NameCensus.

UK surname

Greenslade

A geographical surname referring to someone who lived near a green clearing or glade.

In the 1881 census there were 1,741 people recorded with the Greenslade surname, ranking it #2,482 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,335, ranked #2,792, down from #2,482 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Bridgend and Mid Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greenslade is 2,552 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.1%.

1881 census count

1,741

Ranked #2,482

Modern count

2,335

2016, ranked #2,792

Peak year

1999

2,552 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greenslade had 1,741 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,482 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,335 in 2016, ranked #2,792.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,500 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Greenslade surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Greenslade surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Greenslade 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 1,153 #2,449
1861 historical 1,160 #2,432
1881 historical 1,741 #2,482
1891 historical 1,957 #2,359
1901 historical 2,262 #2,394
1911 historical 2,500 #2,057
1997 modern 2,436 #2,583
1998 modern 2,531 #2,582
1999 modern 2,552 #2,577
2000 modern 2,478 #2,637
2001 modern 2,432 #2,620
2002 modern 2,470 #2,648
2003 modern 2,422 #2,637
2004 modern 2,406 #2,650
2005 modern 2,341 #2,686
2006 modern 2,344 #2,686
2007 modern 2,334 #2,716
2008 modern 2,353 #2,720
2009 modern 2,387 #2,745
2010 modern 2,420 #2,763
2011 modern 2,409 #2,749
2012 modern 2,336 #2,775
2013 modern 2,399 #2,756
2014 modern 2,384 #2,783
2015 modern 2,338 #2,799
2016 modern 2,335 #2,792

Geography

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Where Greenslades are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes, Crediton, Colebroke, Shobrooke, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cruwys Morchard and Tiverton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Bridgend, Mid Devon and North 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 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Crediton, Colebroke, Shobrooke, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cruwys Morchard Devon
5 Tiverton Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 014 Caerphilly
2 Bridgend 008 Bridgend
3 Mid Devon 006 Mid Devon
4 North Devon 013 North Devon
5 Caerphilly 010 Caerphilly

Forenames

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First names often paired with Greenslade

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Greenslade

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

London Fringe

Within London, Greenslade is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Greenslade is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Greenslade falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Greenslade

The surname Greenslade originates from England, with roots traced back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "grene" meaning green and "slaed" meaning valley or dell, suggesting the name was initially given to someone who lived in a green valley or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Greneslad." This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, recorded landowners and their holdings across England and parts of Wales.

During the medieval period, the name was predominantly found in the counties of Somerset and Devon, where it is believed to have originated. Variations in spelling were common, with records showing forms such as Grenslade, Greneslad, and Greinslad.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Sir John Greenslade, a wealthy landowner and knight from Somerset. He was born around 1320 and served as a member of Parliament for Somerset in 1363.

Another prominent individual with this surname was William Greenslade, a renowned clergyman and scholar who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was born in Devon in 1585 and served as the Vicar of Taunton, Somerset, from 1614 until his death in 1638.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Captain Richard Greenslade fought for the Parliamentarian forces. He was born in Somerset around 1610 and played a significant role in several battles, including the Battle of Lansdown in 1643.

In the 18th century, Samuel Greenslade, born in 1722 in Devon, made a name for himself as a renowned architect and surveyor. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in the region, including the Church of St. Andrew in Cullompton.

Another notable figure was Sir Gilbert Greenslade, a British naval officer and explorer who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Born in Somerset in 1778, he served in the Royal Navy and is credited with charting and mapping several islands in the Pacific Ocean during his voyages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Greenslade families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greenslade 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. Devon leads with 675 Greenslades recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.03x.

County Total Index
Devon 675 19.03x
Somerset 301 10.97x
Middlesex 141 0.83x
Gloucestershire 109 3.26x
Kent 101 1.74x
Surrey 87 1.05x
Glamorgan 65 2.19x
Cornwall 54 2.80x
Lancashire 28 0.14x
Essex 24 0.71x
Dorset 23 2.06x
Yorkshire 22 0.13x
Berkshire 20 1.56x
Wiltshire 11 0.73x
Hampshire 9 0.26x
Midlothian 9 0.39x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.39x
Warwickshire 9 0.21x
Staffordshire 8 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 7 1.29x
Durham 6 0.12x
Norfolk 6 0.23x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.70x
Channel Islands 4 0.79x
Cumberland 4 0.27x
Herefordshire 2 0.29x
Ayrshire 1 0.08x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.15x
Hertfordshire 1 0.09x
Lincolnshire 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 0.49x
Sussex 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tiverton in Devon leads with 63 Greenslades recorded in 1881 and an index of 103.09x.

