Family history

Our Green family line can be traced back to Edward Green, Sr., our 9^th great-grandfather. Edward was a merchant and may have been born in England. If so it is quite possible that he emigrated to New Castle County, Delaware some time between 1664 when the English took control from the Dutch and 1682 when William Penn became the proprietor of this area. In 1685, Edward Green purchased 620 acres of land, as well as a house and outbuildings, named Lackford Hall, from Jane Taylor, widow of John Taylor, for 100 pounds. The plantation was situated on the southwest side of the second Drawer’s Creek on land originally patented, in 1684, from Governor William Penn.

Records of Old Swede’s Church show that Edward Green, Jr. son of Edward Green, was baptized as an adult on September 23, 1716, and that he married a Mary Bowen 38 days later on November 1, 1716. It is most likely that this was at least his second marriage. Edward Green's Will of January 11, 1745-6 notes that he lived in that area of New Castle County called Mill Creek Hundred. It names his daughters Martha Bracken and Margaret Reed, grandson Thomas Bracken, and son-in-law Thomas Bracken who is designated as the executor. Martha and Margaret were most likely the products of Edward’s first marriage.

Edward’s daughter Martha Green, our 7^th great-grandmother was born in New Castle County and married Thomas Bracken in 1721. The connection between the Green and Bracken families is illustrated by a 1722 land record, which notes that, “Edward Green, Jr. desires a grant to purchase about 100 acres between William Brackin’s property in Christiana Hundred.”

Origins of the surname

Research into the record of this Green family line indicates that the meaning and history of this surname is most likely linked to that area of Europe where the English* language is commonly spoken.

Meaning of the Name

The Green family surname is one of the most common and widespread of English surnames. Most persons obtained this name one of three ways: (1) as a nickname for someone who was fond of dressing in this color (Old English grene) or who had part of the mystic and fertile "Green Man" sometimes known as "Jack in the Green", in the May Day fertility celebrations; (2) a topographic name for someone who lived near a village green, Middle English grene (a transferred use of the color term); or (3) as a status name for a young man who played the. In this context "green" was symbolic of youthful ardour, spring, and the re-growth of nature. Sometimes the Green surname can be of Irish origins, and a translation of the ancient Gaelic given name "Uaithne". As this also means "green," it probably has the same basic meaning and origin as the English form.

History of the Name

This name probably came into use by the 7^th century. It is usually recorded in the spellings of Green and Greene, and is one of the most widespread of English, and sometimes Irish, surnames. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Geoffrey de Grene. This was dated 1188, in the "Pipe Rolls" of the county of Kent", during the reign of King Henry 11 of England. He was known as "The Builder of Churches". 1154 - 1189. Other examples of the early recordings taken from authentic rolls, registers and charters of the Middle Ages, include Richard de la Grene of the county of Norfolk in the year 1200; William Grene in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire in 1230; Robert Othegreen, and Henry on the Green, both of Worcestershire, in 1274. Among the many distinguished name bearers listed in the "Dictionary of National Biography" are Charles Green (1785 - 1870), an early aeronaut, who made the first ascent with a hydrogen gas balloon in 1821.

Early Immigrants to North America

During the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries hundreds of thousands of Europeans made the perilous ocean voyage to America. For many it was an escape from economic hardship and religious persecution. For most it was an opportunity for to start over, own their own land, and make a better future for their descendents. Immigration records show a number of people bearing the name of Green, or one of its variants, as arriving in North America between the 17^th and 20^th centuries. Some of these immigrants were: Aderton Greene, who came to Virginia in 1623; John Greene, who settled in Boston in 1625; Abigail Greene, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1632.

*English Surname Meanings & Origins

Although the Domesday Book compiled by William the Conqueror required surnames, the use of them in the British Isles did not become fixed until the time period between 1250 and 1450. The broad range of ethnic and linguistic roots for British surnames reflects the history of Britain as an oft-invaded land. These roots include, but are not limited to, Old English, Middle English, Old French, Old Norse, Irish, Gaelic, Celtic, Pictish, Welsh, Gaulish, Germanic, Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Throughout the British Isles, there are basically five types of native surnames. Some surnames were derived from a man's occupation (Carpenter, Taylor, Brewer, Mason), a practice that was commonplace by the end of the 14th century. Place names reflected a location of residence and were also commonly used (Hill, Brook, Forrest, Dale) as a basis for the surname, for reasons that can be easily understood. Nicknames that stuck also became surnames. About one-third of all US surnames in the United States are Patronymic in origin, and identified the first bearer of the name by his father (or grandfather in the case of some Irish names). Acquired ornamental names were simply made up, and had no specific reflection on the first who bore the name. They simply sounded nice, or were made up as a means of identification, generally much later than most surnames were adopted. Source: http://www.obcgs.com/LASTNAMES.htm

Variations of the surname

Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to unfold and expand often leading to an overwhelming number of variants. As such one can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames because in early times, spelling in general and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized. Later on spellings would change with the branching and movement of families. Spelling variations of this family name include: Greene, Green, and many others.

