Show ContentsGreensill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Greensill family

The surname Greensill was first found in Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow, where they held a family seat in their territories. The Pictish influence on Scottish history diminished after Kenneth Macalpine became King of all Scotland. But those east coast families still played an important role in government and were more accessible to Government than their western highland counterparts. They held a family seat at Greenshields in that county.

Early History of the Greensill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Greensill research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1617, 1666 and 1745 are included under the topic Early Greensill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Greensill Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Greenshields, Greenscheils, Greensill and many more.

Early Notables of the Greensill family

More information is included under the topic Early Greensill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Greensill migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Greensill Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Edward Bamford Greensill, aged 42, who immigrated to the United States from Accrington, England, in 1919
  • Thomas Joseph Greensill, aged 50, who landed in America from Warwickshire, England, in 1919

New Zealand Greensill migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Greensill Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. J. A. R. Greensill, British settler travelling from England aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Nelson, South Island, New Zealand in 1857 [1]

Contemporary Notables of the name Greensill (post 1700) +

  • Mr. Alexander David Greensill C.B.E., British Founder and Chief Executive for Greensill Capital was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 17th June 2017, for services to the Economy
  • Bruce Greensill (1942-2007), New Zealand rugby union player
  • Angeline Ngahina Greensill (b. 1948), New Zealand Mâori political rights campaigner, academic and leader


  1. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook