NameCensus.

UK surname

Greenman

A surname referring to a person who is inexperienced, or one who managed or worked in woodlands or forests.

In the 1881 census there were 264 people recorded with the Greenman surname, ranking it #10,655 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 470, ranked #10,475, up from #10,655 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Box, Ditteridge and Hullavington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, Wiltshire and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greenman is 506 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 78.0%.

1881 census count

264

Ranked #10,655

Modern count

470

2016, ranked #10,475

Peak year

1998

506 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greenman had 264 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,655 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 470 in 2016, ranked #10,475.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 425 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Greenman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Greenman surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Greenman 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 206 #10,183
1861 historical 290 #8,686
1881 historical 264 #10,655
1891 historical 383 #9,178
1901 historical 407 #9,374
1911 historical 425 #8,877
1997 modern 482 #9,567
1998 modern 506 #9,501
1999 modern 503 #9,618
2000 modern 491 #9,762
2001 modern 482 #9,717
2002 modern 477 #9,981
2003 modern 469 #9,940
2004 modern 489 #9,652
2005 modern 478 #9,754
2006 modern 469 #9,937
2007 modern 469 #10,028
2008 modern 478 #9,977
2009 modern 495 #9,942
2010 modern 504 #10,002
2011 modern 492 #10,072
2012 modern 474 #10,254
2013 modern 483 #10,287
2014 modern 489 #10,253
2015 modern 478 #10,343
2016 modern 470 #10,475

Geography

Back to top

Where Greenmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Box, Ditteridge, Hullavington, Thornbury, Rockhampton and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, Wiltshire, Barnsley and Cardiff. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Box, Ditteridge Wiltshire
3 Hullavington Wiltshire
4 Thornbury, Rockhampton Gloucestershire
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 004 Forest of Dean
2 Wiltshire 005 Wiltshire
3 Barnsley 008 Barnsley
4 Cardiff 014 Cardiff
5 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Greenman

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Greenman

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Greenman is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Greenman 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

Greenman falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Greenman

The surname Greenman is of English origin, emerging in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "grene" meaning green and "mann" meaning man, likely referring to someone who lived near a green or a forested area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Greenman can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a William Greneman is mentioned. The name also appears in various forms such as Greneman, Grenemannus, and Grenmon in various medieval records and charters from across England.

During the 13th century, the surname Greenman was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. Place names like Greenham in Berkshire and Greenholme in Yorkshire may have influenced the development of the surname in those regions.

A notable early bearer of the name was John Greenman, a wealthy landowner from Nottinghamshire who lived in the late 14th century. He is mentioned in several land records and legal documents from the period.

In the 16th century, the surname Greenman was well-established across England. Thomas Greenman (c.1500-1580) was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, known for his philanthropic efforts and involvement in local governance.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Captain William Greenman (1610-1676) fought for the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He was later appointed as a commissioner for the trial of King Charles I.

Another noteworthy figure was Edward Greenman (1722-1798), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Radwinter in Essex. He published several religious works and sermons during his lifetime.

In the 19th century, Henry Greenman (1810-1892) was a prominent architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style across southern England.

While the surname Greenman is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history dating back to the medieval period, with various notable bearers contributing to various fields over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Greenman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greenman 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. Wiltshire leads with 131 Greenmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.74x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 131 57.74x
Gloucestershire 31 6.16x
Yorkshire 27 1.06x
Somerset 19 4.60x
Lancashire 11 0.36x
Surrey 9 0.72x
Glamorgan 8 1.79x
Middlesex 7 0.27x
Monmouthshire 5 2.70x
Hampshire 4 0.76x
Warwickshire 4 0.62x
Leicestershire 3 1.05x
Angus 1 0.42x
Dorset 1 0.59x
Kent 1 0.11x
Norfolk 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Box in Wiltshire leads with 51 Greenmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2642.49x.

Place Total Index
Box 51 2642.49x
Hullavington 49 8909.09x
Linthorpe 7 46.14x
Cardiff St Mary 6 24.39x
Chippenham 6 126.05x
Didsbury 6 148.51x
Frome 6 60.73x
Manningham 6 19.16x
Battersea 5 5.30x
Bedminster 5 12.89x
Brinkworth 5 490.20x
Cheltenham 5 12.88x
Dauntsey 5 1190.48x
Islington London 5 2.01x
Kingswood 5 609.76x
Littleton Drew 5 2777.78x
Bowling 4 15.89x
Egham 4 52.15x
Halifax 4 10.72x
Leamington 4 93.24x
Skircoat 4 39.92x
Aldershot 3 17.04x
Almondsbury 3 156.25x
Barton Upon Irwell 3 13.09x
Bath St James 3 69.61x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 6.33x
Leicester St Margaret 3 4.33x
Monkton Farleigh 3 810.81x
Newport 3 33.90x
Walcot 3 13.64x
Westbury On Severn East 3 26.39x
Chipping Sodbury 2 212.77x
Little Somerford 2 606.06x
Sherston Magna 2 145.99x
Bitton 1 22.83x
Bristol St Paul In 1 7.46x
Cardiff St John 1 6.85x
Cawston 1 103.09x
Charlton Kings 1 28.74x
Clifton 1 3.93x
Coates 1 243.90x
Devizes St James 1 33.22x
Dundee 1 1.13x
Dursley 1 48.31x
Everton 1 1.03x
Holdenhurst 1 7.25x
Horfield 1 19.76x
Horsley 1 44.84x
Llandegreth 1 1428.57x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 9.25x
Melcombe Regis 1 14.33x
Orell Ford 1 178.57x
Penarth 1 22.88x
Sowerby In Halifax 1 12.03x
St Marylebone London 1 0.73x
St Woollos 1 4.83x
Swindon 1 5.68x
Thornbury 1 29.07x
Warley 1 13.61x
Westbury On Trym 1 5.87x
Weston 1 31.45x
Westport St Mary 1 60.98x
Whitechapel London 1 3.95x
Woolwich 1 3.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 19
Sarah 9
Eliza 7
Mary 7
Jane 6
Alice 5
Ann 5
Emily 4
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Georgina 3
Hannah 3
Rose 3
Charlotte 2
Elizbeth 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Minnie 2
Susannah 2
Augusta 1
Bertha 1
Catherine 1
Cecilia 1
Charllotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ester 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Henly 1
Hester 1
Inft 1
Kezia 1
Laura 1
Lizzie 1
Luanna 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Mercey 1
Merinor 1
Merorian 1
Nellie 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
George 11
John 7
Thomas 7
Charles 6
Henry 6
David 5
James 5
Mark 5
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Walter 4
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Bryant 2
Escot 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Isaac 2
Job 2
Joe 2
Albertie 1
Allin 1
Ambrose 1
Andrew 1
Christopher 1
Elijah 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Gaberiel 1
Gabriel 1
Geo. 1
Giles 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jeremiah 1
Lambert 1
Oliver 1
Philip 1
Rewben 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Sarah 1
Seymor 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Valentine 1
Wellington 1
Wyndham 1

FAQ

Greenman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greenman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 264 people were recorded with the Greenman surname. That placed it at #10,655 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greenman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 470 in 2016. That gives Greenman a modern rank of #10,475.

What does the Greenman surname mean?

A surname referring to a person who is inexperienced, or one who managed or worked in woodlands or forests.

What does the Greenman map show?

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