NameCensus.

UK surname

Glen

A Scottish topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a narrow valley.

In the 1881 census there were 2,978 people recorded with the Glen surname, ranking it #1,500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,909, ranked #1,732, down from #1,500 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Glens, City Centre East and Paisley North East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Glen is 3,918 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.3%.

1881 census count

2,978

Ranked #1,500

Modern count

3,909

2016, ranked #1,732

Peak year

2010

3,918 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Glen had 2,978 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,500 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,909 in 2016, ranked #1,732.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,505 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Glen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Glen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Glen 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 2,174 #1,342
1861 historical 2,477 #1,180
1881 historical 2,978 #1,500
1891 historical 3,187 #1,486
1901 historical 3,505 #1,592
1911 historical 844 #5,255
1997 modern 3,553 #1,822
1998 modern 3,651 #1,844
1999 modern 3,732 #1,818
2000 modern 3,740 #1,801
2001 modern 3,633 #1,817
2002 modern 3,710 #1,826
2003 modern 3,632 #1,824
2004 modern 3,622 #1,826
2005 modern 3,660 #1,784
2006 modern 3,671 #1,781
2007 modern 3,714 #1,776
2008 modern 3,750 #1,769
2009 modern 3,815 #1,780
2010 modern 3,918 #1,775
2011 modern 3,871 #1,770
2012 modern 3,788 #1,773
2013 modern 3,861 #1,776
2014 modern 3,914 #1,758
2015 modern 3,906 #1,739
2016 modern 3,909 #1,732

Geography

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Where Glens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh, Bonhill and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to The Glens, City Centre East, Paisley North East, Cowlairs and Port Dundas and Holytown. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Bonhill Dunbarton
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 The Glens Dundee City
2 City Centre East Glasgow City
3 Paisley North East Renfrewshire
4 Cowlairs and Port Dundas Glasgow City
5 Holytown North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Glen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Glen

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Glen 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

Glen 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

Glen 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 Glen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Glen

The surname Glen is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic word "gleann," which means a valley or dale. It is a locational surname, which suggests that the name originated from someone who resided in or near a glen or valley.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Glen can be traced back to the 13th century in the Scottish Highlands. In the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England, the name "Symon del Glen" appears, indicating the presence of the surname in medieval Scotland.

The Glen surname is closely associated with the Scottish clan system, particularly the Clan Buchanan, whose traditional lands were located in the Glen of Buchanan, near Loch Lomond. Several notable figures from the Clan Buchanan bore the Glen surname, including Sir Walter Glen, a prominent 16th-century landowner and chieftain.

In the 17th century, the Glen surname spread beyond Scotland as Scottish emigrants settled in various parts of the British Isles and later in North America. One notable figure from this period was John Glen (1633-1690), a Scottish minister and writer who served as the chaplain to King Charles II.

Throughout history, there have been several individuals with the Glen surname who have achieved recognition in various fields. These include:

1. John Glen (1833-1923), a Scottish-American businessman and politician who served as the 16th Governor of South Carolina from 1893 to 1897. 2. John Glenn (1921-2016), an American aviator, astronaut, and politician who was the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962 and later served as a United States Senator from Ohio. 3. Iain Glen (born 1961), a Scottish actor known for his roles in films such as "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" and the television series "Game of Thrones." 4. Archie Glen (1904-1966), a Scottish professional golfer who won the British Open in 1939. 5. Lorraine Glen (born 1976), a Scottish former professional tennis player who won two Grand Slam doubles titles.

The Glen surname has also been associated with various place names throughout Scotland, such as Glenfinnan, Gleneagles, and Glen Coe, reflecting the historical connection between the name and the Scottish landscape.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Glen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Glen 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. Lanarkshire leads with 768 Glens recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.21x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 768 8.21x
Renfrewshire 274 12.23x
Midlothian 255 6.58x
Angus 198 7.39x
Dunbartonshire 189 24.32x
Ayrshire 162 7.49x
Lancashire 107 0.31x
Fife 98 5.73x
Stirlingshire 94 8.81x
Perthshire 81 6.24x
Middlesex 80 0.28x
West Lothian 66 15.16x
Yorkshire 64 0.22x
Surrey 55 0.39x
Durham 42 0.49x
Kincardineshire 36 10.22x
Argyllshire 35 4.35x
Nottinghamshire 25 0.64x
Kent 23 0.23x
Berwickshire 20 5.71x
Buteshire 20 11.42x
Cumberland 19 0.76x
Essex 19 0.33x
Lincolnshire 19 0.41x
Sussex 16 0.33x
Northumberland 15 0.35x
Warwickshire 15 0.21x
Cheshire 11 0.17x
Devon 11 0.18x
Derbyshire 10 0.22x
Hampshire 10 0.17x
Clackmannanshire 9 3.77x
East Lothian 9 2.35x
Northamptonshire 9 0.33x
Staffordshire 9 0.09x
Inverness-shire 8 0.93x
Leicestershire 8 0.25x
Gloucestershire 7 0.12x
Selkirkshire 7 2.68x
Wigtownshire 7 1.82x
Aberdeenshire 6 0.22x
Roxburghshire 6 1.15x
Oxfordshire 5 0.28x
Peeblesshire 5 3.68x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.23x
Dumfriesshire 4 0.63x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.44x
Shropshire 4 0.16x
Royal Navy 3 0.87x
Glamorgan 2 0.04x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.35x
Kinross-shire 2 2.74x
Monmouthshire 2 0.10x
Banffshire 1 0.17x
Hertfordshire 1 0.05x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.24x
Somerset 1 0.02x
Worcestershire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 177 Glens recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.65x.

