The Greaves surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,217 people carried this name — #6,505 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 56,500 people counted. That is up 10% from 4,731 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Greaves surname

Topographic surname for someone who lived near a brushwood or thicket, from Old English grǣfe (“brushwood, thicket”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Greaves» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the greave’.

An early record he cites: Agnes de Greues, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Greaves and Greeves.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 334 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 21 people named Greaves.

Most of them — 12 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 5 départements, most often Seine-Maritime.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 12
Seine-Maritime 3
Gironde 2
Yvelines 2
Morbihan 1
Val-d’Oise 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Greaves was found among the farmers of 8 counties.

It was most frequent in Worcestershire: 34 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 294. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Worcestershire 34
Warwickshire 25
Buckinghamshire 24
Nottinghamshire 24
Yorkshire, West Riding 12
Cheshire 9
Derbyshire 9
Lancashire 9

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In print

Greaves in American newspapers,
1910–1922.

Newspaper page from The Omaha Morning Bee carrying the name Greaves
The Omaha Morning Bee 1922-08-07
Newspaper page from Luxemburger Gazette carrying the name Greaves
Luxemburger Gazette 1910-11-01

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 27,646 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Greaves in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

35,565 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Greaves. The most, 5,901, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Australian Capital Territory, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 10,488
Victoria 9,560
Queensland 8,276
Western Australia 3,005
South Australia 2,249
Tasmania 1,593
ACT (Canberra) 340
Northern Territory 21

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Greaves.

Who carried it

People named Greaves,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Catherine Field d. 1810
  • Thomas Greaves d. 1782
  • Henry Ley Greaves d. 1899
  • Caroline Muriel Greaves d. 1947
  • Helen Cecilia Greaves d. 1966
  • Emily Greaves d. 1910

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Greaves,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States923 records

923 records of the Greaves name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 264
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 232
  • Other U.S. records 427
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Raymond R. Greaves

    Born 1922 in Minnesota. Enlisted 1942 at San Francisco, California; welder. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1983, buried at Eagle Point National Cemetery, Oregon.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Edward T. Greaves

    Born 1905 in Louisiana. Enlisted 1942 at New York City; fireman from New York County, New York. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1986, buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Catherine Greaves

    Arrived at New York in 1883 aboard the Devonia from Glasgow and Moville, aged 18; servant. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 923 records for Greaves in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,058 records

1,058 records of the Greaves name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 517
  • Tasmanian Names Index 187
  • Other Australian records 354
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Martha Greaves

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Cadet, sailing from London in 1847. Native of Lancashire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850. Married 1850 in Hamilton, Tasmania, aged 25.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Edward Henry Greaves

    Died 1918 in Ringarooma, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1918.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Sarah Greaves

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the Swiftsure, aged 23; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,058 records for Greaves in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

United Kingdom74 records

74 records of the Greaves name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 59
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 9
  • Other British records 6
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Catherine Jane Greaves

    Will proved in 1940; of Bethesda, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Greaves

    Buried in 1810 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 67.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record G. E. Greaves

    Machine Gun Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 74 records for Greaves in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands70 records

70 records of the Greaves name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 38
  • Dutch population registers 18
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 14
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record George Fredrik Lodewijk Greaves

    Married in 1856 in 's-Gravenhage; porter. Died 1865 in Rotterdam, aged 39.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Elisabeth Jeannette Petronella Greaves

    Married in 1883 in Delft. Died 1908 in Delft.

    Open Archives, Archief Delft (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Robertus Franciscus Greaves

    Married in 1924 in Rijswijk. Died 1961 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 62; furniture maker.

    Open Archives, Archief Delft (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 70 records for Greaves in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada67 records

67 records of the Greaves name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 26
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 13
  • Other Canadian records 28
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Alfred Greaves

    Died 1979, aged 66; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Edna Greaves

    Buried in 1977 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 72.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Edward Newton B. Greaves

    Buried in 1961 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 67 records for Greaves in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand19 records

19 records of the Greaves name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 12
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 4
  • Other New Zealand records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Phillip Greaves

    Died 1946, aged 72; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Muriel Greaves

    Buried in 1885 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 28.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Arthur Greaves

    Died 1959; buried at Oxford Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 19 records for Greaves in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France8 records

8 records of the Greaves name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Sydney Albert Greaves

    Born 1950 in the United Kingdom; died 1990 in Le Chesnay (Yvelines).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Louise Jeanne Greaves

    Born 1901 in Enghien-les-Bains (Yvelines); died 1974 in Le Kremlin-Bicêtre (Val-de-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 8 records for Greaves in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Ireland3 records

3 records of the Greaves name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Lilly Greaves

    Died 1806, aged 46; buried at Oranmore (Medieval), Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Greaves

    Died 1806, aged 55; buried at Oranmore (Medieval), Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Greaves in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Greaves.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Greaves is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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