Greenacre History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The local surname Greenacre was derived from the expression "of the green acre" or "green acres." Literally the name means "green field." 1

Early Origins of the Greenacre family

The surname Greenacre was first found in Lancashire at Twiston, a township, in the chapelry of Downham, parish of Whalley, union of Clitheroe, Higher division of the hundred of Blackburn. "In the 1st of Edward III., when the Hall existed, the property was possessed by Richard de Greenacres; a successor of whom, Sir Richard Greenacres, left a daughter that married into the Worsley family, through whom the estate passed to the family of Starkie." 2

Richard de Grenacres, recorded 6 Edward III, (in the sixth year of Edward III's reign) was recorded in the Oldham Guardian, "Old Homesteads." 3

In Scotland, the name was principally found in Aberdeen where it was originally from England. 4

Early History of the Greenacre family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Greenacre research. Another 52 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1564 and 1901 are included under the topic Early Greenacre History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Greenacre Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Greenacres, Greenaker, Geenakers, Grinacres, Grinakers, Grenacres and many more.

Early Notables of the Greenacre family

Distinguished members of the family include

the Greenacre family of Lancashire

Greenacre migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Greenacre Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Sarah Greenacre, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1847 5

Greenacre 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:

Greenacre Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. William Greenacre, (b. 1802), aged 39, British Farmer travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lord William Bentinck" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 24th May 1841 6
Mrs. Sarah Greenacre, (b. 1813), aged 28, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lord William Bentinck" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 24th May 1841 6
William Greenacre, who landed in Wanganui, New Zealand in 1843
Mr. Henry Greenacre, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Harwood" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 4th November 1858 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Greenacre (post 1700) +

Phyllis Greenacre (1894-1989), American psychoanalyst and physician, managing director of the New York Psychoanalytic Institute
Chris Greenacre (b. 1977), English footballer
Brigadier Walter Douglas Campbell Greenacre (1900-1978), British Brigadier General (1951-03-01) 7

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MARINER 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Mariner.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) Walter Greenacre. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Greenacre/Walter_Douglas_Campbell/Great_Britain.html