NameCensus.

UK surname

Greentree

A surname referring to someone who lived near or by a green or evergreen tree.

In the 1881 census there were 126 people recorded with the Greentree surname, ranking it #17,245 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 120, ranked #27,563, down from #17,245 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, West Meon and Harting. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland, Eastleigh and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greentree is 146 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.8%.

1881 census count

126

Ranked #17,245

Modern count

120

2016, ranked #27,563

Peak year

1901

146 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greentree had 126 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,245 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016, ranked #27,563.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 146 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Greentree surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Greentree surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Greentree 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 102 #16,933
1861 historical 105 #20,298
1881 historical 126 #17,245
1891 historical 138 #19,411
1901 historical 146 #18,335
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 83 #29,216
1998 modern 91 #28,806
1999 modern 88 #29,287
2000 modern 87 #29,377
2001 modern 82 #29,714
2002 modern 92 #29,040
2003 modern 84 #29,978
2004 modern 94 #28,896
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 106 #27,332
2007 modern 103 #28,187
2008 modern 105 #28,180
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 106 #29,157
2012 modern 107 #29,017
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 116 #28,253
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 120 #27,563

Geography

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Where Greentrees are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, West Meon, Harting and Hambledon. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland, Eastleigh, Salford and Portsmouth. 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 1
2 West Meon Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Harting Sussex
5 Hambledon Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 003 Breckland
2 Breckland 005 Breckland
3 Eastleigh 009 Eastleigh
4 Salford 028 Salford
5 Portsmouth 015 Portsmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Greentree

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Greentree

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Greentree 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

Greentree 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

Greentree 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 Greentree 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 Greentree, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Greentree

The surname Greentree is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the early medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the Old English words "grene" meaning green and "treow" meaning tree, likely referring to a place or landmark where a significant green tree once stood.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Robert de Grenetre in Warwickshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various documents with slight variations in spelling, such as Grenetree, Grenetre, and Greentree. These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings in the Middle Ages before standardization became more common.

Notable historical figures bearing the Greentree surname include Sir John Greentree (1542-1620), an English merchant and alderman in the City of London, who served as Lord Mayor in 1599. Another prominent individual was William Greentree (1673-1737), a Scottish philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on moral philosophy and natural theology.

In the 18th century, the Greentree family had a presence in the American colonies, with records showing a Thomas Greentree (1725-1790) as a successful merchant and landowner in Virginia. His grandson, James Greentree (1785-1856), was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a judge in Ohio.

Moving into the 19th century, one cannot overlook the contributions of Edward Greentree (1817-1890), an English botanist and horticulturist who made significant advancements in the cultivation of orchids and published several influential works on the subject.

Throughout its history, the Greentree surname has been associated with various locations and place names, such as Greentree Hill in Derbyshire, Greentree Lane in Yorkshire, and the village of Greentree in Gloucestershire, further solidifying its connection to the natural world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Greentree families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greentree 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. Hampshire leads with 54 Greentrees recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.10x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 54 21.10x
Surrey 29 4.77x
Sussex 20 9.50x
Middlesex 13 1.04x
Kent 5 1.17x
Berkshire 4 4.27x
Cheshire 1 0.36x
Royal Navy 1 6.72x
Yorkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 22 Greentrees recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.86x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 22 43.86x
Epsom 13 439.19x
Harting 9 1636.36x
Farlington 7 1346.15x
Hambledon 6 697.67x
St George Hanover Square 6 27.27x
Beddington 5 212.77x
Catherington 5 877.19x
Ashington 4 3636.36x
Warfield 4 470.59x
Greenwich 3 15.09x
Paddington London 3 6.53x
Waterloo 3 2727.27x
West Dean 3 967.74x
West Meon 3 882.35x
Croydon 2 5.92x
Empshott 2 2857.14x
Hunston 2 2222.22x
Islington London 2 1.65x
Penge 2 25.06x
St Giles In Fields London 2 32.63x
Wandsworth 2 16.64x
Warblington 2 196.08x
Wymering 2 476.19x
Beckenham 1 17.95x
Chichester St Peter 1 588.24x
Deptford St Paul 1 3.04x
East Meon 1 149.25x
Eaton In Chester 1 1666.67x
Mitcham 1 25.97x
Newdigate 1 357.14x
Portsmouth 1 16.98x
Royal Navy 1 7.86x
Shalford 1 149.25x
Stoke 1 34.84x
Westbourne 1 95.24x
Wotton 1 333.33x
York St Martin Le Grand 1 588.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Ellen 6
Elizabeth 5
Louisa 5
Annie 3
Jane 3
Julia 3
Charlotte 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Augusta 1
Caroline 1
Diana 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Hester 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Maggie 1
Nellie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
George 8
Henry 7
John 7
Charles 5
Edward 3
James 3
Richard 3
Arthur 2
Earnest 2
Geo. 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Augustus 1
David 1
Edmund 1
G. 1
Geo.Hy.N. 1
H. 1
Harry 1
J.P. 1
Joseph 1
Newman 1
Saml. 1
Thomas 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Greentree surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greentree surname in 1881?

In 1881, 126 people were recorded with the Greentree surname. That placed it at #17,245 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greentree surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016. That gives Greentree a modern rank of #27,563.

What does the Greentree surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who lived near or by a green or evergreen tree.

What does the Greentree map show?

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