that the name originally referred to someone who lived in a green corner or valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Greenall surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England. The name is listed as "Grenehale" in reference to a place name in Lancashire.

In the 13th century, various spellings of the name emerged, such as "Grenehale," "Grenehall," and "Greenhalgh," reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. The spelling "Greenall" became more prevalent during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Notable individuals bearing the Greenall surname include Richard Greenall (1530-1594), a prominent merchant and landowner in Lancashire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure was John Greenall (1642-1718), a Puritan minister and author who played a significant role in the religious debates of his time.

In the 18th century, Thomas Greenall (1718-1792) established the Greenall Whitley brewery in Warrington, which would become one of the largest and most successful breweries in England. The Greenall family continued to be involved in the brewing industry for several generations.

Another notable figure was Sir Gilbert Greenall (1806-1894), a British politician and industrialist who served as a Member of Parliament and was involved in the development of the railways and the cotton industry in Lancashire.

During the 19th century, the Greenall name was also associated with the textile industry in Lancashire, with families such as the Greenalls of Swinton being prominent mill owners and industrialists.

Overall, the surname Greenall has a rich history rooted in the English countryside, with connections to various industries and notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Greenall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greenall 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. Lancashire leads with 723 Greenalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.87x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 723 6.87x
Cheshire 42 2.15x
Yorkshire 23 0.26x
Gloucestershire 17 0.98x
Warwickshire 17 0.76x
Cumberland 13 1.70x
Staffordshire 7 0.23x
Suffolk 7 0.65x
Hertfordshire 6 0.98x
Lincolnshire 6 0.42x
Middlesex 6 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.50x
Surrey 6 0.14x
Westmorland 6 3.08x
Derbyshire 4 0.29x
Lanarkshire 4 0.14x
Worcestershire 4 0.35x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.36x
Durham 2 0.08x
Kent 2 0.07x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.19x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.28x
Denbighshire 1 0.30x
Hampshire 1 0.06x
Inverness-shire 1 0.38x
Sussex 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lancaster in Lancashire leads with 65 Greenalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 103.83x.

Place Total Index
Lancaster 65 103.83x
Windle 62 104.73x
Parr 58 154.09x
Preston 46 16.34x
Ashton In Makerfield 44 146.86x
Haydock 44 242.69x
Sutton 44 124.68x
Pemberton 40 95.35x
Eccleston In Prescot 26 49.22x
Toxteth Park 20 5.61x
Westhoughton 16 56.98x
Coventry St Michael 14 19.49x
Thornton In Fylde 14 60.82x
Wigan 14 9.52x
Grappenhall 12 502.09x
Blackrod 10 76.45x
Ribchester 10 251.26x
Tarbock 10 523.56x
Dutton 9 1139.24x
Litherland 9 40.91x
Monks Coppenhall 9 12.19x
Westleigh 9 37.67x
Cheetham 8 10.19x
Liverpool 8 1.25x
Orrell 8 61.16x
Dearham 7 69.51x
Hulme 7 3.19x
Knutsford Nether 7 59.17x
Manchester 7 1.48x
Mickleton 7 305.68x
Oldham 7 2.06x
Openshaw 7 14.20x
Salford 7 2.26x
Widnes 7 9.22x
Wolverhampton 7 3.04x
Above Derwent 6 212.01x
Appleton 6 135.44x
Bungay Holy Trinity 6 108.30x
Cheshunt 6 28.09x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 3.59x
Dilworth 6 93.02x
Nottingham St Mary 6 1.94x
Rusholme 6 21.38x
Spalding 6 21.32x
Trawden 6 91.19x
West Clayton 6 137.61x
Wetherby 6 104.90x
Barton In Preston 5 442.48x
Dumbleton 5 375.94x
Everton 5 1.49x
Kendal 5 14.02x
Kirkdale 5 2.82x
Skelmersdale 5 28.52x
Alfreton 4 9.49x
Barony 4 0.55x
Bengeworth 4 100.25x
Chester St John Baptist 4 11.37x
Kirkham 4 28.76x
Streatham 4 6.08x
Tadcaster West 4 57.47x
Ulverston 4 13.05x
Birkenhead 3 1.92x
Blackburn 3 1.07x
Carleton 3 263.16x
Castleton 3 2.86x
Kensington London 3 0.61x
Layton With Warbreck 3 7.77x
Newton In Makerfield 3 9.31x
Rainford 3 26.36x
Reddish 3 20.70x
Stretford 3 5.18x
Walton Le Dale 3 10.61x
Barrow In Furness 2 1.40x
Brightside Bierlow 2 1.16x
Cheltenham 2 1.49x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 2 17.79x
Edgbaston 2 2.88x
Fulham London 2 1.56x
Great Crosby 2 6.97x
Spotland 2 1.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 83
Elizabeth 45
Sarah 36
Ellen 27
Margaret 23
Jane 22
Alice 19
Ann 19
Eliza 13
Emma 10
Annie 9
Martha 8
Emily 7
Hannah 7
Agnes 6
Catherine 5
Charlotte 5
Kate 5
Ada 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Rebecca 4
Anne 3
Esther 3
Frances 3
Grace 3
Laura 3
Lydia 3
Margt. 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Betty 2
Edith 2
Eliz.Ann 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Jessie 2
Margery 2
Minnie 2
Pheobe 2
Rachael 2
Ruth 2
Susanna 2
Betst 1
Betsy 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Elleanor 1
Janet 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 82
James 50
Thomas 40
William 29
George 24
Joseph 23
Richard 23
Henry 19
Edward 15
Robert 12
Charles 10
Peter 10
Alfred 6
Thos. 6
David 5
Gilbert 5
Samuel 5
Wm. 5
Albert 3
Ernest 3
Edmund 2
Frank 2
Harold 2
Harry 2
Infant 2
Isaac 2
Lee 2
Matthew 2
Ralph 2
Richd. 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Chas.Edwd. 1
Cyril 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Enock 1
Hamilton 1
Hollis 1
Jno. 1
Jno.T. 1
Josiah 1
Lancefield 1
Lawrence 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Norman 1
Percy 1
Yebiah 1

FAQ

Greenall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greenall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 917 people were recorded with the Greenall surname. That placed it at #4,177 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greenall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,772 in 2016. That gives Greenall a modern rank of #3,548.

What does the Greenall surname mean?

An English surname possibly derived from a green meadow location.

What does the Greenall map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Greenall 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.