NameCensus.

UK surname

Glasson

A habitational surname transferred from any of several places called Glasson or Glassons.

In the 1881 census there were 607 people recorded with the Glasson surname, ranking it #5,775 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 569, ranked #9,045, down from #5,775 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Uny Lelant, Redruth and Paul. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Glasson is 696 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.3%.

1881 census count

607

Ranked #5,775

Modern count

569

2016, ranked #9,045

Peak year

1901

696 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Glasson had 607 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,775 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 569 in 2016, ranked #9,045.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 696 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Glasson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Glasson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Glasson 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 604 #4,255
1861 historical 523 #5,015
1881 historical 607 #5,775
1891 historical 603 #6,360
1901 historical 696 #6,314
1911 historical 640 #6,517
1997 modern 565 #8,493
1998 modern 587 #8,518
1999 modern 599 #8,453
2000 modern 566 #8,744
2001 modern 561 #8,672
2002 modern 554 #8,933
2003 modern 559 #8,725
2004 modern 554 #8,812
2005 modern 526 #9,109
2006 modern 516 #9,258
2007 modern 522 #9,254
2008 modern 528 #9,248
2009 modern 550 #9,169
2010 modern 557 #9,270
2011 modern 544 #9,358
2012 modern 557 #9,082
2013 modern 571 #9,049
2014 modern 578 #9,034
2015 modern 574 #9,015
2016 modern 569 #9,045

Geography

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Where Glassons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Uny Lelant, Redruth, Paul, Camborne and Kenwyn, Tregavethan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. 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 Uny Lelant Cornwall
2 Redruth Cornwall
3 Paul Cornwall
4 Camborne Cornwall
5 Kenwyn, Tregavethan Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 053 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 045 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 057 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 059 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 073 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Glasson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Glasson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Glasson, 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 Glasson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Glasson 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Glasson 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

Glasson is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Glasson falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Glasson 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 Glasson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Glasson

The surname Glasson has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon regions of Britain, and is believed to have emerged as early as the 11th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "glaes" and "tun," meaning "glass" and "town" or "settlement," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a town or village known for its glass-making industry.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Glasson surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. While the spelling varies, entries such as "Glaston" and "Glastun" are believed to be early forms of the Glasson name.

The Glasson family appears to have been well-established in the county of Lancashire, England, as early as the 13th century. Historical records indicate that a Robert de Glasson held land in the township of Poulton-le-Fylde in the late 1200s. Another notable figure from this era was John Glasson, a member of the Guild Merchant of Preston in 1397.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Glasson surname began to spread throughout various parts of England, with families settling in areas such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Westmorland. One notable individual from this period was William Glasson (c. 1520-1592), a landowner and member of the gentry in the village of Caton, Lancashire.

As the British Empire expanded, the Glasson name also made its way to other parts of the world. In the 18th century, a family bearing the Glasson surname settled in the colony of Virginia, where they became prominent landowners and planters. One of the most significant figures from this branch was Thomas Glasson (1734-1812), a wealthy plantation owner and influential figure in colonial Virginia.

Another notable individual with the Glasson surname was Sir Hervey Glasson (1795-1867), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament. In the 19th century, the Glasson name also gained recognition through the work of John Glasson (1817-1890), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London and other parts of the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Glasson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Glasson 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 393 Glassons recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.63x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 393 58.63x
Middlesex 45 0.76x
Devon 36 2.92x
Cumberland 20 3.92x
Surrey 17 0.59x
Lancashire 13 0.19x
Gloucestershire 10 0.86x
Glamorgan 9 0.87x
Ayrshire 7 1.58x
Hampshire 7 0.58x
Northumberland 7 0.79x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.75x
Suffolk 6 0.83x
Kent 5 0.25x
Somerset 5 0.52x
Essex 4 0.34x
Yorkshire 4 0.07x
Cheshire 3 0.23x
Dorset 3 0.77x
Morayshire 2 2.17x
Berkshire 1 0.23x
Derbyshire 1 0.11x
Hertfordshire 1 0.25x
Monmouthshire 1 0.23x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Paul in Cornwall leads with 40 Glassons recorded in 1881 and an index of 328.41x.

