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

Greening, 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 Greening surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Greening in America

Greening is the 13357th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Greening surname appeared 2,282 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Greening.

We can also compare 2010 data for Greening 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 Greening

The surname Greening is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "grene," meaning "green," and likely referred to someone who lived near a green or grassy area. It is believed to have originated in England during the early medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century.

While the name itself is not recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England, some variations and similar spellings can be found, such as "Grene" and "Grenewode." These early forms of the name suggest a connection to the color green or to a wooded, verdant area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Greening is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195, where a person named William Grening is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279 also contain a reference to a John le Grenyng.

Place names and locations played a significant role in the development of surnames during the medieval period. The name Greening may have been derived from or associated with places like Greenings, a township in Staffordshire, or Greening's Hill in Shropshire.

Among the notable figures throughout history who bore the surname Greening, we have:

1. Henry Greening (1781-1865), an English watchmaker and inventor from Newcastle upon Tyne, known for his innovations in watchmaking and for establishing the Greening's Chronometer Factory.

2. Richard Greening (1801-1858), an English architect and civil engineer responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London.

3. Alice Greening (1837-1928), a British social reformer and philanthropist who advocated for women's rights and established the Alice Greening Home for Girls in London.

4. Samuel Greening (1834-1905), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several notable projects in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Alexandra Palace.

5. John Greening (1891-1963), an Australian cricketer who played Test cricket for the Australian national team in the early 20th century.

The surname Greening has a rich history and a connection to the natural world, specifically green spaces and wooded areas. Its evolution and variations reflect the cultural and linguistic influences of different regions in England and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Greening

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

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 Greening 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 Greening 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 Greening was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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