NameCensus.

UK surname

Greenan

Of Irish origin, meaning a greenlike or pleasant place.

In the 1881 census there were 203 people recorded with the Greenan surname, ranking it #12,717 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 852, ranked #6,566, up from #12,717 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rutherglen, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kilwinning West and Blacklands, High Peak and Hillhouse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greenan is 893 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 319.7%.

1881 census count

203

Ranked #12,717

Modern count

852

2016, ranked #6,566

Peak year

2010

893 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greenan had 203 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,717 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 852 in 2016, ranked #6,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 330 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Greenan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Greenan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Greenan 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 94 #17,837
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 203 #12,717
1891 historical 282 #11,597
1901 historical 330 #10,899
1911 historical 144 #18,325
1997 modern 778 #6,686
1998 modern 820 #6,632
1999 modern 831 #6,599
2000 modern 817 #6,664
2001 modern 804 #6,629
2002 modern 822 #6,627
2003 modern 796 #6,680
2004 modern 788 #6,758
2005 modern 796 #6,633
2006 modern 805 #6,593
2007 modern 836 #6,460
2008 modern 854 #6,400
2009 modern 879 #6,387
2010 modern 893 #6,431
2011 modern 872 #6,488
2012 modern 813 #6,749
2013 modern 820 #6,801
2014 modern 847 #6,676
2015 modern 852 #6,587
2016 modern 852 #6,566

Geography

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Where Greenans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rutherglen, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Chesterfield and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kilwinning West and Blacklands, High Peak, Hillhouse, Johnstone North West and Kilwinning Central and North. 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 Rutherglen Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Chesterfield Derbyshire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kilwinning West and Blacklands North Ayrshire
2 High Peak 013 High Peak
3 Hillhouse South Lanarkshire
4 Johnstone North West Renfrewshire
5 Kilwinning Central and North North Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Greenan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Greenan

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Greenan is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Greenan is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Greenan 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 Greenan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Greenan

The surname Greenan is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic word "grianán," which means a sunny, bright place or a summer residence. It is believed that the name originated in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century, when surnames began to be adopted in Scotland.

The earliest known record of the name Greenan can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document that lists Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The name is also mentioned in various Scottish charters and land records from the 14th and 15th centuries.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Greenan, a Scottish landowner who lived in the 14th century. Records indicate that he owned lands in the county of Ayrshire, which was likely the origin of the Greenan surname.

In the 16th century, the name Greenan appeared in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were records of royal revenue and expenditure. This suggests that members of the Greenan family held positions of importance or wealth during that period.

Another notable figure in the history of the Greenan surname was Sir Thomas Greenan, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. He was awarded lands and titles for his service in the conflict.

In the 17th century, the Greenan surname was associated with the village of Greenan in Ayrshire, Scotland. This place name likely derived from the same Gaelic word that gave rise to the surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and the concept of a sunny or bright location.

Over the centuries, the Greenan surname has been subject to various spelling variations, including Greenan, Greenane, and Greenen. These variations reflect the challenges of standardizing spelling in earlier times and the influence of regional dialects.

Other notable individuals with the Greenan surname include:

1. Sir John Greenan (1742-1810), a Scottish politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament. 2. William Greenan (1795-1867), a Scottish-American engineer and inventor who designed and built several early railroad bridges in the United States. 3. Bridget Greenan (1824-1898), an Irish-American educator and philanthropist who founded the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace. 4. James Greenan (1865-1943), a Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist who established the Greenan Foundation to support education and medical research. 5. Eileen Greenan (1905-1989), an Irish novelist and short story writer known for her works exploring rural life in Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Greenan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greenan 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. Lanarkshire leads with 38 Greenans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.91x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 38 5.91x
Midlothian 29 10.88x
Renfrewshire 20 12.97x
East Lothian 16 60.70x
Ayrshire 12 8.06x
Derbyshire 12 3.85x
Durham 11 1.86x
Nottinghamshire 11 4.10x
Lancashire 10 0.42x
Yorkshire 9 0.46x
Cheshire 8 1.82x
Hampshire 7 1.72x
Staffordshire 4 0.60x
Surrey 4 0.41x
Buteshire 3 24.88x
Dumfriesshire 3 6.83x
Kent 3 0.44x
Cumberland 1 0.58x
Flintshire 1 1.87x
Northumberland 1 0.34x
Royal Navy 1 4.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Abbey in Renfrewshire leads with 20 Greenans recorded in 1881 and an index of 85.00x.

Place Total Index
Abbey 20 85.00x
Govan 15 9.43x
Chesterfield 12 102.74x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 10 9.32x
South Leith 10 33.33x
Gladsmuir 8 683.76x
Nottingham St Mary 8 11.53x
Barony 7 4.30x
Chester St Oswald 7 88.05x
Kilwinning 7 145.53x
Edinburgh New North 6 258.62x
Glasgow 6 5.25x
Helmington Row 6 217.39x
Rutherglen 6 63.56x
Bradford 5 10.48x
Great Bolton 5 15.99x
Whippingham 5 161.81x
Darlington 4 17.51x
Haddington 4 102.83x
Smallthorne 4 160.64x
Stoke 4 87.53x
Thornaby 4 54.27x
Tranent 4 112.36x
Annan 3 79.37x
Clarborough 3 149.25x
Edinburgh Old 3 185.19x
Kilbirnie 3 83.80x
Kingarth 3 344.83x
Woolwich 3 11.96x
Cambusnethan 2 14.00x
Carisbrooke 2 35.34x
Everton 2 2.66x
Old Monkland 2 7.83x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.67x
East Thickley 1 83.33x
Elswick 1 4.23x
Garston 1 14.35x
Irthington Newtown 1 555.56x
Kilmarnock 1 5.64x
Knutsford Nether 1 37.74x
Liverpool 1 0.70x
St Quivox 1 19.88x
Whitford 1 36.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Catherine 5
Sarah 4
Anne 2
Elizabeth 2
Margaret 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Charlotte 1
Elizab... 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Jane 1
Josephine 1
Kate 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
Thomas 7
Patrick 6
James 4
Peter 3
Hugh 2
Joseph 2
Austin 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Eugene 1
Francis 1
George 1
Henry 1
J. 1
Janus 1
Jimmey 1
Mathew 1
Richard 1
William 1

FAQ

Greenan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greenan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 203 people were recorded with the Greenan surname. That placed it at #12,717 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greenan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 852 in 2016. That gives Greenan a modern rank of #6,566.

What does the Greenan surname mean?

Of Irish origin, meaning a greenlike or pleasant place.

What does the Greenan map show?

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