NameCensus.

UK surname

Glassford

A locational surname derived from a place called Glassford in Lanarkshire, Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 132 people recorded with the Glassford surname, ranking it #16,744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 233, ranked #17,625, down from #16,744 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Govan Combination and West Kilbride. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hillhouse, Drumchapel North and Eden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Glassford is 245 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.5%.

1881 census count

132

Ranked #16,744

Modern count

233

2016, ranked #17,625

Peak year

2009

245 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Glassford had 132 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,744 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 233 in 2016, ranked #17,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 175 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Glassford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Glassford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Glassford 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 133 #14,106
1861 historical 151 #15,209
1881 historical 132 #16,744
1891 historical 173 #16,600
1901 historical 175 #16,469
1911 historical 49 #27,894
1997 modern 204 #17,409
1998 modern 210 #17,600
1999 modern 223 #17,025
2000 modern 217 #17,296
2001 modern 217 #17,059
2002 modern 211 #17,696
2003 modern 209 #17,620
2004 modern 216 #17,331
2005 modern 214 #17,378
2006 modern 215 #17,441
2007 modern 225 #17,154
2008 modern 237 #16,688
2009 modern 245 #16,646
2010 modern 239 #17,280
2011 modern 226 #17,792
2012 modern 215 #18,304
2013 modern 220 #18,324
2014 modern 225 #18,142
2015 modern 230 #17,795
2016 modern 233 #17,625

Geography

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Where Glassfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Govan Combination, West Kilbride, Edinburgh and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hillhouse, Drumchapel North, Eden, Leeds and Burnbank Central and Udston. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 West Kilbride Ayr
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hillhouse South Lanarkshire
2 Drumchapel North Glasgow City
3 Eden 002 Eden
4 Leeds 101 Leeds
5 Burnbank Central and Udston South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Glassford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Glassford

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Glassford, 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 Glassford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Glassford 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Glassford is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Glassford 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

Glassford 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 Glassford 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Glassford

The surname Glassford originated in Scotland, with the earliest recorded examples dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "glæs" and "ford," meaning "glass" and "ford" or "river crossing," respectively. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who lived near a ford where glassmaking activities took place.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document Scottish landowners who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Glasford" and is believed to refer to a location in Lanarkshire, Scotland.

In the 15th century, the name was recorded as "Glasfurde" in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were financial records maintained by the Scottish Exchequer. This spelling variation highlights the evolving nature of surnames during that time period.

The Glassford name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was John Glassford (1715-1783), a prominent Glasgow merchant and tobacco lord. He amassed a considerable fortune through his trading activities and was known for his philanthropy, contributing to the construction of several buildings in Glasgow.

Another notable figure was Sir John Glassford (1771-1849), a Scottish landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lanarkshire from 1812 to 1818. He was also a deputy lieutenant of Lanarkshire and played an active role in local affairs.

In the United States, James Glassford (1803-1878) was a Scottish-born civil engineer who designed and oversaw the construction of several important public works projects, including the Harlem Bridge in New York City and the Croton Aqueduct, which brought fresh water to Manhattan.

John Glassford (1815-1900), born in Scotland, was a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Montreal, Canada. He founded the Glassford Brothers & Company, a successful import-export firm, and was involved in various charitable endeavors, including the establishment of the Glassford Protestant Home for Orphans and Destitute Children.

William Glassford (1847-1927), born in Scotland, was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Los Angeles, California, including the Bradbury Building and the Hollenbeck Hotel. His work played a significant role in shaping the architectural landscape of early 20th-century Los Angeles.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Glassford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Glassford 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 44 Glassfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.73x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 44 10.73x
Renfrewshire 20 20.35x
Fife 15 19.98x
Ayrshire 11 11.59x
Cheshire 9 3.22x
Lancashire 7 0.47x
Midlothian 5 2.94x
Yorkshire 4 0.32x
Durham 3 0.80x
Hampshire 3 1.15x
Sussex 3 1.40x
Kent 2 0.46x
Surrey 2 0.32x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.85x
Middlesex 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Abbey in Renfrewshire leads with 20 Glassfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 133.42x.

Place Total Index
Abbey 20 133.42x
Barony 14 13.49x
Govan 13 12.82x
Monimail 12 3243.24x
Bothwell 9 80.94x
West Kilbride 8 888.89x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 7.32x
Toxteth Park 5 9.82x
Dalziel 4 90.70x
Leeds 4 5.64x
Mere 4 1818.18x
Glasgow 3 4.12x
Haswell 3 111.11x
Holdenhurst 3 43.99x
St Andrews 3 87.72x
Tabley Superior 3 1500.00x
Walberton 3 1111.11x
Kilwinning 2 65.36x
Lambeth 2 1.81x
Liverpool 2 2.19x
Lostock Gralam 2 588.24x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 4.08x
Blantyre 1 23.42x
Bromley 1 15.17x
Folkestone 1 11.92x
Kensington London 1 1.42x
Stevenston 1 40.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Helen 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
(Mrs.) 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Bertha 1
Emma 1
Janet 1
Jean 1
Jeanie 1
Joanna 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Glassford households.

FAQ

Glassford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Glassford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 132 people were recorded with the Glassford surname. That placed it at #16,744 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Glassford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 233 in 2016. That gives Glassford a modern rank of #17,625.

What does the Glassford surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place called Glassford in Lanarkshire, Scotland.

What does the Glassford map show?

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