Place Total Index
Paul 40 328.41x
Uny Lelant 31 856.35x
Sithney 29 428.36x
Crowan 28 527.31x
Gwithian 26 2096.77x
Camborne 19 68.79x
Newlyn 16 559.44x
Redruth 16 84.39x
Madron Penzance 15 61.53x
Mile End Old Town London 15 11.90x
Phillack 14 161.85x
St Just In Penwith 14 107.61x
St Ives 11 83.84x
Towednack 11 839.69x
Breage 10 163.40x
Kenwyn 10 57.05x
Perranzabuloe 10 173.01x
St Clement 10 142.86x
Gwennap 9 71.15x
Illogan 9 50.70x
St George In East London 9 16.16x
Clifton 8 13.63x
Gwinear 8 251.57x
Lambeth 8 1.55x
Pilton 8 196.56x
St Erth 8 197.04x
Bromley London 7 5.37x
Dalmellington 7 53.72x
Penrith 7 37.17x
West Matfen 7 1111.11x
Cubert 6 789.47x
Newark Upon Trent 6 20.91x
Stonehouse East 6 96.00x
Tavistock 6 42.74x
Wendron 6 64.45x
Bedminster 5 5.58x
Clase 5 13.04x
Earl Soham 5 400.00x
Hammersmith London 5 3.43x
Ludgvan 5 93.63x
Newchurch 5 8.70x
St Austell 5 21.82x
Camberwell 4 1.06x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.57x
Egremont 4 32.92x
Llansamlet Lower 4 42.87x
Portsea 4 1.68x
Aspatria 3 61.22x
Battersea 3 1.38x
Bickleigh 3 247.93x
Birkenhead 3 2.88x
Fawley 3 77.92x
Feock 3 71.43x
Hornsey 3 4.01x
Liversedge 3 11.49x
Madron 3 55.35x
Mullion 3 243.90x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 3.16x
Poundstock 3 283.02x
Truro St Mary 3 53.29x
Wanstead 3 14.66x
Wyke Regis 3 53.76x
Barnstaple 2 10.34x
Burnley 2 3.38x
Drainie 2 24.54x
Gulval 2 46.30x
Liverpool 2 0.47x
Moss Side 2 5.41x
Plymouth Charles The 2 3.68x
Shoreditch London 2 0.78x
St Cuthbert W O 2 8.05x
Stoke Damerel 2 2.32x
Toxteth Park 2 0.84x
Bristol St Peter 1 24.10x
Chittlehampton 1 32.89x
Derby St Peter 1 3.39x
Helston 1 14.35x
Perranuthnoe 1 54.64x
St James Dukes Place 1 79.37x
West Ham 1 0.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 42
Mary 41
Jane 15
Ann 11
Annie 11
Sarah 10
Eliza 9
Emily 9
Emma 9
Martha 8
Amelia 7
Harriet 7
Susan 7
Bessie 6
Catherine 6
Edith 5
Ellen 5
Caroline 4
Christiana 4
Elizth. 4
Grace 4
Clara 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Kate 3
Lavinia 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Ada 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Isabella 2
Margaret 2
Minnie 2
Nanny 2
Selina 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Bessy 1
Blenda 1
E.M. 1
Eleanor 1
Elisebeth 1
Eliz.Jane 1
Hariet 1
Helena 1
Wilmot 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 42
William 42
Thomas 30
James 20
Joseph 16
George 14
Edward 11
Robert 11
Richard 9
Charles 7
Samuel 7
Henry 5
Elias 3
Frederick 3
Josiah 3
Emmanuel 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Isaac 2
Robt. 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Andrew 1
E.A. 1
Edmond 1
Edmun 1
Eldred 1
Frank 1
Hampton 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hezekiah 1
Hugh 1
Isaic 1
Jakeh 1
Japeth 1
Jeffery 1
Lancelot 1
Matthew 1
Nicholas 1
Orlando 1
Patrick 1
Phillip 1
Rd.H. 1
Robt.Jas. 1
Rowland 1
Saml. 1
Silas 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Glasson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Glasson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 607 people were recorded with the Glasson surname. That placed it at #5,775 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Glasson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 569 in 2016. That gives Glasson a modern rank of #9,045.

What does the Glasson surname mean?

A habitational surname transferred from any of several places called Glasson or Glassons.

What does the Glasson map show?

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