Place Total Index
Govan 177 7.65x
Barony 167 7.06x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 140 8.98x
Glasgow 139 8.37x
Bonhill 58 46.50x
Cardross 58 62.17x
Abbey 54 15.79x
Old Monkland 51 13.74x
Cambuslang 48 50.92x
Dundee 43 4.30x
Paisley High Church 43 24.10x
Falkirk 39 15.62x
St Vigeans 37 25.59x
Row 35 34.82x
Maryhill 34 18.57x
West Greenock 32 7.96x
Brechin 31 29.45x
Paisley Low Church 31 43.71x
Bathgate 30 31.74x
Dalry 30 29.46x
New Monkland 30 10.85x
Ardrossan 26 34.71x
Kirkcaldy 25 29.45x
South Leith 25 5.74x
Marykirk 22 151.52x
Rutherglen 22 16.04x
Shotts 22 19.66x
Paisley Middle Church 21 16.10x
Camberwell 20 1.08x
Renfrew 20 27.03x
St Ninians 20 18.92x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 19 20.74x
Montrose 19 11.70x
Dreghorn 18 45.95x
Forfar 18 12.41x
Stranton 18 6.22x
Chelsea London 17 1.95x
Dumbarton 17 15.72x
Lambeth 17 0.67x
Manchester 16 1.04x
Rothesay 16 18.86x
Stirling 16 11.90x
Beith 15 23.23x
Dunoon Kilmun 15 23.90x
Kilmarnock 15 5.82x
Liverpool 15 0.72x
Aston 14 0.70x
Eyemouth 14 47.91x
Kilsyth 14 20.59x
Preston 14 1.53x
Beckenham 13 10.08x
Dunfermline 13 4.94x
Kilbarchan 13 19.10x
Largs 13 25.50x
Uphall 13 27.15x
West Ham 13 1.03x
Blantyre 12 12.33x
Cadder 11 15.93x
Lochwinnoch 11 32.94x
Middle Greenock 11 17.99x
Westoe 11 2.26x
Abbotshall 10 15.63x
Bothwell 10 3.94x
Cathcart 10 8.25x
Linlithgow 10 17.91x
Newington 10 0.94x
Perth West Church 10 16.24x
South Bersted 10 24.12x
Carnbee 9 86.04x
Cowpen 9 9.09x
Islington London 9 0.32x
Methven 9 47.32x
Workington 9 6.31x
Blairgowrie 8 15.59x
Eastwood 8 5.80x
Kensington London 8 0.50x
New Kilpatrick 8 10.82x
North Leith 8 4.46x
Stevenston 8 14.18x
Tormoham 8 3.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 49
Elizabeth 25
Jane 14
Ellen 13
Sarah 12
Emma 10
Ann 9
Annie 9
Margaret 9
Catherine 7
Eliza 7
Isabella 7
Agnes 6
Jessie 6
Alice 5
Bridget 5
Emily 5
Fanny 5
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Anne 3
Charlotte 3
Hannah 3
Kate 3
Laura 3
Matilda 3
Agness 2
Eleanor 2
Florence 2
Helen 2
May 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Winifred 2
Amy 1
Betrice 1
Caroline 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Ella 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helan 1
Henrietta 1
Hesther 1
Ida 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Glen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Glen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,978 people were recorded with the Glen surname. That placed it at #1,500 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Glen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,909 in 2016. That gives Glen a modern rank of #1,732.

What does the Glen surname mean?

A Scottish topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a narrow valley.

What does the Glen map show?

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