2000
#4,990
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,454
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.39
Rare Last name
Greenwell
Denoting someone who lived near a green spring or stream, or in a village with such a feature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,567 Americans carry the last name Greenwell. That puts it at #5,128 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.21 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 45,296 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Greenwell 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 Greenwell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
7.6K
1 in 45,296
Census rank
#5,128
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,599 bearers of the surname Greenwell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.21 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5128th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Greenwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Black (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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 This historical reference provides evidence that the name was in use during the 12th century in the Yorkshire region of England.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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Greenwell
Among Census respondents with the surname Greenwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Black (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Greenwell 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 Greenwell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.2% · 5,889
- Black or African American3.7% · 242
- Two or more races3.6% · 235
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 178
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 38
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Greenwell
Greenwell 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
#5,170
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,765
+311 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 2.29
Rank movement Down 180 places
2020
#5,128
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,599
-166 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 2.21
Rank movement Up 42 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,990 | 6,454 | 2.39 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,170 | 6,765 | 2.29 | +311 bearers (+4.8%) | Down 180 places |
| 2020 | #5,128 | 6,599 | 2.21 | -166 bearers (-2.5%) | Up 42 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 Greenwell 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 | #5,170 | #5,128 | 0.8% |
| Count | 6,765 | 6,599 | -2.5% |
| Per 100K | 2.29 | 2.21 | -3.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Greenwell bearers went from 6,765 to 6,599 (-2.5% change). The surname moved up 42 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,170 to #5,128.
FAQ
Greenwell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Greenwell?
Name Census estimates that about 7,567 living Americans carry the surname Greenwell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 45,296 residents.
How common is Greenwell?
Greenwell ranks #5,128 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.21 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,599 people with the surname Greenwell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,567), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.21 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.21 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Greenwell.
Has Greenwell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Greenwell went from 6,765 recorded bearers to 6,599. That is a decrease of 166 (-2.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,170 to #5,128.
What does the Census say about the background of Greenwell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Greenwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Black (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Greenwell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.2% (5,889 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Greenwell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.2%), Black (3.7%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Greenwell (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 Greenwell mean?
Denoting someone who lived near a green spring or stream, or in a village with such a feature. 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 Greenwell (2.21 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 are called Greenwell?
Want to know how many people have the last name Greenwell? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.