Greer
A Scottish topographical surname referring to someone who lived near a patch of gravelly soil.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 66,289 Americans carry the last name Greer. That puts it at #590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 19.34 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 5,171 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Greer surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
66K
1 in 5,171
Census rank
#590
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
19.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
57K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 57,043 bearers of the surname Greer in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 19.34 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Greer, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.3%. The next largest groups are Black (21.3%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Greer
The surname Greer originated in Scotland and is derived from the Gaelic word "griar," which means "watchman" or "guardian." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who served as a watchman or guardian, perhaps for a Scottish clan or landowner.
The earliest recorded instances of the Greer surname date back to the 12th century in Scotland. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Gillechrist Gryr, who was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish landowners and nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.
The Greer surname is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Greerston in Renfrewshire and Greers in Aberdeenshire. These place names may have derived from the surname or vice versa, with the name potentially originating from a particular location where the family resided.
In the 16th century, a notable figure with the Greer surname was Robert Greer, a Scottish Protestant reformer and minister who lived from around 1510 to 1590. He was a prominent figure in the Scottish Reformation and played a role in the establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland.
Another historical figure with the Greer surname was Sir Robert Greer, a Scottish military commander who lived from 1638 to 1708. He served as a colonel in the British Army and fought in several battles during the Williamite War in Ireland.
In the 18th century, John Greer (1720-1805) was a Scottish-born American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He served as a captain in the Continental Army and was present at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775.
Moving to the 19th century, Eliza Greer (1804-1887) was a Scottish-born American philanthropist and educator. She founded several schools and educational institutions in the United States, including Greer College in Hoopeston, Illinois.
In the 20th century, Germaine Greer (born 1939) is an Australian academic, writer, and feminist activist. She is best known for her influential book "The Female Eunuch," which became a landmark publication in the women's liberation movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Greer
Among Census respondents with the surname Greer, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.3%. The next largest groups are Black (21.3%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Greer bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Greer surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White73.3%
- Black or African American21.3%
- Hispanic or Latino2.4%
- Two or more races2.1%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Greer surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #590 | #590 | 0.0% |
| Count | 57,043 | 57,043 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 19.34 | 19.34 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Greer bearers went from 57,043 to 57,043 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #590 to #590.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Greer
FAQ
Greer surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Greer?
The surname Greer holds position #590 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 66,289 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 19.34 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Greer surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Greer, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.3%. The next largest groups are Black (21.3%) and Hispanic (2.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.