The Green Coat of Arms and Name Meaning
Discover the meaning of Green, its origins in England, and the story behind a Green family crest.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Green coat of arms for you.
Origin of the Green name
Green comes from the Old English grēne and usually named someone who lived beside the village green, the common grassland at the heart of many English villages. It could also be a nickname for someone who often wore green, or who played the Green Man in May Day celebrations. It is common throughout England and America, often spelled Greene.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Green name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Green name in England. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Australia and Canada; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Green family history
The complete Green pack goes much further: documented origins, early records and family spread, plus a hand-checked coat of arms.
Green name FAQ
What does the Green name mean?
Dweller by the village green. Common variants include Greene, Grene, Greenman.
Where does the Green surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Green coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Green crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Green coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.