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Greenlees Family History

Greenlees Surname Meaning

Scottish (Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire): habitational name from (East or West) Greenlees in Lanarkshire named from Older Scots grēne ‘green’ + ley(s) ‘piece of open country’ later ‘meadow’.

English (Lancashire): topographic name from Middle English grene ‘green’ + lese ‘pasture’.

As an English surname this is now rare or may even have died out entirely; most if not all modern bearers are of Scottish descent.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Greenlees family from?

You can see how Greenlees families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Greenlees family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Greenlees families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 164 Greenlees families living in Lancashire. This was about 62% of all the recorded Greenlees's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Greenlees families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Greenlees surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Greenlees ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Greenlees. 60% of Greenlees men worked as a Farmer and 93% of Greenlees women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Greenlees were Unpaid Domestic Duties and Short Hand Typist.

View Census Data for Greenlees | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Farmer
    60%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    40%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    93%
  • Shorthand Typist
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Short Hand Typist
    3%

What Greenlees family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Greenlees. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Greenlees census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Greenlees

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Greenlees. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Greenlees immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Greenlees. For the veterans among your Greenlees ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Greenlees military records

You've only scratched the surface of Greenlees family history

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What is the average Greenlees lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Greenlees life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1981, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Greenlees in 1962 was 81, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Greenlees

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Greenlees ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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