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

Greenwell, 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 Greenwell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Greenwell in America

Greenwell is the 5170th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Greenwell surname appeared 6,765 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 Greenwell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Greenwell 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 Greenwell

The surname Greenwell is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern regions of the country. The name is thought to have derived from a combination of the Old English words "grene," meaning green, and "well," referring to a well or spring. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near a green well or spring.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Greenwell can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1166, where a person named Robertus de Grenewelle is mentioned. This historical reference provides evidence that the name was in use during the 12th century in the Yorkshire region of England.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Grenewelle, Grenewill, and Grenewell. These variations in spelling were common during that time period, as standardized spellings were not yet established.

One notable individual with the surname Greenwell was Sir Richard Greenwell, born in 1530, who served as a Member of Parliament for Northumberland during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Thomas Greenwell, born in 1638, who was an English Jesuit and author known for his work on the history of the Jesuits in England.

In the 18th century, the name Greenwell was associated with the coal mining industry in Durham County, England. For example, William Greenwell, born in 1720, was a coal mine owner and operator in the region.

Moving into the 19th century, we find John Greenwell, born in 1816, who was a renowned English geologist and paleontologist. He made significant contributions to the study of fossils and the understanding of the Earth's geological history.

Another notable figure with the Greenwell surname was Sir Waller Greenwell, born in 1836, who served as a British diplomat and held various diplomatic positions in countries such as Turkey and Russia.

Throughout its history, the surname Greenwell has been associated with various regions of England, particularly in the northern counties. While the name may have originated from a specific place or geographic feature, it has since spread and been carried by individuals across different parts of the country and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Greenwell

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

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

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

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