NameCensus.

UK surname

Greenough

A locational surname referring to someone from a green, hilly place.

In the 1881 census there were 756 people recorded with the Greenough surname, ranking it #4,885 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 978, ranked #5,905, down from #4,885 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Wigan and Wantage, East Lockinge, Ardington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Wiltshire and Tameside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greenough is 1,091 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.4%.

1881 census count

756

Ranked #4,885

Modern count

978

2016, ranked #5,905

Peak year

1911

1,091 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greenough had 756 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,885 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 978 in 2016, ranked #5,905.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,091 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Greenough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Greenough surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Greenough 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 489 #5,104
1861 historical 543 #4,837
1881 historical 756 #4,885
1891 historical 890 #4,626
1901 historical 998 #4,771
1911 historical 1,091 #4,253
1997 modern 943 #5,750
1998 modern 987 #5,733
1999 modern 998 #5,723
2000 modern 995 #5,713
2001 modern 965 #5,752
2002 modern 992 #5,732
2003 modern 949 #5,838
2004 modern 961 #5,790
2005 modern 929 #5,885
2006 modern 952 #5,786
2007 modern 971 #5,743
2008 modern 975 #5,759
2009 modern 988 #5,824
2010 modern 1,003 #5,869
2011 modern 956 #6,047
2012 modern 963 #5,914
2013 modern 989 #5,877
2014 modern 981 #5,950
2015 modern 981 #5,899
2016 modern 978 #5,905

Geography

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Where Greenoughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Wigan, Wantage, East Lockinge, Ardington, Bradford and Leigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Wiltshire, Tameside, Flintshire and Wigan. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Wantage, East Lockinge, Ardington Berkshire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Leigh Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
2 Wiltshire 052 Wiltshire
3 Tameside 004 Tameside
4 Flintshire 002 Flintshire
5 Wigan 027 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Greenough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Greenough

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Greenough 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

Greenough is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Greenough falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Greenough is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Greenough, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Greenough

The surname GREENOUGH is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "grene" meaning "green" and "hough" meaning "ridge" or "hill," suggesting that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a green hill or ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GREENOUGH name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a Roger de Grenehull is mentioned. This early spelling variation reflects the name's evolution over time.

In the 13th century, the GREENOUGH name appeared in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a Robert de Grenehull is listed. This suggests that the name was well-established in different parts of England by this period.

The GREENOUGH surname is also closely tied to place names in England. For example, there is a village called Greenough in Northamptonshire, which likely contributed to the surname's origins and early use.

One notable early bearer of the GREENOUGH name was Sir Bevil Greenough (1596-1643), an English Civil War soldier who fought for King Charles I and was killed at the Battle of Lansdowne in Somerset.

In the 17th century, the GREENOUGH name gained prominence with the birth of Edward Greenough (1642-1737), a British politician and member of the Parliament of Great Britain for Launceston from 1708 to 1710.

Another significant figure was Horatio Greenough (1805-1852), an American sculptor and the first American to gain recognition as a sculptor abroad. He is best known for his marble statue "The Grecian Maiden" and the bust of John Adams.

In the 19th century, James Bradstreet Greenough (1833-1901) was a prominent American scholar and author who made significant contributions to the study of Latin grammar and composition.

One of the most famous bearers of the GREENOUGH name in the 20th century was Chester Noyes Greenough (1888-1976), an American psychiatrist and professor at Harvard Medical School, renowned for his work on personality disorders and psychoanalytic theory.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Greenough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greenough 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. Lancashire leads with 387 Greenoughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.42x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 387 4.42x
Yorkshire 190 2.60x
Berkshire 67 12.10x
Northamptonshire 33 4.76x
Derbyshire 19 1.65x
Surrey 18 0.50x
Staffordshire 15 0.60x
Cheshire 10 0.61x
Middlesex 9 0.12x
Somerset 3 0.25x
Kent 2 0.08x
Durham 1 0.05x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Oxfordshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Bierley in Yorkshire leads with 86 Greenoughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 217.94x.

