NameCensus.

UK surname

Glassman

An occupational surname referring to a glassblower or someone who works with glass.

In the 1881 census there were 12 people recorded with the Glassman surname, ranking it #31,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 79, ranked #33,100, down from #31,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Clee and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet and Hertsmere.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Glassman is 136 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 558.3%.

1881 census count

12

Ranked #31,914

Modern count

79

2016, ranked #33,100

Peak year

1911

136 bearers

Map years

2

1911 to 1998

Key insights

  • Glassman had 12 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 79 in 2016, ranked #33,100.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 136 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Glassman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Glassman surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Glassman 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 18 #31,580
1881 historical 12 #31,914
1891 historical 25 #32,259
1901 historical 79 #25,363
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 97 #27,342
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 105 #27,001
2001 modern 98 #27,672
2002 modern 95 #28,666
2003 modern 94 #28,686
2004 modern 90 #29,481
2005 modern 85 #30,219
2006 modern 91 #29,725
2007 modern 94 #29,650
2008 modern 95 #29,822
2009 modern 93 #30,682
2010 modern 92 #31,366
2011 modern 93 #31,169
2012 modern 87 #32,180
2013 modern 88 #32,349
2014 modern 83 #32,910
2015 modern 82 #32,911
2016 modern 79 #33,100

Geography

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Where Glassmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Clee, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Gwennap and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnet and Hertsmere. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Clee Lincolnshire
3 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 Gwennap Cornwall
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnet 037 Barnet
2 Barnet 014 Barnet
3 Hertsmere 004 Hertsmere
4 Barnet 016 Barnet
5 Barnet 033 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Glassman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Glassman

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Glassman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Glassman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Glassman is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Glassman is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Glassman falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Glassman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Glassman

The surname Glassman is of German origin, derived from the word "Glas," which means "glass" in English. It emerged during the Middle Ages, specifically around the 13th century. The name was initially associated with individuals who worked as glassmakers or resided near a glassmaking facility.

One of the earliest records of the Glassman surname can be found in the Deutsches Familiennamen-Lexikon (Dictionary of German Family Names), which dates back to the 14th century. This document includes entries for individuals with the surname spelled as "Glassmann" or "Glasman."

In the 16th century, the surname Glassman appeared in various municipal records across German-speaking regions. For instance, in 1532, a document from the city of Nuremberg mentioned a certain Hans Glassman, a glassmaker by trade.

As the surname spread throughout Europe, variations in spelling emerged, such as "Glassman," "Glassmann," and "Glassmacher." These variations often reflected regional dialects and linguistic influences.

One notable bearer of the Glassman surname was Johann Glassman (1587-1656), a German theologian and author who wrote extensively on Lutheran theology. His works, including "Commentarius in Apocalypsin" (Commentary on the Apocalypse), were widely circulated during his lifetime.

Another significant figure was Karl Glassman (1766-1844), a German philosopher and educator. He is best known for his contributions to the field of educational theory and his advocacy for progressive teaching methods.

In the 19th century, the Glassman surname gained prominence in the United States as German immigrants settled in various parts of the country. One such individual was Friedrich Glassman (1823-1901), a German-born businessman who established a successful glassmaking company in Pennsylvania.

Another notable American with the Glassman surname was Joseph Glassman (1866-1943), a lawyer and politician who served as a member of the New York State Assembly in the early 20th century.

Lastly, the name Glassman has been associated with several places, including the town of Glasmannsfeld in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, which likely derived its name from a historical glassmaking community or individual bearing the Glassman surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Glassman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Glassman 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. Yorkshire leads with 7 Glassmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.04x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 7 6.04x
Sussex 3 15.23x
Surrey 2 3.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 6 Glassmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 215.05x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 6 215.05x
Newhaven 3 1875.00x
Lambeth 2 19.63x
Sculcoates 1 54.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 2
Emily 1
Minna 1
Priscilla 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Ernest 2
Harry 1
Henry 1
Moses 1
Victor 1

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 Glassman households.

FAQ

Glassman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Glassman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12 people were recorded with the Glassman surname. That placed it at #31,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Glassman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 79 in 2016. That gives Glassman a modern rank of #33,100.

What does the Glassman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a glassblower or someone who works with glass.

What does the Glassman map show?

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