2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Greetan
A variant spelling of the Scottish surname Green, derived from the nickname for someone associated with that color or a grassy area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Greetan. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Greetan 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Greetan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Greetan, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Greetan
The surname GREETAN is of English origin, first appearing in records during the 13th century. It is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, derived from the Old English words "grēne" meaning green and "tūn" meaning settlement or town. This suggests the name initially referred to someone who lived in a green or verdant town or village.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Robert de Greneton is mentioned as a landowner in Yorkshire. The spelling variations at the time included Greneton, Grenetun, and Grenetoune. These early spellings reflect the name's evolution from its Old English roots to a more modern form.
In the 14th century, the GREETAN name appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire, where a John de Greneton was listed as a taxpayer in 1379. This record provides evidence of the name's continued presence in the region during the Middle Ages.
During the 16th century, the name GREETAN emerged more prominently in historical records. In 1586, a Thomas Greetan was recorded as a landowner in the village of Easingwold, North Yorkshire. This suggests the name had solidified into its modern spelling by the late Renaissance period.
Notable individuals bearing the GREETAN surname throughout history include:
1. William GREETAN (1658-1732), an English merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of several churches and schools in Yorkshire.
2. Margaret GREETAN (1701-1784), a renowned herbalist and midwife who practiced in the village of Kettlewell, Yorkshire.
3. John GREETAN (1775-1842), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and participated in the Battle of Trafalgar.
4. Elizabeth GREETAN (1823-1898), an English author and poet known for her nature-inspired works, including the collection "Wildflower Verses".
5. Robert GREETAN (1867-1941), a British explorer and naturalist who led expeditions to East Africa and published several books on his findings.
While the GREETAN name has its roots in Yorkshire, it eventually spread to other parts of England and beyond, carried by families and individuals who migrated or established new settlements. The name's longevity and enduring presence in historical records highlight its significance as a distinctly English surname with origins tracing back to the medieval era.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Greetan
Among Census respondents with the surname Greetan, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Greetan 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 Greetan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.5% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino8.3% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native4.2% · 5
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Greetan
Greetan 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+7 bearers (+6.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,354 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+7 bearers (+6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,152 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.6%) | Down 2,354 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.2%) | Up 4,152 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 Greetan 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 | #146,201 | #142,049 | 2.8% |
| Count | 113 | 120 | 6.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Greetan bearers went from 113 to 120 (+6.2% change). The surname moved up 4,152 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #142,049.
FAQ
Greetan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Greetan?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Greetan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Greetan?
Greetan ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Greetan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Greetan.
Has Greetan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Greetan went from 113 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 7 (+6.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #146,201 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Greetan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Greetan, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (4.2%). 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 Greetan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.5% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Greetan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.5%), Hispanic (8.3%), American Indian/Alaska Native (4.2%). 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 Greetan (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 Greetan mean?
A variant spelling of the Scottish surname Green, derived from the nickname for someone associated with that color or a grassy area. 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 Greetan (0.04 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 share the surname Greetan?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.