Place Total Index
North Bierley 86 217.94x
Ardington 30 3092.78x
Hindley 25 67.01x
Sutton 25 85.18x
Atherton 20 62.79x
Parr 19 60.68x
Wigan 19 15.54x
Wyke In Bradford 18 137.72x
Ince In Makerfield 17 41.75x
Westleigh 17 85.56x
Crich 15 198.94x
Horton In Bradford 15 13.14x
Templenewsam Thorpe 15 986.84x
Bowling 13 17.96x
Windle 13 26.40x
Ashton Under Lyne 12 6.27x
Farnley In Bramley 12 131.58x
Little Bolton 12 10.66x
Northampton All Sts 12 50.98x
Gomersal 11 32.25x
Much Woolton 11 92.67x
Salford 11 4.27x
Hulme 10 5.47x
Pennington In Leigh 10 59.56x
Stoke Upon Trent 10 3.79x
Wavertree 10 35.70x
Barton Upon Irwell 9 13.66x
Blackburn 9 3.87x
Caton 8 291.97x
Didcot 8 851.06x
Great Bolton 8 6.90x
Pendleton In Salford 8 7.67x
Rusholme 8 34.28x
Blackley 7 45.63x
Chadderton 7 16.36x
Duston 7 111.11x
Egham 7 31.73x
Liverpool 7 1.32x
Manchester 7 1.78x
Northampton St Giles 7 26.50x
West Derby 7 2.73x
Birkenhead 6 4.62x
Blewbury 6 317.46x
Brimpton 6 555.56x
East Lockinge 6 722.89x
Northampton Priory St 6 14.42x
Preston 6 2.56x
Stretford 6 12.46x
Wandsworth 6 8.45x
Bedford 5 27.32x
Garston 5 19.36x
Harwell 5 245.10x
Heeley 5 22.51x
Newton In Makerfield 5 18.66x
Toxteth Park 5 1.69x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 5 19.85x
Cleckheaton 4 14.86x
East West Hagbourn 4 213.90x
Everton 4 1.43x
Halliwell 4 12.56x
Mile End Old Town London 4 2.55x
Southwark Christchurch 4 11.57x
Ashton On Mersey 3 35.63x
Bedminster 3 2.69x
Eccleston In Prescot 3 6.83x
Uttoxeter 3 23.55x
Warrington 3 2.89x
Bradford 2 1.13x
Brightside Bierlow 2 1.40x
Chorley 2 4.07x
Eccleshill 2 11.25x
Hartington Upper 2 36.30x
North Meols 2 2.33x
Orrell 2 18.38x
Ripley 2 14.02x
St Martin In Fields 2 4.53x
Walton On Hill 2 4.22x
Westhoughton 2 8.57x
Wortley In Bramley 2 3.46x
Lea Ashton Ingol 1 17.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 58
Elizabeth 28
Sarah 26
Ann 18
Alice 17
Martha 16
Margaret 14
Ellen 12
Jane 12
Hannah 11
Emily 9
Annie 8
Ada 6
Emma 6
Catherine 5
Eliza 5
Rachel 5
Agnes 4
Clara 4
Elizth. 4
Florence 4
Grace 4
Maria 4
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Frances 3
Gertrude 3
Harriet 3
Lucy 3
Priscilla 3
Amy 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Maranda 2
Maude 2
Nancy 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Betty 1
Catharine 1
Elisebeth 1
Elizeth. 1
Elleanor 1
Elsie 1
Josephine 1
Kate 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 41
William 35
Thomas 31
James 29
Joseph 19
George 16
Henry 16
Peter 12
Robert 11
Arthur 9
Charles 9
Richard 9
Albert 8
Edward 8
Herbert 8
Frederick 7
Samuel 7
Alfred 5
Harry 4
Willie 4
Aaron 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Ezra 3
Fred 3
Noah 3
Paul 3
Adam 2
Frank 2
Job 2
Mark 2
Rufus 2
Sam 2
Sutcliffe 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Allan 1
Clifford 1
Colonel 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Ellison 1
Emanuel 1
Epraim 1
Ervin 1
Francis 1
Jim 1
Joe 1
Jonas 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Greenough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greenough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 756 people were recorded with the Greenough surname. That placed it at #4,885 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greenough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 978 in 2016. That gives Greenough a modern rank of #5,905.

What does the Greenough surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a green, hilly place.

What does the Greenough map show?

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