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Greengrass Family History

Greengrass Surname Meaning

For someone who lived at a green grassy spot, the term originates from Middle English grene ‘green’ combined with the regional gres ‘grass’, and is sometimes derived from Old Scandinavian gres.

This term also reflects a part-anglicization of Grün(e)gras or Grönegräs, which comes from the Low German words grön meaning ‘green’ and gras meaning ‘grass’.

The name was likely acquired through usage as a handout or ornamental designation.

In certain instances, it may have even functioned as a locative name, identifying someone who lived by a meadow or pastureland.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Greengrass family from?

You can see how Greengrass families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Greengrass family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Greengrass families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 109 Greengrass families living in Suffolk. This was about 25% of all the recorded Greengrass's in United Kingdom. Suffolk had the highest population of Greengrass families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Greengrass 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 Greengrass ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Greengrass. 28% of Greengrass men worked as an Incapacitated and 79% of Greengrass women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Greengrass were Heavy Worker and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Greengrass | 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

  • Incapacitated
    28%
  • Coach Painter
    19%
  • Fisherman
    19%
  • Heavy Worker
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Domestic Duties
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Greengrass family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Greengrass. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Greengrass census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Greengrass

Passenger Lists

There are 743 immigration records available for the last name Greengrass. 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 Greengrass immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 529 military records available for the last name Greengrass. For the veterans among your Greengrass ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Greengrass military records

You've only scratched the surface of Greengrass family history

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What is the average Greengrass lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2002, in the United States, Greengrass life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1976, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Greengrass in 1963 was 72, and 66 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Greengrass

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Greengrass 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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