NameCensus.

UK surname

Glenday

A surname referring to someone living near a small valley or glen.

In the 1881 census there were 102 people recorded with the Glenday surname, ranking it #19,518 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #19,518 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cupar, Monifieth and Forfar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Douglas West, Maidstone and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Glenday is 181 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.8%.

1881 census count

102

Ranked #19,518

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

1901

181 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Glenday had 102 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,518 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 181 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Glenday surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Glenday surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Glenday 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 74 #20,443
1861 historical 76 #24,114
1881 historical 102 #19,518
1891 historical 156 #17,842
1901 historical 181 #16,107
1911 historical 57 #27,099
1997 modern 106 #26,057
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 115 #25,620
2000 modern 109 #26,381
2001 modern 112 #25,644
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 115 #25,538
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 113 #25,974
2006 modern 111 #26,565
2007 modern 109 #27,253
2008 modern 115 #26,635
2009 modern 119 #26,637
2010 modern 117 #27,557
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 110 #29,028
2014 modern 110 #29,294
2015 modern 110 #29,157
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Glendays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cupar, Monifieth, Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Douglas West, Maidstone, Bath and North East Somerset, Carnoustie East and Viewlands, Craigie and Wellshill. 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 Cupar Fife
2 Monifieth Forfar
3 Forfar Forfar
4 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Douglas West Dundee City
2 Maidstone 004 Maidstone
3 Bath and North East Somerset 018 Bath and North East Somerset
4 Carnoustie East Angus
5 Viewlands, Craigie and Wellshill Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Glenday

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Glenday

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

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

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

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Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s 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, Glenday 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.

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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

Glenday is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Glenday falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Glenday

The surname Glenday is of Scottish origin and is historically linked to the geographical landscape of Scotland. The name is believed to have originated in the medieval period, with the first instances likely appearing in the Highlands. It derives from elements found in Old or Middle Scots, specifically combining elements of the Gaelic term glen, meaning "valley" or "narrow valley," and an element possibly akin to "day" or a corruption of 'dai' or 'dew.' This synthesis points towards a descriptive toponym, identifying someone who dwelled near a specific type of terrain.

Early records suggest the name was initially associated with areas that contained notable valleys or glens. There is no direct evidence of Glenday appearing in early landmark manuscripts such as the Domesday Book, which primarily catalogued English lands. Instead, Scottish parish and regional records from the medieval period forward provide the first substantive clues. By the 16th and 17th centuries, the name had begun to solidify in specific locales, particularly in the historical counties known today as Angus and Perthshire.

One of the earliest and most prominent bearers of the surname was James Glenday, documented as born in 1740 and passed in 1822, who was a notable figure in the Perthshire region. Historical references to him indicate his involvement in local trade and council activities. Another significant mention is Alexander Glenday, who appeared in archival materials dating back to the mid-18th century, showing a stable connection of the family to Scottish agrarian culture and pastoral activities.

In more urban historical contexts, records show George Glenday (1803-1885), who had a meaningful impact on early industrial developments in southern Scotland. His contributions are noted in chronicles documenting the shifting economic landscapes of the time, particularly around Glasgow.

Mary Glenday (1831-1915) is another historical person of note, known for her charitable work and involvement in early educational movements in rural Scottish districts. Her written correspondences and memoirs provide a poignant glimpse into life during the 19th century.

The surname also traveled beyond Scotland with early migrations. John Glenday emigrated to North America during the early 19th century, around 1820, and his descendants significantly impacted parts of the northeastern United States, integrating into various branches of industry and public service.

David Glenday (1865-1943) had a substantial role in New Zealand, where he moved in the late 19th century, becoming a respected figure in both agricultural expansion and local governance. His lineage is well-documented in New Zealand's colonial history records.

The meaning and history of the surname Glenday provide a fascinating look into the geographical ties and social movements within Scotland and the diaspora, reflecting the interactions between people and the landscapes they inhabited.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Glenday families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Glenday 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. Angus leads with 70 Glendays recorded in 1881 and an index of 75.96x.

County Total Index
Angus 70 75.96x
Lanarkshire 14 4.35x
Fife 10 16.98x
Durham 4 1.35x
Perthshire 3 6.72x
Yorkshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 18 Glendays recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.33x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 18 52.33x
Liff Benvie 10 71.48x
Govan 9 11.31x
Forfar 8 160.32x
Coupar Angus 7 804.60x
Rescobie 7 3043.48x
Forgan 6 530.97x
Barony 5 6.14x
Kirriemuir 5 220.26x
St Vigeans 5 100.60x
Cupar 4 156.25x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 31.20x
Mains 4 512.82x
Blairgowrie 3 169.49x
Monifieth 3 92.02x
Brechin 2 55.25x
Arbroath 1 32.79x
Cartworth 1 121.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Christian 1
Isabella 1
Lillie 1
Lucy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Glenday households.

FAQ

Glenday surname: questions and answers

How common was the Glenday surname in 1881?

In 1881, 102 people were recorded with the Glenday surname. That placed it at #19,518 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Glenday surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Glenday a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Glenday surname mean?

A surname referring to someone living near a small valley or glen.

What does the Glenday map show?

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