Source: Surname Resources at ROOTSWEB

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Direct ancestors

Descendant Register

Generation 1

Edward Green Sr.-1 was born on Bef. 1664 in England??. He died on Abt. 1735 in New Castle County, Delaware.

i. Edward Green Jr., B: Abt. 1680 in New Castle County, Delaware, D: Abt. 1746 in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle Co., Delaware.

Generation 2

Edward Green Jr.-2(Edward Green Sr.-1) was born on Abt. 1680 in New Castle County, Delaware. He died on Abt. 1746 in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle Co., Delaware. He married Mrs. Edward Green. He married Mary Bowen on 01 Nov 1716 in New Castle County, Delaware. She was born on Abt. 1687 in New Castle County, Delaware.

Children of Edward Green Jr. and Mrs. Edward Green are:

i. Martha Green, B: New Castle County, Delaware, D: York County, Pennsylvania ?, M: 21 Dec 1721 in New Castle County, Delaware.

Margaret Green, B: New Castle County, Delaware, M: 26 Aug 1731 in (Old Swedes Church) Wilmington, New Castle Co., Delaware.

Generation 3

Martha Green-3(Edward Green Jr.-2, Edward Green Sr.-1) was born in New Castle County, Delaware. She died in York County, Pennsylvania?. She married Thomas Bracken on 21 Dec 1721 in New Castle County, Delaware, son of William Bracken and Hannah Booker. He was born on 1695 in Clapham, Yorkshire, England. He died on 1780 in Monaghan Township, York County, Pennsylvania.

Children of Martha Green and Thomas Bracken are:

i. William Bracken, B: Delaware?, D: Bef. 1794 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, M: 03 Nov 1755 in Old Swede's Church, Wilmington, Delaware.

ii. James Bracken, B: New Castle County, Delaware, D: Sep 1778 in York County, Pennsylvania, M: 28 Aug 1765 in Carlisle, Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania.

iii. Mary Bracken, D: Aft. 1779.

iv. Margaret Bracken.

v. Jean Bracken, B: New Castle County, Delaware, D: Pennsylvania?, M: Abt. 1745 in York County, Pennsylvania.

vi. Hannah Bracken, B: Abt. 1728 in New Castle County, Delaware, D: Hopkins County, Kentucky?, M: Abt. 1750 in New Castle County, Delaware ?.

vii. Thomas Bracken, B: Abt. 1740 in New Castle County, Delaware, D: Feb 1803 in Canonsburg, Washington Co., Pennsylvania, M: Abt. 1764.

viii. John Bracken, B: Delaware?, D: 1777, M: Abt. 1759.

ix. Martha Bracken.

Additional information about our DIRECT ANCESTORS as well as a complete listing of individuals with this surname may be reviewed by clicking on the following LINK.

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Ancestral locations

Researching the locations where our ancestors lived has provided us with valuable evidence needed to fill-in the gaps in our family trees. It has also led us to many interesting facts that enhance the overall picture of each family group. The names of states and counties on the following list were derived from the known places where the persons in the “Direct Ancestors” list (see above) were born, married, and/or died.

COUNTRY

STATE

COUNTY / SUBDIVISION

UNITED KINGDOM

ENGLAND

UNITED STATES

OF AMERICA

DELAWARE

New Castle

PENNSYLVANIA

York

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ANCESTRAL LOCATIONS

Source documents

The documents contained herein have been located during our research of this family, and used as evidence to prove many of the facts contained within the database of this family’s record.

Most of these documents can be considered as primary or secondary. Primary evidence is usually defined as the best available to prove the fact in question, usually in an original document or record. Secondary evidence is in essence all that evidence which is inferior in its origin to primary evidence. That does not mean secondary evidence is always in error, but there is a greater chance of error. Examples of this type of evidence would be a copy of an original record, or oral testimony of a record’s contents. Published genealogies and family histories are also secondary evidence.

Classifying evidence as either primary or secondary does not tell anything about its accuracy or ultimate value. This is especially true of secondary evidence. Thus it is always a good idea to ask the following questions: (1) How far removed from the original is it, (when it is a copy)?; (2) What was the reason for the creation of the source which contains this evidence?; and (3) Who was responsible for creating this secondary evidence and what interest did they have in its accuracy?

SOURCE: Greenwood, Val D., The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, 2^nd edition, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD 21202, 1990, pgs. 62-63

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SOURCE DOCUMENTS

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