NameCensus.

UK surname

Greenstreet

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "green street" or "green road."

In the 1881 census there were 367 people recorded with the Greenstreet surname, ranking it #8,475 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 469, ranked #10,491, down from #8,475 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Minster, London parishes and Dover St James, Dover St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tunbridge Wells, Thanet and Dover.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greenstreet is 522 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.8%.

1881 census count

367

Ranked #8,475

Modern count

469

2016, ranked #10,491

Peak year

2002

522 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greenstreet had 367 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,475 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 469 in 2016, ranked #10,491.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 492 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Greenstreet surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Greenstreet surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Greenstreet 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 280 #8,043
1861 historical 285 #8,826
1881 historical 367 #8,475
1891 historical 427 #8,391
1901 historical 439 #8,863
1911 historical 492 #7,913
1997 modern 495 #9,370
1998 modern 516 #9,368
1999 modern 518 #9,410
2000 modern 513 #9,441
2001 modern 510 #9,312
2002 modern 522 #9,349
2003 modern 489 #9,646
2004 modern 474 #9,889
2005 modern 463 #9,989
2006 modern 450 #10,237
2007 modern 459 #10,177
2008 modern 450 #10,416
2009 modern 461 #10,462
2010 modern 475 #10,445
2011 modern 473 #10,376
2012 modern 494 #9,959
2013 modern 484 #10,281
2014 modern 483 #10,354
2015 modern 479 #10,327
2016 modern 469 #10,491

Geography

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Where Greenstreets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Minster, London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Hawkinge, Folkestone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tunbridge Wells, Thanet, Dover and Ashford. 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 Minster Kent
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
5 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tunbridge Wells 001 Tunbridge Wells
2 Thanet 012 Thanet
3 Dover 008 Dover
4 Thanet 015 Thanet
5 Ashford 001 Ashford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Greenstreet

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Greenstreet

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Greenstreet is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Greenstreet is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Greenstreet falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Greenstreet

The surname Greenstreet originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from a specific place, likely a green street or road in a village or town. The earliest known spelling of the name was "Grenestrete," found in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John de Grenestrete, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. The name also appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1332, where it was spelled "Grenestret."

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name evolved into various spellings, such as "Grenestreet," "Grenestrete," and "Grenestrete." These variations reflect the lack of standardized spelling during that time period.

In the 16th century, the name started to take on its modern spelling of "Greenstreet." One notable bearer was Thomas Greenstreet, a merchant from London who was mentioned in the Wills and Administrations of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in 1583.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Greenstreet have achieved notable status. For instance, James Greenstreet (1833-1918) was a British actor and playwright known for his roles in Shakespearean productions. Another notable figure was Richard Greenstreet (1861-1929), a British cricketer who played for Oxford University and Essex.

Other bearers of the name include William Greenstreet (1836-1912), an English architect responsible for designing several prominent buildings in London, and John Greenstreet (1755-1831), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

The Greenstreet surname has also been found in various regions of England, particularly in counties like Yorkshire, Worcestershire, and Staffordshire, where the earliest records of the name were documented.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Greenstreet families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greenstreet 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. Kent leads with 249 Greenstreets recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.44x.

County Total Index
Kent 249 20.44x
Surrey 34 1.95x
Middlesex 22 0.62x
Yorkshire 16 0.45x
Hampshire 10 1.37x
Sussex 10 1.66x
Essex 5 0.71x
Lincolnshire 5 0.88x
Staffordshire 5 0.41x
Midlothian 4 0.84x
Radnorshire 3 10.42x
Devon 1 0.13x
Gloucestershire 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 2.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Minster In Sheppey in Kent leads with 36 Greenstreets recorded in 1881 and an index of 178.39x.

Place Total Index
Minster In Sheppey 36 178.39x
Margate St John Baptist 17 76.23x
Dover St Mary Virgin 11 93.30x
Lambeth 11 3.53x
Ashford 9 75.89x
Camberwell 9 3.95x
Cheriton 9 181.09x
Folkestone 9 38.09x
Gravesend 9 87.29x
Dunkirk 8 879.12x
Elmsted 8 1509.43x
Fulham London 8 15.45x
Godmersham 8 1818.18x
Harbledown 8 909.09x
Hougham 8 110.50x
Icklesham 8 754.72x
Portsea 8 5.58x
Wye 8 423.28x
Boughton Under Blean 7 343.14x
Ospringe 7 466.67x
Sandwich St Mary 7 636.36x
Wandsworth 7 20.37x
Woolwich 7 15.56x
Kildwick 6 186.34x
Walmer 6 113.21x
Charlton 5 61.80x
Murston 5 462.96x
Newington 5 3.79x
Plumstead 5 12.32x
Upchurch 5 364.96x
West Ham 5 3.21x
Buckland In Dover 4 99.01x
Canterbury St Mildred 4 138.41x
Edmonton 4 13.90x
Faversham 4 34.42x
Smeeth 4 526.32x
Tettenhall 4 54.27x
Gillingham 3 11.95x
Llandrindod 3 810.81x
Nether Hallam 3 6.27x
New Sleaford 3 81.97x
Normanton 3 28.22x
Sheffield 3 2.66x
Sturry 3 208.33x
Adisham 2 357.14x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.29x
Boughton Aluph 2 289.86x
Brighton 2 1.65x
Chartham 2 65.79x
Edinburgh St Marys 2 21.51x
Goudhurst 2 59.35x
Hough On Hill 2 416.67x
Lenham 2 82.30x
Ramsgate 2 10.06x
Sevenoaks 2 20.24x
South Leith 2 3.72x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 12.94x
St Giles In Fields London 2 11.42x
Alrewas 1 85.47x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 1 3.03x
Boxley 1 53.48x
Bredhurst 1 625.00x
Brenchley 1 22.94x
Caterham 1 13.00x
Chelsea London 1 0.93x
Chilham 1 57.80x
Christchurch 1 6.30x
Eastchurch 1 83.33x
Lewisham 1 1.54x
Lydd 1 38.31x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 1.75x
Portsmouth 1 5.93x
Putney 1 6.15x
Rochester St Margaret 1 7.78x
Royal Navy 1 2.75x
Shoreditch London 1 0.65x
Sittingbourne 1 10.40x
Thanington Wilton In 1 175.44x
Westbury On Trym 1 4.22x
Willesborough 1 30.49x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 26
William 20
Henry 17
George 15
Thomas 12
James 8
Charles 6
Frederick 6
Walter 6
Alfred 4
Edward 4
Robert 3
Stephen 3
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Horace 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
A. 1
Albert 1
Alfd. 1
Bertie 1
Clement 1
E. 1
Edmund 1
Evan 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Henery 1
Irvine 1
Joseph 1
Lawrence 1
Leah 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Mark 1
O. 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Greenstreet surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greenstreet surname in 1881?

In 1881, 367 people were recorded with the Greenstreet surname. That placed it at #8,475 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greenstreet surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 469 in 2016. That gives Greenstreet a modern rank of #10,491.

What does the Greenstreet surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "green street" or "green road."

What does the Greenstreet map show?

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