NameCensus.

UK surname

Glancy

A surname of Irish origin likely derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Glaisne" meaning "descendant of the greenwarden."

In the 1881 census there were 354 people recorded with the Glancy surname, ranking it #8,701 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,129, ranked #5,219, up from #8,701 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Beath, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Port Glasgow Upper East and Drumoyne and Shieldhall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Glancy is 1,134 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 218.9%.

1881 census count

354

Ranked #8,701

Modern count

1,129

2016, ranked #5,219

Peak year

2014

1,134 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Glancy had 354 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,701 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,129 in 2016, ranked #5,219.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 474 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Glancy surname distribution map

The map shows where the Glancy surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Glancy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Glancy over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 136 #13,892
1861 historical 237 #10,359
1881 historical 354 #8,701
1891 historical 422 #8,483
1901 historical 474 #8,382
1911 historical 105 #22,064
1997 modern 998 #5,508
1998 modern 1,038 #5,497
1999 modern 1,044 #5,514
2000 modern 1,038 #5,512
2001 modern 1,010 #5,536
2002 modern 1,061 #5,429
2003 modern 1,004 #5,573
2004 modern 1,032 #5,472
2005 modern 1,026 #5,434
2006 modern 1,057 #5,309
2007 modern 1,081 #5,254
2008 modern 1,087 #5,273
2009 modern 1,111 #5,284
2010 modern 1,120 #5,354
2011 modern 1,090 #5,420
2012 modern 1,101 #5,286
2013 modern 1,106 #5,349
2014 modern 1,134 #5,270
2015 modern 1,131 #5,227
2016 modern 1,129 #5,219

Geography

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Where Glancys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Beath, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Manchester and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Port Glasgow Upper East, Drumoyne and Shieldhall, Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central and County Durham. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Beath Fife
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central Inverclyde
2 Port Glasgow Upper East Inverclyde
3 Drumoyne and Shieldhall Glasgow City
4 Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central Inverclyde
5 County Durham 014 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Glancy

These lists show first names that appear often with the Glancy surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Glancy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Glancy, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Glancy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Glancy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Glancy is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Glancy is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Glancy falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Glancy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Glancy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Glancy

The surname Glancy has its origins in Ireland, where it is believed to have emerged in the 12th or 13th century. It is derived from the Old Irish Gaelic word "glannach," which means "pure" or "clean," suggesting that the name may have initially been used as a nickname or a descriptive term.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Glancy can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a 17th-century chronicle of medieval Irish history. In this text, the name is spelled as "Ó Glainchín," which translates to "descendant of Glanchín" or "son of Glanchín."

The name Glancy has also been linked to several place names in Ireland, such as Glancy, a townland in County Antrim, and Glencree, a valley in County Wicklow. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Glancy surname was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of Ireland, including Antrim, Derry, and Tyrone. Some notable figures with this surname from this period include:

1. Patrick Glancy (c. 1560-1635), an Irish Franciscan friar and scholar who established a school in Louvain, Belgium. 2. Rory Glancy (c. 1580-1660), a landowner and chieftain in County Antrim, who fought alongside the Irish Confederates during the Irish Confederate Wars.

As Irish emigration increased in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Glancy surname began to spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia. Some notable individuals with the Glancy surname from this period include:

1. Michael Glancy (1776-1853), an Irish-American soldier who fought in the War of 1812 and later settled in Ohio. 2. Thomas Glancy (1823-1892), an Irish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. 3. Mary Glancy (1845-1925), an Irish-American labor activist and philanthropist who advocated for worker's rights in New York City.

Throughout its history, the Glancy surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Glancy, Glancey, Glansey, and Glancie, reflecting regional dialects and the influence of different languages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Glancy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Glancy surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 106 Glancys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.57x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 106 9.57x
Lancashire 65 1.60x
Midlothian 48 10.47x
Durham 27 2.65x
Fife 22 10.85x
Angus 16 5.04x
Yorkshire 14 0.41x
Ayrshire 9 3.51x
Renfrewshire 8 3.02x
Dunbartonshire 4 4.35x
Inverness-shire 4 3.91x
Kent 4 0.34x
Stirlingshire 4 3.17x
Cheshire 3 0.40x
Staffordshire 3 0.26x
Middlesex 2 0.06x
Perthshire 2 1.30x
West Lothian 2 3.88x
East Lothian 1 2.21x
Hampshire 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.18x
Northumberland 1 0.20x
Royal Navy 1 2.45x
Suffolk 1 0.24x
Warwickshire 1 0.12x
Wigtownshire 1 2.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 44 Glancys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.70x.

Place Total Index
Barony 44 15.70x
Govan 21 7.67x
Dunfermline 18 57.75x
Darlington 12 30.51x
Bothwell 11 36.63x
Glasgow 11 5.59x
Widnes 11 37.54x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 15.49x
Leeds 10 5.22x
South Leith 10 19.38x
Dundee 9 7.60x
Newbattle 9 229.59x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 9 76.92x
Chorley 8 35.09x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 15.87x
Kirkoswald 7 334.93x
Liberton 7 98.87x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 3.25x
Hamilton 6 19.43x
Liff Benvie 6 12.46x
Barrow In Furness 5 9.05x
Carstairs 5 218.34x
Cramond 5 143.68x
Temple 5 274.73x
Barra 4 156.86x
Beath 4 62.50x
Currie 4 142.35x
Manchester 4 2.19x
Wardleworth 4 17.23x
Woolwich 4 9.27x
Blantyre 3 26.02x
Dumbarton 3 23.42x
Eastwood 3 18.36x
Maryhill 3 13.84x
Port Glasgow 3 23.38x
Salford 3 2.51x
Stirling 3 18.84x
Stockton On Tees 3 6.11x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 2.45x
Wigan 3 5.28x
Burnley 2 5.85x
Colmonell 2 77.52x
Cranston 2 170.94x
Dukinfield 2 5.73x
Framwellgate 2 33.17x
Great Bolton 2 3.72x
Tanshelf 2 73.80x
Westoe 2 3.46x
Aldershot 1 4.25x
Aston 1 0.42x
Bedlington 1 5.88x
Boness 1 14.06x
Cardross 1 9.05x
Craig 1 32.68x
Dalziel 1 8.40x
Golborne 1 18.87x
Holme On Spalding Moor 1 45.05x
Hunslet 1 1.89x
Kinnoull 1 24.75x
Logierait 1 37.04x
Lowestoft 1 5.08x
Oldham 1 0.76x
Paisley High Church 1 4.73x
Polmont 1 21.46x
Prestonkirk 1 44.05x
Royal Navy 1 2.87x
Scunthorpe 1 40.65x
Shettleston 1 10.09x
St Andrew By Wardrobe 1 476.19x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.66x
Tanfield 1 8.26x
Tranmere 1 3.60x
Uphall 1 17.64x
West Greenock 1 2.10x
Whithorn 1 28.90x
Windle 1 4.37x
Wrightington 1 56.50x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Glancy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 18
Catherine 8
Margaret 3
Ann 2
Anne 2
Ellen 2
Maria 2
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
Eliz.Ellen 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Grace 1
Katherine 1
Louisa 1
Margt. 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Glancy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

FAQ

Glancy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Glancy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 354 people were recorded with the Glancy surname. That placed it at #8,701 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Glancy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,129 in 2016. That gives Glancy a modern rank of #5,219.

What does the Glancy surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin likely derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Glaisne" meaning "descendant of the greenwarden."

What does the Glancy map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Glancy bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.