NameCensus.

UK surname

Greetham

An English surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from Greatham, England.

In the 1881 census there were 351 people recorded with the Greetham surname, ranking it #8,742 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 563, ranked #9,114, down from #8,742 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Boston, North Kesteven and North East Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Greetham is 613 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.4%.

1881 census count

351

Ranked #8,742

Modern count

563

2016, ranked #9,114

Peak year

2002

613 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Greetham had 351 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,742 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 563 in 2016, ranked #9,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 598 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Greetham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Greetham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Greetham 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 251 #8,761
1861 historical 258 #9,603
1881 historical 351 #8,742
1891 historical 426 #8,412
1901 historical 472 #8,407
1911 historical 598 #6,857
1997 modern 598 #8,162
1998 modern 606 #8,329
1999 modern 609 #8,362
2000 modern 599 #8,435
2001 modern 581 #8,469
2002 modern 613 #8,331
2003 modern 592 #8,415
2004 modern 586 #8,487
2005 modern 576 #8,512
2006 modern 542 #8,918
2007 modern 537 #9,057
2008 modern 554 #8,911
2009 modern 568 #8,944
2010 modern 576 #9,036
2011 modern 545 #9,345
2012 modern 579 #8,830
2013 modern 575 #9,014
2014 modern 577 #9,047
2015 modern 561 #9,153
2016 modern 563 #9,114

Geography

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Where Greethams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Portsmouth, Portsea, Kirton and Grantham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Boston, North Kesteven, North East Lincolnshire and South Kesteven. 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 Gateshead Durham
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 Kirton Lincolnshire
5 Grantham Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Boston 006 Boston
2 North Kesteven 009 North Kesteven
3 North East Lincolnshire 003 North East Lincolnshire
4 North East Lincolnshire 021 North East Lincolnshire
5 South Kesteven 006 South Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Greetham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Greetham

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Greetham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Greetham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Greetham 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

Greetham is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Greetham falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Greetham

The surname Greetham originates from England. It is a locational name derived from the village of Greetham in Rutland, which dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was recorded as 'Gredham'. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words 'greot' meaning 'grit' or 'gravel', and 'ham' meaning 'homestead' or 'settlement'.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert de Gredham, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Rutland in 1185. In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with spellings such as 'Gretham', 'Grettham', and 'Greteham'.

Sir John Greetham, born around 1420, was a prominent figure during the Wars of the Roses. He fought for the House of Lancaster and was knighted for his service in the Battle of Towton in 1461. Another notable bearer of the name was William Greetham, a 16th-century merchant and alderman in the City of London.

During the English Civil War, Captain Thomas Greetham (1615-1678) served in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He was later appointed as a Commissioner for the Militia in Rutland.

In the 18th century, Samuel Greetham (1737-1807) was a renowned clockmaker from Lincolnshire, known for his intricate and highly accurate timepieces. His clocks are now highly prized by collectors.

Another notable figure was Sir Edmund Greetham (1801-1869), a British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1848 to 1858. He played a crucial role in negotiating diplomatic agreements during a turbulent period in the region.

While the surname Greetham is predominantly found in England, it has also been carried by individuals in other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Greetham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Greetham 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. Lincolnshire leads with 123 Greethams recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.28x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 123 22.28x
Yorkshire 85 2.48x
Lancashire 39 0.95x
Middlesex 25 0.72x
Surrey 16 0.95x
Hampshire 12 1.70x
Durham 10 0.97x
Berkshire 9 3.47x
Buckinghamshire 7 3.35x
Bedfordshire 5 2.80x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.07x
Leicestershire 4 1.04x
Warwickshire 3 0.34x
Gloucestershire 2 0.30x
Isle of Man 2 3.12x
Kent 1 0.08x
Oxfordshire 1 0.47x
Renfrewshire 1 0.37x
Royal Navy 1 2.43x
Shropshire 1 0.34x
Suffolk 1 0.24x
Wiltshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Grantham in Lincolnshire leads with 13 Greethams recorded in 1881 and an index of 180.56x.

