UK surname
A habitational surname derived from a place name with a greenish landscape.
In the 1881 census there were 40 people recorded with the Greeney surname, ranking it #28,011 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 66, ranked #33,948, down from #28,011 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Stockport and Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greeney is 102 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.0%.
1881 census count
40
Ranked #28,011
Modern count
66
2016, ranked #33,948
Peak year
1891
102 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Greeney surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Greeney surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 10 | #31,497 |
| 1861 | historical | 91 | #22,206 |
| 1881 | historical | 40 | #28,011 |
| 1891 | historical | 102 | #23,719 |
| 1901 | historical | 64 | #27,010 |
| 1911 | historical | 57 | #27,099 |
| 1997 | modern | 72 | #30,415 |
| 1998 | modern | 72 | #30,775 |
| 1999 | modern | 78 | #30,327 |
| 2000 | modern | 81 | #30,036 |
| 2001 | modern | 86 | #29,281 |
| 2002 | modern | 85 | #29,867 |
| 2003 | modern | 82 | #30,206 |
| 2004 | modern | 72 | #31,488 |
| 2005 | modern | 79 | #30,950 |
| 2006 | modern | 73 | #31,954 |
| 2007 | modern | 77 | #31,856 |
| 2008 | modern | 79 | #31,957 |
| 2009 | modern | 79 | #32,372 |
| 2010 | modern | 82 | #32,492 |
| 2011 | modern | 80 | #32,652 |
| 2012 | modern | 68 | #33,763 |
| 2013 | modern | 68 | #33,877 |
| 2014 | modern | 69 | #33,833 |
| 2015 | modern | 68 | #33,854 |
| 2016 | modern | 66 | #33,948 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Stockport, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, Wilmslow and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prestbury | Cheshire |
| 2 | Stockport | Cheshire |
| 3 | Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton | Devon |
| 4 | Wilmslow | Cheshire |
| 5 | Preston | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Greeney surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Greeney, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Greeney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Greeney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Greeney is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Greeney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Greeney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Greeney originated in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "grene," meaning green, and was likely initially used as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a green area or forest.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Greeney can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1197, where a person named Richard Grene is mentioned. The spelling "Greeney" itself first appeared in the 13th century, with records showing a William Grenay residing in Buckinghamshire in 1273.
During the medieval period, the name Greeney was most prevalent in the counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire, suggesting that these areas were the strongholds of the family's origins. The name is also found in various forms, such as Grene, Greney, and Grenay, reflecting the differences in local dialects and spellings at the time.
One notable historical figure bearing the name Greeney was Sir John Greeney (c. 1350-1415), a member of the English gentry from Buckinghamshire. He served as a knight and was involved in the Hundred Years' War against France. Another individual of note was Richard Greeney (c. 1490-1558), a wealthy merchant from Oxfordshire who made significant contributions to the local church and community.
In the 16th century, the Greeney surname began to spread more widely across England, with records showing families in counties like Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Dorset. One prominent individual from this period was William Greeney (c. 1520-1594), a successful landowner and farmer from Berkshire who served as a local magistrate.
The Greeney surname also has connections to place names, with some families likely adopting the name based on their residence near a location called "Green" or a variation thereof. For example, there is a village called Greeney in Oxfordshire, which may have contributed to the prevalence of the surname in that area.
Other notable individuals with the surname Greeney include John Greeney (c. 1630-1708), a Puritan minister from Gloucestershire who played a role in the English Civil War, and Robert Greeney (c. 1720-1790), a successful businessman and landowner from Wiltshire.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greeney surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 17 Greeneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.67x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 17 | 3.67x |
| Cheshire | 13 | 15.10x |
| Middlesex | 4 | 1.03x |
| Surrey | 2 | 1.05x |
| Devon | 1 | 1.23x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 1.90x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 3.31x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.26x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockport in Cheshire leads with 6 Greeneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 135.44x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Stockport | 6 | 135.44x |
| Bollin Fee | 5 | 1315.79x |
| Preston | 5 | 40.39x |
| Toxteth Park | 5 | 31.91x |
| Hackney London | 4 | 18.29x |
| Liverpool | 4 | 14.23x |
| Atherton | 3 | 178.57x |
| Bermondsey | 2 | 17.23x |
| Abbey | 1 | 21.69x |
| Barnstaple | 1 | 78.74x |
| Brightside Bierlow | 1 | 13.19x |
| Macclesfield | 1 | 26.11x |
| Nottingham St Nicholas | 1 | 138.89x |
| Pownall Fee | 1 | 256.41x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Greeney surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Greeney surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Greeney households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 6 |
| Cotton Operative | 2 |
| Dk Labr | 2 |
| Labourer (Print Works) | 2 |
| Plasterer | 2 |
| Army Pensioner | 1 |
| Card Room Hand (C M) | 1 |
| Cotton Frame Tenter | 1 |
| Dyer 17/5 (Gen) (Militia) | 1 |
| L H | 1 |
| Machinist | 1 |
| Painter | 1 |
| Porter | 1 |
| Pupil Teacher | 1 |
| Tanner | 1 |
| Visitor | 1 |
| Washer Woman | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 40 people were recorded with the Greeney surname. That placed it at #28,011 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 66 in 2016. That gives Greeney a modern rank of #33,948.
A habitational surname derived from a place name with a greenish landscape.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Greeney bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.