NameCensus.

UK surname

Greenbank

A locational surname referring to someone residing near a green embankment.

In the 1881 census there were 329 people recorded with the Greenbank surname, ranking it #9,107 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 490, ranked #10,129, down from #9,107 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedbergh, Giggleswick and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tameside, South Lakeland and Pendle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greenbank is 532 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.9%.

1881 census count

329

Ranked #9,107

Modern count

490

2016, ranked #10,129

Peak year

2000

532 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greenbank had 329 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,107 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 490 in 2016, ranked #10,129.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 489 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Greenbank surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Greenbank surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Greenbank 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 239 #9,092
1861 historical 251 #9,830
1881 historical 329 #9,107
1891 historical 392 #9,019
1901 historical 435 #8,922
1911 historical 489 #7,959
1997 modern 516 #9,095
1998 modern 520 #9,316
1999 modern 523 #9,332
2000 modern 532 #9,181
2001 modern 529 #9,071
2002 modern 525 #9,322
2003 modern 499 #9,501
2004 modern 515 #9,312
2005 modern 500 #9,443
2006 modern 500 #9,490
2007 modern 499 #9,574
2008 modern 499 #9,646
2009 modern 501 #9,843
2010 modern 506 #9,971
2011 modern 488 #10,135
2012 modern 492 #9,989
2013 modern 502 #9,993
2014 modern 488 #10,271
2015 modern 488 #10,182
2016 modern 490 #10,129

Geography

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Where Greenbanks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedbergh, Giggleswick, Blackburn, Hemsworth and Kendal. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tameside, South Lakeland, Pendle and Ryedale. 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 Sedbergh Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Giggleswick Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Hemsworth Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Kendal Westmorland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tameside 023 Tameside
2 South Lakeland 003 South Lakeland
3 Pendle 002 Pendle
4 South Lakeland 005 South Lakeland
5 Ryedale 002 Ryedale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Greenbank

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Greenbank

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Greenbank is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Greenbank is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Greenbank 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 Greenbank 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 Greenbank, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Greenbank

The surname Greenbank originated in England during the late medieval period, likely deriving from a topographic name for someone who lived near a green bank or grassy slope. It may have emerged as a descriptive nickname or referred to a specific locality.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census taken in 1273 during the reign of King Edward I, which mentions a William de Grenebancke in Oxfordshire. Other early spellings include Grenebonk, Grenebanke, and Grenebanck.

In the 14th century, the Placita de Quo Warranto rolls, which recorded land disputes, mention a John de Grenebonk in Staffordshire in 1347. This suggests the name may have been associated with a particular estate or land holding.

The Greenbank surname is also found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the 13th century, indicating its presence in northern England. These were annual financial records maintained by the Exchequer.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Roger Grenebonke, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. These rolls were tax records that provide a valuable source for tracking the distribution of surnames across England.

Notable historical figures with the Greenbank surname include:

1. John Greenbank (c.1480-1543), an English priest and canon lawyer who served as the Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge.

2. Richard Greenbank (1569-1648), an English merchant and philanthropist who made significant bequests to support education and charitable causes in London.

3. William Greenbank (1630-1694), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Doctrine of the Two Covenants" published in 1687.

4. Mary Greenbank (1781-1856), a British artist known for her landscape paintings and etchings, many of which depicted scenes from the Lake District.

5. Charles Greenbank (1857-1934), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in Manchester, including the former Royal Eye Hospital and the Salvation Army Citadel.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Greenbank families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greenbank 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. Yorkshire leads with 138 Greenbanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.33x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 138 4.33x
Lancashire 88 2.30x
Westmorland 36 50.88x
Middlesex 23 0.71x
Durham 18 1.88x
Renfrewshire 11 4.41x
Cumberland 7 2.53x
Surrey 2 0.13x
Sussex 2 0.37x
Hampshire 1 0.15x
Leicestershire 1 0.28x
Staffordshire 1 0.09x
Warwickshire 1 0.12x
Worcestershire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dent in Yorkshire leads with 43 Greenbanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 3233.08x.

