NameCensus.

UK surname

Greening

An English toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a grassy area or village green.

In the 1881 census there were 1,656 people recorded with the Greening surname, ranking it #2,591 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,121, ranked #3,049, down from #2,591 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Devon, Caerphilly and West Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greening is 2,169 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.1%.

1881 census count

1,656

Ranked #2,591

Modern count

2,121

2016, ranked #3,049

Peak year

1911

2,169 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greening had 1,656 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,591 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,121 in 2016, ranked #3,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,169 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Greening surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Greening surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Greening 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 1,133 #2,487
1861 historical 1,090 #2,576
1881 historical 1,656 #2,591
1891 historical 1,757 #2,594
1901 historical 2,022 #2,647
1911 historical 2,169 #2,320
1997 modern 2,046 #3,002
1998 modern 2,109 #3,029
1999 modern 2,115 #3,042
2000 modern 2,139 #2,996
2001 modern 2,090 #2,995
2002 modern 2,118 #3,021
2003 modern 2,085 #3,003
2004 modern 2,068 #3,031
2005 modern 2,027 #3,049
2006 modern 2,035 #3,038
2007 modern 2,057 #3,043
2008 modern 2,067 #3,053
2009 modern 2,104 #3,071
2010 modern 2,139 #3,093
2011 modern 2,145 #3,048
2012 modern 2,104 #3,040
2013 modern 2,163 #3,013
2014 modern 2,163 #3,036
2015 modern 2,141 #3,030
2016 modern 2,121 #3,049

Geography

Back to top

Where Greenings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, London parishes, Poorstock and Cheltenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Devon, Caerphilly, West Dorset, Tewkesbury and West Devon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Poorstock Dorset
5 Cheltenham Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Devon 007 Mid Devon
2 Caerphilly 001 Caerphilly
3 West Dorset 011 West Dorset
4 Tewkesbury 002 Tewkesbury
5 West Devon 005 West Devon

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Greening

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Greening

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Greening 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

Greening 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

Greening falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Greening 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 Greening, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Greening

The surname Greening is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "grene," meaning "green," and likely referred to someone who lived near a green or grassy area. It is believed to have originated in England during the early medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century.

While the name itself is not recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England, some variations and similar spellings can be found, such as "Grene" and "Grenewode." These early forms of the name suggest a connection to the color green or to a wooded, verdant area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Greening is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195, where a person named William Grening is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279 also contain a reference to a John le Grenyng.

Place names and locations played a significant role in the development of surnames during the medieval period. The name Greening may have been derived from or associated with places like Greenings, a township in Staffordshire, or Greening's Hill in Shropshire.

Among the notable figures throughout history who bore the surname Greening, we have:

1. Henry Greening (1781-1865), an English watchmaker and inventor from Newcastle upon Tyne, known for his innovations in watchmaking and for establishing the Greening's Chronometer Factory.

2. Richard Greening (1801-1858), an English architect and civil engineer responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London.

3. Alice Greening (1837-1928), a British social reformer and philanthropist who advocated for women's rights and established the Alice Greening Home for Girls in London.

4. Samuel Greening (1834-1905), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several notable projects in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Alexandra Palace.

5. John Greening (1891-1963), an Australian cricketer who played Test cricket for the Australian national team in the early 20th century.

The surname Greening has a rich history and a connection to the natural world, specifically green spaces and wooded areas. Its evolution and variations reflect the cultural and linguistic influences of different regions in England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Greening families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greening 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. Gloucestershire leads with 399 Greenings recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.53x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 399 12.53x
Dorset 210 19.70x
Middlesex 176 1.08x
Surrey 95 1.20x
Warwickshire 94 2.29x
Worcestershire 59 2.78x
Yorkshire 59 0.37x
Glamorgan 58 2.05x
Devon 56 1.66x
Lancashire 53 0.28x
Hampshire 49 1.47x
Herefordshire 43 6.46x
Monmouthshire 31 2.64x
Buckinghamshire 26 2.65x
Oxfordshire 25 2.49x
Staffordshire 22 0.40x
Bedfordshire 21 2.50x
Brecknockshire 18 5.54x
Cheshire 17 0.47x
Kent 17 0.31x
Sussex 16 0.58x
Berkshire 15 1.23x
Somerset 15 0.57x
Essex 14 0.44x
Lanarkshire 14 0.27x
Derbyshire 9 0.35x
Hertfordshire 8 0.71x
Wiltshire 8 0.56x
Durham 7 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.32x
Channel Islands 6 1.25x
Cornwall 4 0.22x
Northumberland 4 0.17x
Midlothian 2 0.09x
Norfolk 2 0.08x
Northamptonshire 2 0.13x
Royal Navy 2 1.03x
Denbighshire 1 0.16x
Shropshire 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. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 57 Greenings recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.05x.

