The Greenfield surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,922 people carried this name — #3,007 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 24,800 people counted. About the same as in 2000 (11,864).

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What the name means

The meaning of the Greenfield surname

A proprialization of green + field; compare greenfield.

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

An early record he cites: Willelmus Grenefeld’, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Greenfield and Greenfeld.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 335 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Greenfield was found among the farmers of 3 counties.

It was most frequent in Nottinghamshire: 24 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 417. 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

Nottinghamshire 24
Sussex 21
Lincolnshire 10

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 the first U.S. census, 1790

33 families named Greenfield, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 188 people lived in those households, 5.7 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Greenfield, Greenfeild. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Maryland 18
New York 8
Connecticut 3
New Hampshire 2
Pennsylvania 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 243 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Greenfield in American newspapers,
1907–1926.

Newspaper page from The San Antonio Light carrying the name Greenfield
The San Antonio Light 1907-07-28
Newspaper page from Evening Star carrying the name Greenfield
Evening Star 1926-06-21
Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-herald carrying the name Greenfield
The Birmingham Age-herald 1910-05-16

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,955 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Greenfield in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

16,902 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Greenfield. The most, 5,641, 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 Queensland, at 2.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 7,792
New South Wales 4,012
Victoria 3,001
South Australia 1,466
Western Australia 332
Tasmania 179
ACT (Canberra) 49
Northern Territory 10

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

Who carried it

People named Greenfield,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Elizabeth Greenfield
    Elizabeth Greenfield 1817–1876 · teacher
  • Elizabeth Greenfield
    Elizabeth Greenfield 1819–1876 · teacher
  • Hector Greenfield d. 1975
  • Beatrice Elliot Kennard Greenfield d. 1963
  • unknown Greenfield d. 1928
  • Ann S. Greenfield d. 1938

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Greenfield,
in the records of 7 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 States2,540 records

2,540 records of the Greenfield name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,203
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 507
  • Other U.S. records 830
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Guy Emery Greenfield

    Born 1942; from Portland, Oregon. U.S. Army, infantry unit commander; killed in action 1968 in Long An, South Vietnam. Buried at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon.

    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 Allen A. Greenfield

    Born 1908 in Mississippi. Enlisted 1942 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; driver. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1957, buried at Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey.

    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 Merville M. Greenfield

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the Gallia from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 32; matron. From London, England.

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

Showing 3 of 2,540 records for Greenfield in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · 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. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · 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). 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).

Australia407 records

407 records of the Greenfield name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 234
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 67
  • Other Australian records 106
  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 William Greenfield

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the England, sailing from London in 1832. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1845.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1855 aboard the Venilia, aged 11; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Harry M. Greenfield

    Labourer of Bamawm, Victoria; died 1945.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 407 records for Greenfield in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada75 records

75 records of the Greenfield name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 43
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 9
  • Other Canadian records 23
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Muriel Mae Greenfield

    Died 1977, aged 64; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record James B. Greenfield

    Died 1939 in Harrison Settlement, Cumberland, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Austin Greenfield

    Died in service in 1918.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 75 records for Greenfield 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. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom33 records

33 records of the Greenfield name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 23
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 7
  • Other British records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Anne McArthur Greenfield

    Buried in 1985 at Callander Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 67.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Greenfield

    Buried in 1829 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 F. Greenfield

    Driver, Oyal Engineers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

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

Showing 3 of 33 records for Greenfield 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. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: 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).

Netherlands13 records

13 records of the Greenfield name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 7
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 6
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Edward Greenfield

    Died 1831 in Heenvliet, aged 18; sailor.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Voorne-Putten (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Robert Greenfield

    Died 1849 in Rotterdam, aged 47.

    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 Herbert Greenfield

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born 1908 in Leeds.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Greenfield 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); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand4 records

4 records of the Greenfield name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Annie Greenfield

    Died 1931, aged 58; 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 Frances Greenfield

    Died 1905, aged 37; buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ethel Mary Greenfield

    Died 1966; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Greenfield in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City 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).

France1 record

1 record of the Greenfield 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 Gwendoline Greenfield

    Born 1917 in Great Britain; died 1995 in Montpon-Ménestérol (Dordogne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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 Greenfield.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Greenfield 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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