Place Total Index
Grantham 13 180.56x
Portsea 12 8.65x
West Derby 12 10.01x
High Low Bishopside 11 361.84x
Swarby 11 5500.00x
Beelsby 10 5000.00x
Burley In Wharfdale 10 331.13x
Gateshead 10 13.00x
Osbournby 9 1525.42x
St Pancras London 9 3.24x
Heckington 8 380.95x
Windle 8 34.71x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 7 59.83x
Holy Trinity 7 8.51x
Menston 7 897.44x
Ruskington 7 496.45x
Scarborough 7 22.52x
Wycombe 7 44.99x
Amber Hill 6 1276.60x
Beverley St Martin 6 105.08x
Boston 6 35.82x
Bedford St Mary 5 108.46x
Dalton In Furness 5 31.61x
Ilkley 5 89.45x
Islington London 5 1.49x
Kirton 5 226.24x
Norwell 5 1020.41x
Shipley 5 28.15x
Stainfield 5 2083.33x
Wandsworth 5 15.04x
Ashby Cum Fenby 4 1290.32x
Battersea 4 3.15x
Clee With Weelsby 4 33.09x
Croydon 4 4.28x
Gosberton 4 163.27x
Hartwith Cum Winsley 4 320.00x
Knaresborough 4 74.49x
Laceby 4 333.33x
Loughborough 4 23.03x
Ropsley 4 519.48x
St Marylebone London 4 2.17x
Baston 3 329.67x
Bolehall Glascote 3 81.30x
Everton 3 2.30x
Great Brand End Plot 3 2500.00x
Hammersmith London 3 3.53x
Leeds 3 1.55x
Newbury 3 36.14x
Orell Ford 3 400.00x
St Swithin Lincoln 3 34.56x
Binbrooke 2 144.93x
Cholsey 2 97.56x
Felliscliffe 2 512.82x
Great Crosby 2 17.91x
Great Grimsby 2 5.71x
Legbourne 2 357.14x
Malew 2 35.71x
Moss Side 2 9.28x
Paddington London 2 1.58x
Padworth 2 625.00x
Toxteth Park 2 1.44x
Walton On Hill 2 9.01x
Woking 2 19.72x
Ash Normandy 1 43.67x
Batley 1 3.08x
Cheltenham 1 1.91x
Dacre 1 131.58x
Folkingham 1 147.06x
Greenock Oldor West 1 136.99x
Haydor 1 232.56x
Huddersfield 1 2.01x
Hunslet 1 1.87x
Ingoldsby 1 232.56x
Minster In Sheppey 1 5.12x
Morton In Bourn 1 89.29x
Reading St Giles 1 3.93x
Sculcoates 1 1.84x
South Owersby 1 909.09x
Southcoates 1 5.26x
Swineshead 1 55.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 18
Sarah 15
Jane 7
Alice 6
Eliza 6
Ann 5
Fanny 5
Hannah 5
Louisa 5
Annie 4
Florence 4
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Margaret 3
Susan 3
Frances 2
Jennie 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Mabel 2
Minnie 2
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Beatris 1
Caroline 1
Carrey 1
Catherine 1
Charlott 1
Charlotte 1
Daisy 1
Dianah 1
E. 1
Eliz.C. 1
Elizh. 1
Emilie 1
Emily 1
Emmaline 1
Ethel 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Keturah 1
Letitia 1
Lillie 1
Lily 1
Louise 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maggie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
John 22
George 18
James 12
Thomas 12
Joseph 11
Charles 9
Robert 7
Henry 5
Albert 4
Alfred 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Benjamin 2
Findlay 2
Geo. 2
Peter 2
Wm. 2
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Ebenezer 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Elizabeth 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Geo.F. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Herter 1
Holvey 1
Horatio 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Lot 1
Matthew 1
Osborn 1
Pattison 1
Simon 1
Smith 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Uriah 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Greetham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Greetham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 351 people were recorded with the Greetham surname. That placed it at #8,742 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Greetham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 563 in 2016. That gives Greetham a modern rank of #9,114.

What does the Greetham surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from Greatham, England.

What does the Greetham map show?

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