2000
#13,980
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,981
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.73
Rare Last name
Greenhill
A locational surname referring to someone who lived on or near a green hill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,218 Americans carry the last name Greenhill. That puts it at #14,740 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.65 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 154,533 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Greenhill surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Greenhill with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 154,533
Census rank
#14,740
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,934 bearers of the surname Greenhill in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.65 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14740th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Greenhill, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.3%. The next largest groups are Black (18.9%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Greenhill
The surname GREENHILL is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is a locational name, derived from the Old English words 'grene' meaning green and 'hyll' meaning hill, referring to a person who resided near or hailed from a verdant hill or elevated ground.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as 'de Grenehull'. This suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive term to identify individuals based on their place of residence.
During the 13th century, the name was also documented in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire as 'Grenehull', indicating its presence in various regions of England. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, GREENHILL, reflecting the standardization of English surnames.
Notable historical figures bearing the GREENHILL surname include Sir Richard GREENHILL (1591-1677), an English diplomat and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Charles I. Another prominent individual was Thomas GREENHILL (1693-1771), a renowned English mathematician and astronomer, best known for his contributions to the study of calculus and celestial mechanics.
In the literary realm, John GREENHILL (1649-1676) was an English poet and satirist, renowned for his biting wit and criticism of contemporary society. His works, such as "The Bitter Pill" and "The Sarcastic Scourge," offered incisive commentary on the political and social climate of his era.
The GREENHILL name also appears in various genealogical records and historical accounts throughout the centuries. For instance, William GREENHILL (1585-1677) was a celebrated English Puritan clergyman and author, known for his influential sermons and writings on religious matters.
Another notable figure was Ralph GREENHILL (1702-1782), a British architect and surveyor who contributed significantly to the development of the Georgian architectural style in England. His works included the design of several grand estates and country houses, showcasing his expertise in classical and neoclassical architectural forms.
While the GREENHILL surname originated in England, it has since been carried across the globe by generations of emigrants, contributing to the diversity of cultures and communities worldwide. The name's enduring presence serves as a testament to its rich historical heritage and the remarkable journeys of those who have borne it through the ages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Greenhill
Among Census respondents with the surname Greenhill, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.3%. The next largest groups are Black (18.9%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Greenhill bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Greenhill surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.3% · 1,399
- Black or African American18.9% · 366
- Two or more races4.5% · 87
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 56
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Greenhill
Greenhill appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#14,724
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,018
+37 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 744 places
2020
#14,740
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,934
-84 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.65
Rank movement Down 16 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,980 | 1,981 | 0.73 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,724 | 2,018 | 0.68 | +37 bearers (+1.9%) | Down 744 places |
| 2020 | #14,740 | 1,934 | 0.65 | -84 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 16 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Greenhill surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,724 | #14,740 | -0.1% |
| Count | 2,018 | 1,934 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.68 | 0.65 | -4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Greenhill bearers went from 2,018 to 1,934 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 16 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,724 to #14,740.
FAQ
Greenhill surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Greenhill?
Name Census estimates that about 2,218 living Americans carry the surname Greenhill. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 154,533 residents.
How common is Greenhill?
Greenhill ranks #14,740 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.65 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,934 people with the surname Greenhill. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,218), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.65 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.65 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Greenhill.
Has Greenhill become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Greenhill went from 2,018 recorded bearers to 1,934. That is a decrease of 84 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,724 to #14,740.
What does the Census say about the background of Greenhill?
Among Census respondents with the surname Greenhill, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.3%. The next largest groups are Black (18.9%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Greenhill in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.3% (1,399 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Greenhill appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.3%), Black (18.9%), Two or More Races (4.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Greenhill (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Greenhill mean?
A locational surname referring to someone who lived on or near a green hill. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Greenhill (0.65 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Greenhill?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.