NameCensus.

UK surname

Gleave

A surname derived from an Old English word meaning "land clearing" or "forest clearing."

In the 1881 census there were 1,269 people recorded with the Gleave surname, ranking it #3,213 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,844, ranked #3,439, down from #3,213 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Stockport and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester and Warrington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gleave is 2,053 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.3%.

1881 census count

1,269

Ranked #3,213

Modern count

1,844

2016, ranked #3,439

Peak year

1999

2,053 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gleave had 1,269 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,213 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,844 in 2016, ranked #3,439.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,983 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Gleave surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gleave surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Gleave 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 757 #3,514
1861 historical 635 #4,220
1881 historical 1,269 #3,213
1891 historical 1,430 #3,057
1901 historical 1,769 #2,939
1911 historical 1,983 #2,504
1997 modern 1,998 #3,052
1998 modern 2,041 #3,106
1999 modern 2,053 #3,115
2000 modern 2,022 #3,139
2001 modern 1,997 #3,117
2002 modern 1,992 #3,183
2003 modern 1,947 #3,185
2004 modern 1,926 #3,206
2005 modern 1,872 #3,253
2006 modern 1,873 #3,270
2007 modern 1,871 #3,295
2008 modern 1,866 #3,316
2009 modern 1,883 #3,373
2010 modern 1,904 #3,412
2011 modern 1,865 #3,431
2012 modern 1,832 #3,431
2013 modern 1,870 #3,420
2014 modern 1,880 #3,430
2015 modern 1,866 #3,417
2016 modern 1,844 #3,439

Geography

Back to top

Where Gleaves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Stockport, Manchester, Warrington and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester and Warrington. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Warrington Lancashire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Warrington 018 Warrington
3 Warrington 011 Warrington
4 Warrington 020 Warrington
5 Warrington 008 Warrington

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Gleave

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Gleave

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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gleave 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

Gleave is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gleave 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 Gleave 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 Gleave, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gleave

The surname Gleave originated in the North West of England, primarily in the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "glof" meaning a glove and "hough" meaning a ridge, likely referring to a glove-shaped ridge or hill.

One of the earliest records of the name Gleave can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Gloave". This suggests that the name was already established in the region during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms such as "de Glove", "del Glove", and "atte Glove" in local records and charters. These variations reflect the Norman-French influence on English surnames during this period.

The first recorded instance of the name Gleave in its current spelling dates back to 1332, when a Richard de Gleave was listed in the Cheshire Chamberlain's accounts. This indicates that the name had evolved into its modern form by the 14th century.

Several place names in Lancashire and Cheshire are associated with the Gleave surname, including Gleave Hill in Woodplumpton and Gleave Wood in Winwick. These locations may have been named after early bearers of the surname or vice versa.

Notable individuals with the surname Gleave throughout history include:

1. John Gleave (c. 1599-1670), an English clergyman and puritan minister who served as the rector of Malpas in Cheshire.

2. Richard Gleave (1630-1688), an English lawyer and politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Newton in Lancashire.

3. Samuel Gleave (1735-1794), a prominent English industrialist and entrepreneur who established a successful textile business in Manchester.

4. James Gleave (1809-1889), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Liverpool and Manchester.

5. William Gleave (1869-1957), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Lancashire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

The Gleave surname has endured for centuries, with its origins deeply rooted in the historical landscape of North West England, where it emerged and flourished during the medieval and early modern periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Gleave families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gleave 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. Lancashire leads with 763 Gleaves recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.23x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 763 5.23x
Cheshire 377 13.88x
Yorkshire 38 0.31x
Middlesex 22 0.18x
Essex 9 0.37x
Kent 9 0.21x
Denbighshire 8 1.72x
Northumberland 8 0.44x
Berkshire 7 0.76x
Bedfordshire 6 0.94x
Surrey 5 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.82x
Oxfordshire 2 0.26x
Ayrshire 1 0.11x
Durham 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Merionethshire 1 0.44x
Somerset 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. Warrington in Lancashire leads with 151 Gleaves recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.27x.

Place Total Index
Warrington 151 87.27x
Salford 39 9.08x
Runcorn 37 59.11x
Manchester 32 4.88x
Bollington In 31 128.26x
Windle 31 37.75x
Widnes 28 26.60x
Wigan 28 13.73x
Toxteth Park 27 5.46x
Southworth With Croft 25 573.39x
Weaverham Cum Milton 24 334.26x
Heaton Norris 19 22.87x
Eccleston In Prescot 18 24.56x
Hulme 18 5.91x
Beswick 17 45.54x
Cheadle 17 32.78x
Latchford 17 94.24x
Newton 17 15.11x
Stockport 17 12.17x
Cheetham 16 14.70x
Kirkdale 16 6.52x
Rudheath 16 751.17x
West Derby 16 3.75x
Altrincham 15 31.61x
Barton Upon Irwell 15 13.65x
Chorlton On Medlock 15 6.47x
Ardwick 14 10.63x
Burtonwood 13 242.54x
Delamere 13 532.79x
Prescot 11 41.67x
Stretford 11 13.70x
Kelsall 10 371.75x
Manley 10 775.19x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 2.82x
Clifton 9 82.19x
Frodsham 9 85.55x
Greenwich 9 4.60x
Hyde 9 11.23x
Leese 9 2000.00x
Lymm 9 45.59x
Oldham 9 1.91x
Pennington In Leigh 9 32.14x
Sutton 9 18.39x
West Ham 9 1.68x
Barnton 8 123.46x
Dodworth 8 63.19x
Elswick 8 5.48x
Great Bolton 8 4.14x
Leftwich 8 66.34x
Rainow 8 147.87x
Walton On Hill 8 10.12x
Appleton 7 113.82x
Broughton In Salford 7 5.25x
Clerkenwell London 7 2.41x
Gorton 7 5.10x
Saddleworth 7 7.45x
St Pancras London 7 0.71x
Whatcroft 7 2916.67x
Birkdale 6 16.25x
Blunham 6 138.89x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 5.18x
Earley 6 39.01x
Everton 6 1.29x
Ince In Makerfield 6 8.83x
Lostock Gralam 6 183.49x
Marston 6 145.28x
Poynton 6 65.72x
Wharton 6 40.57x
Worsley 6 6.67x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 4.40x
Barnsley 5 3.98x
Camberwell 5 0.64x
Hale 5 53.42x
Layton With Warbreck 5 9.34x
Little Bolton 5 2.66x
Marple 5 26.82x
Moore 5 297.62x
Mooresbarrow Cum Parme 5 4545.45x
Spotland 5 3.08x
Warmfield Cum Heath 5 121.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 88
William 86
Thomas 74
James 49
George 40
Joseph 40
Peter 18
Edward 17
Henry 17
Charles 14
Arthur 11
Robert 10
Samuel 9
Harry 8
Richard 8
Alfred 7
David 7
Frank 6
Ernest 5
Francis 5
Fred 5
Herbert 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Frederick 4
Edwin 3
Isaac 3
Percy 3
Thos. 3
Abraham 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Ellis 2
Hugh 2
Mark 2
Phillip 2
Sam 2
Wm. 2
Adam 1
Allen 1
Chas. 1
Ed. 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Jonathan 1
Jos. 1
Josh. 1

FAQ

Gleave surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gleave surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,269 people were recorded with the Gleave surname. That placed it at #3,213 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gleave surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,844 in 2016. That gives Gleave a modern rank of #3,439.

What does the Gleave surname mean?

A surname derived from an Old English word meaning "land clearing" or "forest clearing."

What does the Gleave map show?

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