The Greene surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 126,101 people carried this name — #241 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 2,340 people counted. That is up 5% from 119,604 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Greene surname

A surname from Middle English, a variant of Green.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Greene» (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 green’.

An early record he cites: Deonisia ate Grene, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Green and Greene.

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

In Argentina’s national register

At least 51 people named Greene live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

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

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 33
Entre Ríos 18

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

35 people named Greene live in Switzerland.

They live in 3 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

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

Where they live today

Zurich 15
Vaud 13
Geneva 7

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In France’s civil register

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

Most of them — 21 — were born outside France.

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

Where they were born

Born outside France 21

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

In the Nordic population registers

33 people named Greene is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 33

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In Scotland’s registers today

Greene was recorded 16 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1361st most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 22. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Greene in American newspapers,
1891–1911.

Newspaper page from The Beatrice Daily Express carrying the name Greene
The Beatrice Daily Express 1891-09-16
Newspaper page from The Watchman And Southron carrying the name Greene
The Watchman And Southron 1900-09-05
Newspaper page from The Mt. Sterling Advocate carrying the name Greene
The Mt. Sterling Advocate 1911-02-22

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 891,167 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Greene in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

89,510 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Greene. The most, 27,658, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 30,784
New South Wales 25,894
Queensland 14,292
South Australia 6,792
Western Australia 5,932
Tasmania 5,435
ACT (Canberra) 261
Northern Territory 37

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

Who carried it

People named Greene,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William Greene
    William Greene 1695–1758 · politician
  • Richard Greene
    Richard Greene 1716–1793 · writer
  • Christopher Greene
    Christopher Greene 1737–1781 · politician
  • Griffin Greene
    Griffin Greene 1749–1804 · judge
  • Gardiner Greene
    Gardiner Greene 1753–1832 · businessperson

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped — Richard Greene: unknown author, CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0); the others are in the public domain or CC0 · 223 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Greene,
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 States10,979 records

10,979 records of the Greene name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 4,366
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 2,486
  • Other U.S. records 4,127
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record John Preston Greene

    Born 1941; from Newark, New Jersey. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1965 in South Vietnam. Buried at Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (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 Arnold M. Greene

    Born 1923 in Florida. Enlisted 1942 at Camp Blanding; fisherman from Pinellas County. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1952, buried at Bay Pines National Cemetery, Florida.

    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 Mary Greene

    Arrived at New York in 1854 aboard the Constitution from Liverpool, aged 45; housekeeper. From Ireland.

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

Showing 3 of 10,979 records for Greene in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia859 records

859 records of the Greene name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 463
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 204
  • Other Australian records 192
  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 Mary Greene

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Earl Grey, sailing from Kingston in 1849. Native of Longford. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1856.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 Sarah Greene

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the East London, sailing from Dublin in 1843. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1849.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Madeline Eliza Greene

    Died 1919 in West¿devonport, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1920.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 859 records for Greene 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) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). 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).

Canada336 records

336 records of the Greene name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 257
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 31
  • Other Canadian records 48
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Mark Greene

    Killed in 1928 at the Colonial No. 1 mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Margaret C. Greene

    Buried in 1963 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 51.

    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 Florence Gertrude Greene

    Buried in 1995 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 102.

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

Showing 3 of 336 records for Greene in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Ireland14 records

14 records of the Greene name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Ann Greene

    Died 1973, aged 73; buried at Labane, 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 Tommie Greene

    Died 1953, aged 20; buried at Boyounagh, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Patrick Greene

    Died 1997, aged 84; buried at Killimorday, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 14 records for Greene 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).

Netherlands13 records

13 records of the Greene name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 7
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 5
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Godfried Greene

    Died 1814 in Utrecht, aged 34.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Margreette Greene

    Married in 1629 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Jacob Mc Kenley Greene

    In the population register of Amsterdam; born 1897 in Alexandria.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Amsterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Greene in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

United Kingdom10 records

10 records of the Greene name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 6
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 2
  • Other British records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Rurh Greene

    Died 1922, aged 19; buried at Logie Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Richard Greene

    Will proved in 1876; of Llandudno, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Reginald Downes Latimer Greene

    Born 1883. Died 1919. Named in the University of Edinburgh roll of honour, 1914-1919.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Greene in the United Kingdom.

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

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Greene name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 4
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 2
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Alfred John Greene

    Died 1941, aged 75; buried at Bromley Cemetery, 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 William John Esmond Greene

    Buried in 1916 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 78.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 7 records for Greene in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ) · Thames-Coromandel District 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).

France5 records

5 records of the Greene 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 Deborah Ann Greene

    Born 1950 in the United States; died 1993 in Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine).

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

    Born 1903 in the United States; died 1992 in La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Greene 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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Greene.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Greene 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.

See the Greene volume
Scroll to Top