NameCensus.

UK surname

Glanville

A locational surname originating from a residence near a ravine or glen.

In the 1881 census there were 1,225 people recorded with the Glanville surname, ranking it #3,307 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,934, ranked #3,306, up from #3,307 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Plymouth and East Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Glanville is 2,088 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.9%.

1881 census count

1,225

Ranked #3,307

Modern count

1,934

2016, ranked #3,306

Peak year

1999

2,088 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Glanville had 1,225 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,307 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,934 in 2016, ranked #3,306.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,738 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Glanville surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Glanville surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Glanville 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 723 #3,624
1861 historical 760 #3,598
1881 historical 1,225 #3,307
1891 historical 1,417 #3,075
1901 historical 1,494 #3,433
1911 historical 1,738 #2,823
1997 modern 1,957 #3,108
1998 modern 2,051 #3,095
1999 modern 2,088 #3,074
2000 modern 2,067 #3,089
2001 modern 2,020 #3,090
2002 modern 2,078 #3,075
2003 modern 2,029 #3,079
2004 modern 2,029 #3,076
2005 modern 1,963 #3,140
2006 modern 1,917 #3,209
2007 modern 1,909 #3,245
2008 modern 1,910 #3,261
2009 modern 1,980 #3,234
2010 modern 1,993 #3,291
2011 modern 1,971 #3,272
2012 modern 1,955 #3,243
2013 modern 1,972 #3,286
2014 modern 1,967 #3,307
2015 modern 1,942 #3,309
2016 modern 1,934 #3,306

Geography

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Where Glanvilles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea and Camborne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Plymouth and East Devon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Camborne Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 057 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 019 Cornwall
3 Plymouth 012 Plymouth
4 Plymouth 027 Plymouth
5 East Devon 004 East Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Glanville

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Glanville

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Glanville, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Glanville surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Glanville household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Glanville is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Glanville is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Glanville falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Glanville is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Glanville

The surname Glanville is of Anglo-Norman origin, derived from the Old French place name Glanville, located in Normandy, France. It is believed that the name was first introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

The name Glanville is composed of two elements: "glan" meaning "valley" or "glen," and "ville" meaning "town" or "village." It likely referred to someone who hailed from the town of Glanville in Normandy. Variations of the spelling included Glanvile, Glanvill, and Glanvyll.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented the landholdings in England after the Norman Conquest. The name appears as "Glanvile" in reference to individuals holding lands in various counties.

A notable bearer of the surname was Ranulf de Glanville (c. 1120-1190), an English jurist and statesman who served as Chief Justiciar of England under King Henry II. He is credited with making significant contributions to the development of English common law.

Another prominent figure was Gilbert de Glanville (d. 1214), who was the Bishop of Rochester from 1185 until his death. He played a crucial role in the negotiations leading to the issuance of the Magna Carta in 1215.

In the 13th century, a branch of the Glanville family settled in the county of Suffolk, where they held lands and became influential landowners. Sir John Glanville (c. 1268-1334) was a notable member of this branch and served as a knight and courtier during the reigns of Edward I and Edward II.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Glanville name was also found in the counties of Devon and Cornwall in southwestern England. One notable bearer was John Glanville (1542-1600), a lawyer and antiquarian from Devon who authored several works on English law and history.

