NameCensus.

UK surname

Glaves

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "glades" or "clearings".

In the 1881 census there were 182 people recorded with the Glaves surname, ranking it #13,647 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 402, ranked #11,837, up from #13,647 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sheffield, Willerby and Scarborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, Sheffield and Bassetlaw.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Glaves is 429 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 120.9%.

1881 census count

182

Ranked #13,647

Modern count

402

2016, ranked #11,837

Peak year

2010

429 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Glaves had 182 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,647 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 402 in 2016, ranked #11,837.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 303 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Glaves surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Glaves surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Glaves 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 144 #13,277
1861 historical 149 #15,373
1881 historical 182 #13,647
1891 historical 242 #13,048
1901 historical 242 #13,392
1911 historical 303 #11,372
1997 modern 414 #10,729
1998 modern 413 #11,092
1999 modern 407 #11,305
2000 modern 410 #11,204
2001 modern 403 #11,163
2002 modern 404 #11,353
2003 modern 406 #11,150
2004 modern 382 #11,672
2005 modern 379 #11,662
2006 modern 371 #11,916
2007 modern 380 #11,820
2008 modern 393 #11,641
2009 modern 414 #11,407
2010 modern 429 #11,324
2011 modern 416 #11,492
2012 modern 408 #11,567
2013 modern 406 #11,790
2014 modern 397 #12,076
2015 modern 397 #11,973
2016 modern 402 #11,837

Geography

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Where Glaves' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sheffield, Willerby, Scarborough and Seamer. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, Sheffield and Bassetlaw. 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 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Willerby Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding
4 Seamer Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 013 Scarborough
2 Sheffield 072 Sheffield
3 Sheffield 076 Sheffield
4 Sheffield 044 Sheffield
5 Bassetlaw 001 Bassetlaw

Forenames

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First names often paired with Glaves

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Glaves

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Glaves surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Glaves household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Glaves is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Glaves 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

Glaves 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 Glaves is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Glaves

The surname "Glaves" is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Lancashire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "glæfe," which means "kite," a bird of prey. The name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was perceived as having keen eyesight or a keen sense of observation, much like a kite soaring high above and able to spot its prey from a great distance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Glaves" can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332, where a Robert de Glaves is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Register of the University of Oxford from 1571, which mentions a Thomas Glaves who was a scholar at that time. Another notable reference is found in the Parish Registers of Saddleworth, Yorkshire, from 1594, where a John Glaves is recorded.

During the 17th century, the name "Glaves" continued to be documented in various regions of England. For instance, in the Hearth Tax Returns of 1674 for the county of Lancashire, several individuals with the surname "Glaves" are listed, indicating that the name had spread across the county by that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name outside of England can be found in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, which mentions a Richard Glaves who was born in 1619 in Gloucestershire, England, and later emigrated to New England in the 1630s.

Another notable individual with the surname "Glaves" was Samuel Glaves, a renowned English theologian and author who lived from 1628 to 1703. He was known for his works on religious subjects, including "The Life of Christ" and "The Contemplations on the Sacred Story."

In the 18th century, the name appeared in various records across different counties in England. For example, in the Parish Registers of Birstall, Yorkshire, from 1733, a John Glaves is mentioned, while in the Land Tax Assessments of Lincolnshire from 1786, a William Glaves is listed as a landowner.

Moving into the 19th century, the surname "Glaves" continued to be documented in various parts of England, as well as in other parts of the world where English settlers had established communities. For instance, in the Census of New South Wales, Australia, from 1828, a James Glaves is recorded as a resident.

Another notable figure with the surname "Glaves" was Charles Glaves, an English artist and engraver who lived from 1806 to 1879. He was known for his intricate engravings of architectural subjects, particularly those depicting Gothic structures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Glaves families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Glaves 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 149 Glaves' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.47x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 149 8.47x
Warwickshire 12 2.68x
Lancashire 11 0.52x
Cheshire 7 1.79x
Hampshire 1 0.27x
Lincolnshire 1 0.35x
Middlesex 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 46 Glaves' recorded in 1881 and an index of 82.13x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 46 82.13x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 25 152.53x
Scarborough 21 131.33x
Brightside Bierlow 13 37.68x
Birmingham 11 7.37x
East Ayton 11 4583.33x
Nether Hallam 8 33.61x
Oldham 8 11.77x
Willerby In Scarborough 7 2800.00x
Lea By Backford 6 5000.00x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 13.97x
Rotherham 4 40.32x
Bradfield 3 44.25x
Everton 3 4.47x
Wortley In Bramley 3 21.54x
Hook 2 51.68x
Aston 1 0.81x
Birkenhead 1 3.20x
Calverley Cum Farsley 1 20.00x
East Halton 1 256.41x
Hawley 1 144.93x
Islington London 1 0.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Sarah 8
Elizabeth 7
Margaret 6
Annie 5
Eliza 5
Ellen 5
Ann 4
Anne 3
Hannah 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Florence 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Martha 2
Amey 1
Amy 1
Betsey 1
Clara 1
Emiley 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
G.E. 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margt.E. 1
Nancy 1
Rachel 1
Rosa 1
Sophia 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
George 10
William 8
Thomas 6
Charles 4
Joseph 4
James 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Philip 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Albt. 1
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Bill 1
Daniel 1
Danl. 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Gibson 1
Henry 1
Jas. 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Thos.W. 1
Tom 1
Watson 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Glaves surname: questions and answers

How common was the Glaves surname in 1881?

In 1881, 182 people were recorded with the Glaves surname. That placed it at #13,647 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Glaves surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 402 in 2016. That gives Glaves a modern rank of #11,837.

What does the Glaves surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "glades" or "clearings".

What does the Glaves map show?

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