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Greenwell Family History

Greenwell Surname Meaning

English (Durham and Northumberland): habitational name from Greenwell (Cumbria) or Greenwell in Wolsingham (Durham).

Middle English grene ‘green’ + welle ‘spring stream’.

The name may sometimes have been confused with Grindle.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Greenwell family from?

You can see how Greenwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Greenwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Greenwell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 666 Greenwell families living in Durham. This was about 65% of all the recorded Greenwell's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Greenwell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Greenwell 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 Greenwell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Greenwell. 13% of Greenwell men worked as a General Labourer and 78% of Greenwell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Greenwell were Coal Hewer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Greenwell | 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

  • General Labourer
    13%
  • Colliery Hewer
    5%
  • Bricklayer
    5%
  • Coal Hewer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Greenwell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 34,000 census records available for the last name Greenwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Greenwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Greenwell

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Greenwell. 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 Greenwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Greenwell. For the veterans among your Greenwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Greenwell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Greenwell family history

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What is the average Greenwell lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Greenwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Greenwell in 1942 was 37, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Greenwell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Greenwell 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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