Place Total Index
Dent 43 3233.08x
Kendal 15 115.83x
Barrowford Booth 14 330.97x
Blackburn 11 10.82x
Hemsworth 10 546.45x
Horton In Ribblesdale 10 1724.14x
Hunslet 10 20.10x
Sedburgh 10 751.88x
Killington 9 3333.33x
Balderstone 8 1481.48x
Cathcart 8 59.26x
Claughton In Lunesdale 8 7272.73x
Hulme 8 10.03x
Paddington London 8 6.76x
Stainforth In Settle 8 3478.26x
Carthorpe 7 1944.44x
East Bedfont 7 437.50x
Nateby 7 3684.21x
Crook Billy Row 6 48.94x
Settle 6 245.90x
Workington 6 37.81x
Giggleswick 5 462.96x
Ingleton 5 279.33x
Liversedge 5 35.21x
Manchester 5 2.91x
Stretford 5 23.79x
Bolton By Bowland 4 519.48x
Chorley 4 18.67x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 6.59x
Helmington Row 4 89.69x
St Pancras London 4 1.54x
Stockton On Tees 4 8.67x
Ardwick 3 8.71x
Armley 3 21.32x
Eastwood 3 19.53x
Everton 3 2.46x
Kirkby Lonsdale 3 157.07x
Seaham 3 85.96x
Toxteth Park 3 2.32x
Worsbrough 3 32.09x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 2.40x
Cheetham 2 7.02x
Habergham Eaves 2 5.73x
Hastings St Mary 2 14.80x
Hellifield 2 425.53x
Newbiggen 2 1818.18x
Penge 2 9.73x
Whitechapel London 2 6.30x
Ambleside 1 45.66x
Bentham 1 41.15x
Claife 1 163.93x
Claines 1 8.67x
Clapham Cum Newby 1 135.14x
Coventry St Michael 1 3.83x
Freshwater 1 33.22x
Garsdale 1 151.52x
Gateshead 1 1.39x
Higher Booths 1 14.51x
Humberstone 1 34.13x
Islington London 1 0.32x
Kirkby Malham 1 625.00x
Liverpool 1 0.43x
Lower Booths 1 14.62x
Natland 1 312.50x
Poulton Barre 1 22.99x
Rivington 1 277.78x
St Cuthbert W O Carleton 1 131.58x
St Giles In Fields London 1 6.33x
West Tanfield 1 163.93x
Wolstanton 1 3.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 24
Mary 21
Jane 12
Alice 11
Agnes 10
Sarah 8
Hannah 7
Margaret 7
Ann 5
Isabella 4
Ellen 3
Emma 2
Louisa 2
Margret 2
Maria 2
Ammelia 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Bella 1
Betsy 1
Betty 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Cecilia 1
Cepera 1
Eda 1
Elist.Hannah 1
Ellenor 1
Elloner 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Harriet 1
Harry 1
Hilda 1
Jain 1
Laura 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Maggie 1
Margarett 1
Margrette 1
Martha 1
Nancy 1
Nena 1
Prudence 1
Rachel 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 31
William 21
Thomas 17
Richard 13
James 8
George 7
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Henry 4
Anthony 3
Charles 3
Francis 3
Robert 3
Burton 2
Christopher 2
Isaac 2
Joseph 2
Leonard 2
Nelson 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Chas. 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
Jas. 1
Jhn. 1
Jonathan 1
Lawrence 1
Lenord 1
Marmaduke 1
Michael 1
Miles 1
R.Arthur 1
Robt. 1
Rufus 1
Shepherd 1
Thos.Hy. 1
Wales 1

FAQ

Greenbank surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greenbank surname in 1881?

In 1881, 329 people were recorded with the Greenbank surname. That placed it at #9,107 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greenbank surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 490 in 2016. That gives Greenbank a modern rank of #10,129.

What does the Greenbank surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone residing near a green embankment.

What does the Greenbank map show?

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