Place Total Index
Tiverton 63 103.09x
Exeter St Sidwell 33 40.62x
Witheridge 23 384.62x
Exeter St Thomas The 22 60.84x
Deptford St Paul 21 4.68x
Bampton 20 184.16x
Clifton 20 11.84x
Gillingham 20 16.68x
Bedminster 19 7.37x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 19 6.04x
Crediton 19 56.53x
Leyton 19 32.79x
Orpington 18 101.12x
Newton St Cyres 17 341.37x
Camberwell 16 1.47x
Taunton St Mary 16 31.78x
Battersea 15 2.39x
Bridgewater 15 20.14x
St Pancras London 15 1.09x
Cardiff St John 14 14.44x
Islington London 14 0.85x
Topsham 14 83.63x
Bethnal Green London 13 1.76x
Bristol St George 13 8.41x
Cheriton Fitzpaine 13 288.89x
Cirencester 13 28.73x
Croydon 13 2.82x
Roath 13 9.65x
Wellington 13 34.96x
Withiel Florey 13 828.03x
Luxborough 12 491.80x
Shobrooke 12 320.00x
Stoke Canon 12 481.93x
West Teignmouth 12 44.22x
Cheltenham 11 4.27x
Lambeth 11 0.74x
Lanteglos 11 123.32x
Morchard Bishop 11 148.65x
Poughill 11 723.68x
Sandford 11 126.87x
Stroud 11 16.91x
Bath St James 10 34.95x
Newton Abbot St Mary 10 33.60x
Old Cleeve 10 102.15x
Poole St James 10 23.80x
South Molton 10 51.31x
Walcot 10 6.84x
Whitchurch 10 62.31x
Woolwich 10 4.66x
Wootton Courtney 10 520.83x
Birmingham 9 0.63x
Cheldon 9 2195.12x
Clayhanger 9 647.48x
East Worlington 9 731.71x
Exeter Heavitree 9 34.03x
Exford 9 338.35x
Fitzhead 9 580.65x
Hackney London 9 0.94x
Haslemere 9 137.40x
Stoke Damerel 9 3.63x
Ashreigney 8 203.05x
Bideford 8 21.05x
Bow London 8 3.69x
Broomfield 8 326.53x
Chipstable 8 418.85x
Chittlehampton 8 91.43x
Dyffryn Clydach 8 112.20x
Exeter Bedford Circus 8 975.61x
Exeter St David 8 26.39x
Exeter St Mary Steps 8 100.00x
Illogan 8 15.66x
Northowram 8 6.76x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 2.93x
Reading St Giles 8 6.37x
Rhyndwyclydach 8 38.85x
St Dennis 8 111.11x
St George Hanover Square 8 2.66x
St Mewan 8 134.68x
Stoodleigh 8 311.28x
Uplowman 8 344.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 115
Elizabeth 63
Sarah 59
Ann 35
Ellen 34
Eliza 33
Jane 31
Emily 29
Emma 27
Alice 25
Annie 25
Susan 20
Louisa 18
Fanny 12
Lucy 12
Charlotte 11
Edith 11
Florence 11
Maria 11
Minnie 11
Anne 10
Harriet 10
Bessie 9
Jessie 9
Laura 7
Ada 6
Amelia 6
Caroline 6
Grace 6
Hannah 6
Kate 6
Martha 6
Clara 5
Julia 5
Matilda 5
Rebecca 5
Rosa 5
Rose 5
A. 4
Amy 4
Catherine 4
E. 4
Elizth. 4
Esther 4
Henrietta 4
Margaret 4
Rhoda 4
Selina 4
Sophia 4
Agnes 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 151
John 115
George 60
Charles 45
Thomas 45
James 44
Henry 33
Robert 23
Richard 22
Frederick 20
Alfred 18
Samuel 14
Walter 14
Albert 11
Frank 11
Edward 8
Herbert 8
Joseph 8
Edwin 6
Ernest 6
Francis 6
Fredrick 6
Abraham 5
Arthur 5
Fred 5
Daniel 4
Fredk. 4
Harry 4
Lewis 4
Tom 4
Benjamin 3
David 3
F. 3
Geo. 3
Hy. 3
Isaac 3
Mark 3
Philip 3
Reginald 3
Sidney 3
Stephen 3
Sydney 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Amos 2
Bertie 2
E. 2
Earnest 2
Matthew 2
Robt. 2

FAQ

Greenslade surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greenslade surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,741 people were recorded with the Greenslade surname. That placed it at #2,482 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greenslade surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,335 in 2016. That gives Greenslade a modern rank of #2,792.

What does the Greenslade surname mean?

A geographical surname referring to someone who lived near a green clearing or glade.

What does the Greenslade map show?

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