NameCensus.

UK surname

Greengrass

A geographic name for someone living near a grassy area or meadow.

In the 1881 census there were 408 people recorded with the Greengrass surname, ranking it #7,852 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 390, ranked #12,089, down from #7,852 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney and Broadland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greengrass is 584 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.4%.

1881 census count

408

Ranked #7,852

Modern count

390

2016, ranked #12,089

Peak year

1911

584 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greengrass had 408 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,852 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 390 in 2016, ranked #12,089.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 584 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Greengrass surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Greengrass surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Greengrass 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 273 #8,212
1861 historical 246 #10,010
1881 historical 408 #7,852
1891 historical 456 #7,996
1901 historical 552 #7,515
1911 historical 584 #6,977
1997 modern 489 #9,453
1998 modern 476 #9,974
1999 modern 500 #9,661
2000 modern 487 #9,819
2001 modern 486 #9,674
2002 modern 489 #9,789
2003 modern 469 #9,940
2004 modern 470 #9,958
2005 modern 444 #10,315
2006 modern 428 #10,659
2007 modern 419 #10,954
2008 modern 417 #11,100
2009 modern 422 #11,221
2010 modern 433 #11,242
2011 modern 416 #11,492
2012 modern 379 #12,192
2013 modern 386 #12,243
2014 modern 405 #11,880
2015 modern 396 #11,994
2016 modern 390 #12,089

Geography

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Where Greengrass' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, St John Hackney, Carlton Colville and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney and Broadland. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Carlton Colville Suffolk
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 005 Waveney
2 Broadland 005 Broadland
3 Broadland 015 Broadland
4 Waveney 008 Waveney
5 Broadland 004 Broadland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Greengrass

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Greengrass

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Greengrass, 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 Greengrass surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Greengrass 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Greengrass is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Greengrass is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Greengrass

The surname Greengrass is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is a topographic name derived from the Old English words "grene" meaning green and "græs" meaning grass. This suggests that the name was originally given to someone who lived near an area of lush, green grassland.

Greengrass is a variant spelling of the more common surnames Greengrass and Greengroves. The earliest recorded instance of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1170, where a Richard de Grenegres is listed. This indicates that the name was already established in northern England by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name Greengrass is found in various records across England. For instance, a Roger de Grenegras is mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also list a John de Grenegrave in Oxfordshire.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Greengrass surname was John Grenegraue, who was born in Yorkshire around 1325. He was a prominent landowner and served as a tax collector in the reign of Edward III.

Another notable individual with this surname was William Grenegras, a merchant from London who lived in the late 15th century. He is recorded in the city's Guild Records from 1486.

During the 16th century, the name Greengrass appeared in various forms, such as Grenegreave, Grenegreave, and Greengrave. One example is Thomas Greengrave, a yeoman farmer from Warwickshire, born in 1547.

In the 17th century, the spelling Greengrass became more standardized. A notable bearer of this name was John Greengrass, a Protestant minister born in Essex in 1623. He was a vocal critic of the Catholic Church during the reign of Charles II.

