2000
#9,646
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,092
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.15
Rare Last name
Greeson
An English occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a servant or attendant for a nobleman.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,353 Americans carry the last name Greeson. That puts it at #10,476 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.98 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 102,223 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Greeson 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.
Bearers in the US
3.4K
1 in 102,223
Census rank
#10,476
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,924 bearers of the surname Greeson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.98 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10476th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Greeson, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Black (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Greeson
The surname GREESON is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is a locational name derived from the village of Gresham, which is located in the county of Norfolk. The name itself is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "græs" meaning "grass" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GREESON can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Gresseham." This historical record, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property ownership in England at the time.
During the 13th century, the name GREESON began to appear in various records and manuscripts across Norfolk and surrounding areas. One notable figure from this period was Sir John de Gresham, a knight who served under King Edward I and fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
In the 15th century, the GREESON family gained prominence as successful merchants and wool traders. Thomas GREESON (c. 1417-1492) was a wealthy merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1477. His grandson, Sir Richard GREESON (c. 1485-1549), was a prominent financier and served as Lord Privy Seal under King Henry VIII.
Another notable figure was Sir Thomas GREESON (1543-1630), a Member of Parliament and Lord Mayor of London in 1618. He was known for his philanthropy and his involvement in the establishment of Gresham College, one of the earliest institutions of higher learning in London.
During the 17th century, the GREESON family continued to play an influential role in English society. One notable member was Edmond GREESON (1617-1699), a renowned mathematician and astronomer who served as the first Gresham Professor of Geometry at Gresham College.
In the 18th century, the GREESON name gained prominence in the literary world with the poet and essayist, William GREESON (1712-1763). His works, including "The Deserted Village" and "The Traveller," are considered classics of English literature.
As the centuries passed, the GREESON name continued to spread across England and eventually to other parts of the world. While the name's origins can be traced back to the village of Gresham in Norfolk, the GREESON family has left an indelible mark on various aspects of English history, from military service and trade to academia and literature.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Greeson
Among Census respondents with the surname Greeson, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Black (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Greeson 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 Greeson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 2,675
- Two or more races3.4% · 100
- Black or African American1.9% · 57
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 54
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Greeson
Greeson 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
#10,219
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,154
+62 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 1.07
Rank movement Down 573 places
2020
#10,476
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,924
-230 bearers (-7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.98
Rank movement Down 257 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,646 | 3,092 | 1.15 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,219 | 3,154 | 1.07 | +62 bearers (+2.0%) | Down 573 places |
| 2020 | #10,476 | 2,924 | 0.98 | -230 bearers (-7.3%) | Down 257 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 Greeson 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 | #10,219 | #10,476 | -2.5% |
| Count | 3,154 | 2,924 | -7.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.07 | 0.98 | -8.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Greeson bearers went from 3,154 to 2,924 (-7.3% change). The surname moved down 257 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,219 to #10,476.
FAQ
Greeson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Greeson?
Name Census estimates that about 3,353 living Americans carry the surname Greeson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 102,223 residents.
How common is Greeson?
Greeson ranks #10,476 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.98 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 2,924 people with the surname Greeson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,353), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.98 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.98 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 Greeson.
Has Greeson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Greeson went from 3,154 recorded bearers to 2,924. That is a decrease of 230 (-7.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,219 to #10,476.
What does the Census say about the background of Greeson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Greeson, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Black (1.9%). 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 Greeson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (2,675 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Greeson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Black (1.9%). 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 Greeson (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 Greeson mean?
An English occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a servant or attendant for a nobleman. 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 Greeson (0.98 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 Greeson?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Greeson on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.