Find out how popular the last name Greaves is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Greaves.

Greaves, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Greaves surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Greaves in America

Greaves is the 6505th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Greaves surname appeared 5,217 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Greaves.

We can also compare 2010 data for Greaves to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Greaves

The surname Greaves is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "grēfe," meaning a small wood or thicket. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near or in a small grove or wooded area.

In the late 11th century, the name appears in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, compiled by order of William the Conqueror. This record mentions individuals with the surname Greaves, or variations such as Greve or Grieve, living in various parts of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, dated 1195, which mention a William de Grevis. The name was also spelled as Greyves, Grevys, or Grevys in various medieval records from different parts of England.

In the 13th century, the name Greaves was associated with the village of Greves in Lancashire, which was likely named after someone with the surname Greaves who lived there or owned land in the area.

One notable individual with the surname Greaves was Sir Ralph Greaves, a military leader who fought in the Wars of the Roses during the 15th century. He was born around 1430 and was knighted for his service to King Edward IV.

Another famous bearer of the name was John Greaves, an English mathematician, antiquarian, and traveler, who lived from 1602 to 1652. He is known for his work on ancient weights and measures, as well as his travels to Egypt and the Middle East.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure with the surname Greaves was Thomas Greaves, an English clergyman and biblical scholar, who was born in 1612 and died in 1676. He is best known for his work on the translation of the Bible into Persian.

The surname Greaves was also associated with the Greaves family of Beeley, Derbyshire, who were landowners and influential in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable member was Sir John Greaves, born in 1602, who served as a Member of Parliament.

Another individual of note was John Greaves, an English engraver and illustrator, who lived from 1786 to 1853. He is renowned for his intricate illustrations of scientific subjects, particularly in the fields of botany and zoology.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Greaves

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Greaves.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Greaves was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Greaves has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Greaves was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Greaves, please contact us.

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