Another notable figure was Joseph Glanville (1636-1680), an English writer and philosopher who was a prominent advocate of the scientific revolution and a supporter of the Royal Society. He is best known for his work "Scepsis Scientifica," which argued for the use of empirical methods in scientific inquiry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Glanville families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Glanville 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. Cornwall leads with 280 Glanvilles recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.60x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 280 20.60x
Devon 266 10.64x
Middlesex 140 1.17x
Surrey 73 1.25x
Kent 65 1.59x
Hampshire 48 1.95x
Oxfordshire 44 5.93x
Somerset 39 2.02x
Gloucestershire 30 1.27x
Cumberland 28 2.71x
Lancashire 24 0.17x
Buckinghamshire 19 2.62x
Yorkshire 18 0.15x
Sussex 16 0.79x
Durham 15 0.42x
Glamorgan 15 0.72x
Northumberland 14 0.78x
Pembrokeshire 11 2.88x
Wiltshire 9 0.85x
Cheshire 8 0.30x
Lincolnshire 7 0.36x
Worcestershire 7 0.45x
Dorset 6 0.76x
Royal Navy 6 4.19x
Berkshire 5 0.55x
Midlothian 5 0.31x
Monmouthshire 5 0.58x
Warwickshire 5 0.17x
Leicestershire 4 0.30x
Norfolk 4 0.22x
Cardiganshire 3 1.02x
Suffolk 3 0.21x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.40x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.12x
Renfrewshire 2 0.21x
Bedfordshire 1 0.16x
Hertfordshire 1 0.12x
Isle of Man 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth St Andrew in Devon leads with 75 Glanvilles recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.95x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth St Andrew 75 38.95x
Camborne 50 89.25x
Plymouth Charles The 29 26.33x
Portsea 24 4.98x
Stoke Damerel 23 13.15x
Deptford St Paul 22 6.96x
Hackney London 19 2.82x
Bedminster 18 9.91x
Lambeth 18 1.72x
Great Marlow 17 86.78x
Illogan 16 44.44x
Battersea 15 3.39x
Camberwell 15 1.96x
Hornsey 15 9.88x
Kensington London 15 2.25x
Holy Trinity 14 4.89x
Falmouth 13 27.02x
Greenwich 13 6.80x
Newlyn 13 224.14x
Phillack 13 74.07x
St Columb Minor 13 113.94x
St Germans 13 137.13x
Bridgewater 12 22.87x
Bromley London 12 4.54x
Cleator 12 27.89x
St Pancras London 12 1.24x
Crediton 10 42.23x
Lanteglos By Fowey 10 180.83x
Sampford Courtenay 10 267.38x
St Austell 10 21.52x
Cheltenham 9 4.95x
Exeter St Paul 9 181.82x
Lifton 9 149.50x
Mile End Old Town London 9 3.52x
St Pinnock 9 436.89x
Tynemouth 9 9.41x
Bodmin 8 35.57x
Brighton 8 1.96x
Cowley 8 34.56x
Duloe 8 200.50x
Lewisham 8 3.66x
St Enoder 8 173.16x
Swansea Town 8 4.67x
Woodbury 8 107.96x
Arlecdon 7 25.45x
Calstock 7 26.26x
Clifton 7 5.88x
Ewelme 7 285.71x
Fulham London 7 4.02x
Grantham 7 27.98x
Lewes St John Southover 7 51.47x
Liscard 7 14.66x
Liverpool 7 0.81x
Newington 7 1.58x
Newton Abbot St Mary 7 33.38x
Pyrton 7 300.43x
Saltash 7 66.41x
Southampton St Mary 7 4.52x
St Blazey 7 58.63x
St Teath 7 85.47x
Tottenham 7 3.66x
Basingstoke 6 21.19x
Chatham 6 5.32x
Feock 6 70.51x
Merthyr Tydfil 6 2.99x
Royal Navy 6 4.91x
West Derby 6 1.44x
Whitehaven 6 10.89x
Brixham 5 17.27x
Fowey 5 80.13x
Manchester 5 0.78x
North Wraxall 5 267.38x
Payhembury 5 277.78x
Ruan Lanihorne 5 373.13x
Shoreditch London 5 0.96x
Southwark St John 5 13.61x
Stoke Newington London 5 5.35x
Stranton 5 4.16x
Tenby St Mary In 5 25.73x
Trevethin 5 6.10x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 84
John 60
Henry 34
James 33
Thomas 32
George 31
Richard 29
Charles 19
Harry 16
Edward 13
Alfred 12
Edwin 12
Arthur 11
Francis 10
Frank 10
Joseph 10
Ernest 9
Samuel 9
Frederick 8
Robert 8
Albert 7
Andrew 6
Walter 6
Wm. 6
Oliver 4
Percy 4
Thos. 4
Fredrick 3
Herbert 3
Philip 3
Wilfred 3
Benjamin 2
Brougham 2
Edgar 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Fredk.W. 2
Herman 2
Jonathan 2
Mark 2
Nicholas 2
Peter 2
Reginald 2
Richd. 2
Saml. 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Tom 2
Willm.G. 2
Clarence 1

FAQ

Glanville surname: questions and answers

How common was the Glanville surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,225 people were recorded with the Glanville surname. That placed it at #3,307 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Glanville surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,934 in 2016. That gives Glanville a modern rank of #3,306.

What does the Glanville surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a residence near a ravine or glen.

What does the Glanville map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Glanville 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.