Greaves Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Greaves Name Meaning: A topographic name from old English 'graefe',meaning 'grove','brushwood' or a dense growth of bushes.

The name is of Anglo-Saxon origin.Topographical names were among the earliest created,as features in the 'landscape' provided easliy recognisable names.

Discover how your Greaves ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Greaves Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Greaves family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 1,280
Coal Miner 153
Cotton Weaver 116
General Labourer 92
Living On Own Means 80
Farmer 74
Domestic Servant 69
Agricultural Labourer 66
Dress Maker 55
Labourer 54
Living On Her Own Means 51
House Keeper 38
Laundress 37
General Servant 35
Cotton Spinner 35
Cotton Operative 33
Grocer 32
File Cutter 32
General Servant Domestic 31
Farm Labourer 30
Cotton Piecer 27
Blacksmith 23
Joiner 23
Gardener 22
Clerk 22

Greaves Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Greaves 100% 61,638
2 Groves 71% 55,517
3 Graves 86% 34,701
4 Grieves 71% 4,346
5 Greeves 86% 3,658
6 Greves 86% 2,031
7 Gervis 57% 1,055
8 Garvis 43% 704
9 Grooves 71% 535
10 Grives 71% 450
11 Greives 86% 269
12 Gravis 71% 191
13 Gervase 43% 163
14 Garves 57% 154

Did you know?

The surname Greaves is the most popular version of all its varients

Search for the Greaves family