Place Total Index
Aston 57 5.05x
Winchcomb 53 335.23x
Cheltenham 45 18.31x
Powerstock 31 679.82x
Birmingham 28 2.05x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 28 9.34x
Islington London 28 1.78x
Lassington 23 1031.39x
Lambeth 20 1.41x
St Pancras London 20 1.53x
Hackney London 18 1.98x
Puddletown 18 275.65x
Leighton Buzzard 14 38.70x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 13 22.30x
Merthyr Tydfil 13 4.78x
Paddington London 13 2.18x
Gloucester St Mary Lode 12 160.64x
Kings Norton 12 6.31x
Withington 12 19.33x
Battersea 11 1.84x
Bishopston Higher 11 973.45x
Everton 11 1.79x
Gloucester Barton St 11 58.92x
Kensington London 11 1.22x
St Marylebone London 11 1.27x
Aberdare 10 5.15x
Alderton 10 425.53x
Gelligaer 10 15.48x
Iffley 10 118.20x
Mathon 10 160.77x
Minsterworth 10 431.03x
Plymouth St Andrew 10 3.84x
Bermondsey 9 1.86x
Camberwell 9 0.87x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 9 104.29x
Glasgow 9 0.96x
Kelly 9 714.29x
Ledbury 9 39.35x
Leeds 9 0.99x
Tottenham 9 3.48x
Upton Cum Chalvey 9 23.00x
Warrington 9 3.94x
Westbury On Severn East 9 12.50x
Winterborne Abbas 9 818.18x
Aston Clinton 8 96.15x
Broadwinsor 8 114.61x
Cardiff St John 8 8.66x
Chepstow 8 40.02x
Chesham 8 22.11x
Church Coppenhall 8 49.91x
Clerkenwell London 8 2.09x
Coddington 8 1025.64x
Dorchester All Sts 8 157.17x
Elmore 8 408.16x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 8 67.34x
Hardwicke 8 221.61x
Horton In Bradford 8 3.18x
Llangattock 8 30.25x
Normanton 8 16.54x
Shoreditch London 8 1.14x
Bedford St Mary 7 32.32x
Coventry Holy Trinity 7 5.72x
Dymock 7 92.23x
East Wickham 7 106.54x
Elmstone Hardwick 7 397.73x
Fordington 7 30.49x
Gillingham 7 38.21x
Holbeck 7 6.56x
Holywell 7 148.94x
Kingston Russell 7 1794.87x
Linton 7 104.63x
Liverpool 7 0.60x
Nottingham St Mary 7 1.24x
South Hinksey 7 131.58x
St Martin In Fields 7 7.20x
Swindon 7 6.28x
Warblington 7 53.03x
Fairford 6 70.51x
Newington 6 1.00x
Parkstone 6 48.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 96
Elizabeth 54
Sarah 46
Ann 41
Eliza 33
Jane 33
Emma 32
Emily 31
Annie 28
Alice 27
Ellen 22
Maria 18
Fanny 17
Louisa 17
Florence 15
Hannah 15
Catherine 14
Harriet 13
Kate 13
Edith 12
Martha 12
Ada 10
Caroline 10
Rebecca 10
Susan 8
Amelia 7
Clara 7
Jessie 7
Harriett 6
Minnie 6
Charlotte 5
Frances 5
Ruth 5
Agnes 4
Beatrice 4
Margaret 4
Maryann 4
Amy 3
Anna 3
Anne 3
Blanche 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Florance 3
Francis 3
Priscilla 3
Rosa 3
Rose 3
Sophia 3
Christina 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 99
John 71
George 66
Charles 53
Henry 50
Thomas 41
James 31
Alfred 23
Joseph 22
Richard 22
Edward 21
Albert 17
Arthur 14
Samuel 13
Walter 13
Daniel 12
Francis 12
Frank 10
Herbert 10
Robert 10
Frederick 9
Chas. 7
Ernest 7
David 6
Harry 6
Wm. 6
Benjamin 5
Edwin 5
Tom 4
Clement 3
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Fredrick 3
Jeremiah 3
Jesse 3
Timothy 3
Abraham 2
Benjn. 2
Christopher 2
Edmund 2
Enos 2
Geo.Fk. 2
Horace 2
Leonard 2
Luke 2
Oliver 2
Percival 2
Peter 2
Ralph 2
Stephen 2

FAQ

Greening surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greening surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,656 people were recorded with the Greening surname. That placed it at #2,591 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greening surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,121 in 2016. That gives Greening a modern rank of #3,049.

What does the Greening surname mean?

An English toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a grassy area or village green.

What does the Greening map show?

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