NameCensus.

UK surname

Gleghorn

A locational surname derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "gleg" meaning "bright" and "horn" meaning "nook" or "corner."

In the 1881 census there were 241 people recorded with the Gleghorn surname, ranking it #11,374 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 297, ranked #14,839, down from #11,374 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Woodhorn and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Sunderland and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gleghorn is 373 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.2%.

1881 census count

241

Ranked #11,374

Modern count

297

2016, ranked #14,839

Peak year

1901

373 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gleghorn had 241 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,374 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 297 in 2016, ranked #14,839.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 373 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gleghorn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gleghorn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gleghorn 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 148 #13,028
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 241 #11,374
1891 historical 272 #11,957
1901 historical 373 #9,948
1911 historical 337 #10,547
1997 modern 325 #12,832
1998 modern 340 #12,784
1999 modern 342 #12,829
2000 modern 324 #13,243
2001 modern 319 #13,168
2002 modern 323 #13,325
2003 modern 308 #13,587
2004 modern 299 #13,904
2005 modern 296 #13,947
2006 modern 298 #13,973
2007 modern 296 #14,172
2008 modern 301 #14,107
2009 modern 312 #14,040
2010 modern 327 #13,889
2011 modern 316 #14,092
2012 modern 296 #14,635
2013 modern 290 #15,107
2014 modern 292 #15,129
2015 modern 298 #14,832
2016 modern 297 #14,839

Geography

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Where Gleghorns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Woodhorn, Gateshead, Earsdon and Seaham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Sunderland and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Woodhorn Northumberland
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Earsdon Northumberland
5 Seaham Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 016 County Durham
2 County Durham 018 County Durham
3 Sunderland 027 Sunderland
4 Stoke-on-Trent 032 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Sunderland 023 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gleghorn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gleghorn

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Gleghorn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gleghorn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gleghorn is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Gleghorn is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Gleghorn

The surname Gleghorn has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the early 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "gleadh" meaning "valley" and "carn" meaning "hill," suggesting that the name's earliest bearers may have resided in a valley near a hill or small mountain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Glegorne," a spelling variation common in medieval times.

In the 14th century, the name was associated with the lands of Gleghorn in Ayrshire, Scotland. Records from this period show a John de Gleghorn, who was a landowner and may have taken his surname from the place name.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Gleghorns were a prominent family in the Scottish Borders region, with several notable members. Sir James Gleghorn (1550-1622) was a respected military leader who fought for King James VI in the Anglo-Scottish wars. His son, Sir William Gleghorn (1585-1648), was a renowned scholar and philosopher, authoring several treatises on theology and ethics.

In the 18th century, the Gleghorns spread throughout the British Isles, with some members settling in England and Ireland. One notable figure was Reverend Robert Gleghorn (1702-1778), a Church of England clergyman who served as the Dean of Lichfield Cathedral.

As the Gleghorns migrated to different parts of the world, the spelling of the name evolved further, with variations such as Gleghorn, Glegorne, and Glegorne appearing in historical records. Notable bearers of the name in later centuries include John Gleghorn (1825-1891), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman, and Sir William Gleghorn (1870-1945), a British naval officer who served in World War I.

Throughout its history, the surname Gleghorn has maintained a strong association with its Scottish roots, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the regions from which it originated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gleghorn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gleghorn 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. Durham leads with 103 Gleghorns recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.79x.

County Total Index
Durham 103 14.79x
Northumberland 83 23.83x
Lanarkshire 12 1.59x
Yorkshire 12 0.52x
Middlesex 8 0.34x
Midlothian 5 1.59x
Renfrewshire 5 2.76x
Angus 4 1.84x
Dunbartonshire 4 6.36x
East Lothian 1 3.22x
Fife 1 0.72x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.32x
Perthshire 1 0.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Esh in Durham leads with 41 Gleghorns recorded in 1881 and an index of 808.68x.

Place Total Index
Esh 41 808.68x
Seaton Delaval 28 915.03x
North Seaton 17 1164.38x
Hetton Le Hole 15 169.88x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 10 92.76x
Barony 9 4.70x
Bromley London 8 15.53x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 26.53x
Chilton 7 322.58x
Conside Knitsley 7 129.15x
Hartley 7 752.69x
Bedlington 6 51.59x
Benwell 5 131.23x
Houghton Le Spring 5 103.95x
Paisley Middle Church 5 47.35x
Seaham 5 196.85x
Dundee 4 4.94x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 3.17x
Elswick 4 14.39x
Kimblesworth 4 430.11x
Brancepeth 3 236.22x
Dumbarton 3 34.25x
Earsdon 3 106.01x
Longbenton 3 20.34x
Norham Mains 3 4285.71x
Rutherglen 3 27.00x
Whitworth 3 58.82x
Bishopwearmouth 2 3.35x
Cramlington 2 43.48x
Doncaster 2 11.80x
Morpeth 2 48.78x
Westoe 2 5.07x
Collierley 1 32.26x
Cowpen 1 12.47x
Moulin 1 60.24x
New Kilpatrick 1 16.72x
North Shields 1 14.39x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.23x
Penicuik 1 23.47x
St Andrews 1 15.85x
Tranent 1 23.87x
Tynemouth 1 5.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 13
Jane 12
Ann 7
Dorothy 4
Ellen 4
Isabella 4
Margaret 4
Alice 3
Barbara 3
Eliza 2
Sarah 2
Susannah 2
Annabell 1
Catherine 1
Cathrine 1
Daisy 1
Deborah 1
Eliz.M. 1
Eliza.A. 1
Elizth. 1
Emlie 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Jemina 1
Mabel 1
Philis 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
Thomas 19
George 14
William 11
Joseph 9
David 4
Martin 3
Matthew 3
Ralph 3
Geo. 2
Henry 2
James 2
Michael 2
Robert 2
Surtees 2
Thos. 2
Benj. 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Emmerson 1
Emmson 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Matt.D. 1
Milburn 1
Oswald 1
Robt. 1
Thos.R. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Gleghorn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gleghorn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 241 people were recorded with the Gleghorn surname. That placed it at #11,374 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gleghorn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 297 in 2016. That gives Gleghorn a modern rank of #14,839.

What does the Gleghorn surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "gleg" meaning "bright" and "horn" meaning "nook" or "corner."

What does the Gleghorn map show?

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