Another prominent figure was Samuel Greengrass, a successful merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, born in 1675. He amassed a considerable fortune and left a substantial estate to his descendants.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Greengrass families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greengrass 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 130 Greengrass' recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.45x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 130 21.45x
Suffolk 95 19.79x
Middlesex 82 2.08x
Kent 30 2.23x
Essex 17 2.19x
Surrey 10 0.52x
Gloucestershire 9 1.16x
Yorkshire 6 0.15x
Lancashire 5 0.11x
Hampshire 4 0.50x
Sussex 4 0.60x
Derbyshire 3 0.49x
Warwickshire 3 0.30x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.80x
Northamptonshire 2 0.54x
Cornwall 1 0.22x
Durham 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 23 Greengrass' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.41x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 23 10.41x
Great Yarmouth 17 33.87x
Heigham 16 49.20x
Carlton Colville 14 795.45x
Islington London 14 3.67x
Swaffham 10 202.84x
Great Finborough 9 1607.14x
Norwich St Gregory 9 849.06x
Aylsham 8 221.61x
Buxhall 8 1250.00x
Ipswich St Margaret 8 49.11x
Lowestoft 8 35.27x
Norwich St John Timberhill 8 490.80x
St George Martyr London 8 100.25x
St Marylebone London 8 3.80x
Stowmarket 8 144.14x
Troston 8 1777.78x
West Ham 8 4.66x
Wetherden 8 1194.03x
Chislehurst 7 97.09x
Bunwell 6 517.24x
Carbrooke 6 722.89x
Croydon 6 5.63x
Norwich St Stephen 6 107.91x
St Luke London 6 9.49x
Watton 6 315.79x
Charlton 5 55.99x
Cheltenham 5 8.39x
Great Dunham 5 943.40x
Hayes 5 531.91x
Shoreditch London 5 2.93x
Sittingbourne 5 47.08x
Wethersfield 5 255.10x
Beccles 4 51.75x
Carisbrooke 4 35.68x
Eastbourne 4 13.08x
Greenwich 4 6.38x
Marske In Guisbrough 4 57.64x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 4 131.58x
Oulton 4 246.91x
Palling 4 645.16x
St Dunstan In West London 4 325.20x
St Pancras London 4 1.26x
Birmingham 3 0.91x
Brooke 3 315.79x
Haddiscoe 3 566.04x
Hammersmith London 3 3.09x
Ipswich St Helen 3 52.72x
Loddon 3 192.31x
North Wingfield 3 108.70x
Toxteth Park 3 1.89x
Battersea 2 1.38x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 7.76x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.69x
Cromer 2 93.02x
Holy Trinity 2 2.13x
Hythe St Leonard 2 42.11x
Ipswich St Nicholas 2 75.76x
Kirkley 2 49.75x
Lambeth 2 0.58x
Norton Subcourse 2 408.16x
Shottesham St Mary 2 465.12x
South Weald 2 30.03x
Tottenham 2 3.19x
Wellingborough 2 10.73x
Burgh St Peter 1 204.08x
Chester St Nicholas 1 181.82x
Dovercourt 1 36.50x
Eaton St Andrew 1 59.52x
Erith 1 7.55x
Grimston 1 65.36x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 7.43x
Lewisham 1 1.39x
Lindsey 1 333.33x
Norwich St Helen 1 133.33x
Ringsfield 1 263.16x
Rockland St Peter 1 294.12x
Saxstead 1 217.39x
Trowse Cum Newton 1 66.67x
Wotton St Mary 1 24.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Alice 13
Elizabeth 13
Emma 12
Sarah 12
Eliza 8
Annie 7
Ellen 6
Hannah 6
Harriet 6
Jane 6
Ann 5
Clara 5
Emily 5
Charlotte 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Rose 3
Bathsheba 2
Beatrice 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Mabel 2
Matilda 2
Met 2
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Carelin 1
Emmily 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Judy 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Letta 1
Lilian 1
Lottie 1
Lucy 1
Wm. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
George 20
John 17
Henry 14
James 10
Charles 8
Frederick 7
Joseph 6
Thomas 6
Edward 5
Albert 4
Daniel 4
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Christopher 3
Walter 3
Abner 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Getly 2
Harry 2
Wallace 2
Alexander 1
Benjamin 1
Bertram 1
Birtis 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Diason 1
E. 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fread 1
Frederic 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Herbet 1
Isaac 1
Jermyn 1
Richard 1
Samson 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Thos.S. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Greengrass surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greengrass surname in 1881?

In 1881, 408 people were recorded with the Greengrass surname. That placed it at #7,852 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greengrass surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 390 in 2016. That gives Greengrass a modern rank of #12,089.

What does the Greengrass surname mean?

A geographic name for someone living near a grassy area or meadow.

What does the Greengrass map show?

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