NameCensus.

UK surname

Glendenning

A surname referring to someone from the valley of the glen or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 428 people recorded with the Glendenning surname, ranking it #7,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 736, ranked #7,409, up from #7,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle upon Tyne, County Durham and Peterborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Glendenning is 770 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.0%.

1881 census count

428

Ranked #7,587

Modern count

736

2016, ranked #7,409

Peak year

2010

770 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Glendenning had 428 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 736 in 2016, ranked #7,409.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 573 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Glendenning surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Glendenning surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Glendenning 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 231 #9,334
1861 historical 229 #10,660
1881 historical 428 #7,587
1891 historical 359 #9,635
1901 historical 573 #7,321
1911 historical 492 #7,913
1997 modern 713 #7,150
1998 modern 729 #7,259
1999 modern 730 #7,290
2000 modern 744 #7,145
2001 modern 741 #7,040
2002 modern 739 #7,190
2003 modern 692 #7,449
2004 modern 699 #7,412
2005 modern 715 #7,202
2006 modern 700 #7,351
2007 modern 728 #7,230
2008 modern 735 #7,219
2009 modern 753 #7,226
2010 modern 770 #7,244
2011 modern 752 #7,301
2012 modern 752 #7,209
2013 modern 750 #7,344
2014 modern 750 #7,378
2015 modern 738 #7,413
2016 modern 736 #7,409

Geography

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Where Glendennings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle upon Tyne, County Durham, Peterborough and Sunderland. 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 Darlington Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle upon Tyne 026 Newcastle upon Tyne
2 County Durham 046 County Durham
3 Peterborough 021 Peterborough
4 Sunderland 009 Sunderland
5 County Durham 025 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Glendenning

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Glendenning

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Glendenning is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Glendenning 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

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

Meaning and origin of Glendenning

The surname Glendenning has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic "gleann" meaning "valley" and the Old English "denu" meaning "valley" or "valley meadow". The name likely referred to someone who lived in a particular valley or glen.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry "Adam de Glendonwyne" is believed to be an early spelling variation of the name.

In the 14th century, the name Glendenning appeared in various Scottish records, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1370, which mentioned a "Johanne de Glendonwyn". This suggests that the name was well-established in Scotland by this time.

The name Glendenning is also associated with the historic Glendenning family, who held lands in the Scottish Borders region. One notable member was Sir John Glendenning (c. 1490-1560), who served as a Lord of Session in the Scottish judiciary.

Another prominent figure was James Glendenning (1770-1845), a Scottish philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the development of symbolic logic.

In the literary realm, the name is associated with Violet Glendenning (1885-1976), a Scottish novelist and poet known for her works depicting rural life in the Scottish Borders.

The Glendenning surname has also been carried by individuals in fields such as politics, with George Glendenning (1801-1876) serving as a member of the Canadian House of Commons, and sports, with Randall Glendenning (born 1959), a former professional baseball player from the United States.

While the Glendenning surname originated in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including England, Ireland, and North America, as Scottish immigrants and their descendants settled in these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Glendenning families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Glendenning 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 113 Glendennings recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.06x.

County Total Index
Durham 113 9.06x
Yorkshire 70 1.68x
Lancashire 63 1.27x
Surrey 21 1.03x
Cumberland 20 5.54x
Northumberland 19 3.04x
Midlothian 17 3.03x
Kent 12 0.84x
Sussex 10 1.41x
Westmorland 10 10.85x
Glamorgan 8 1.10x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 11.53x
Middlesex 7 0.17x
Norfolk 7 1.09x
Renfrewshire 7 2.15x
Warwickshire 7 0.66x
Gloucestershire 6 0.73x
Ayrshire 4 1.27x
Cornwall 4 0.84x
Devon 3 0.34x
Hampshire 3 0.35x
Isle of Man 3 3.85x
Essex 2 0.24x
Somerset 2 0.30x
Cheshire 1 0.11x
Derbyshire 1 0.15x
Lanarkshire 1 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.18x
Perthshire 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Darlington in Durham leads with 20 Glendennings recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.51x.

Place Total Index
Darlington 20 41.51x
Bishopwearmouth 18 16.81x
Huddersfield 18 29.73x
Ratho 11 419.85x
Halifax 10 16.39x
Hunslet 10 15.43x
Preston 10 80.97x
Shildon 10 99.70x
Bishop Auckland 9 53.76x
Camberwell 9 3.36x
Oldham 9 5.60x
Stranton 9 21.42x
Aikton 8 701.75x
Deptford St Paul 8 7.25x
Little Lumley 8 1081.08x
Shelf 8 201.51x
Wavertree 8 50.22x
Arthuret 7 185.68x
Birmingham 7 1.99x
Blackburn 7 5.29x
East Greenock 7 22.80x
Ferryhill 7 160.55x
Knottingley 7 95.76x
Liverpool 7 2.32x
Monkwearmouth 7 58.63x
Orton 7 253.62x
Whitworth 7 76.59x
Broughton In Salford 6 13.18x
Little Bolton 6 9.38x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 16.10x
Whitchurch 6 151.90x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 2.21x
Lambeth 5 1.37x
Leckhampton 5 98.62x
Seaton 5 118.76x
Thorpe Next Norwich 5 73.10x
Allendale 4 69.08x
East Thickley 4 158.10x
Helmington Row 4 68.85x
Horton In Bradford 4 6.16x
Leeds 4 1.70x
Madron Penzance 4 23.16x
North Bierley 4 17.83x
Straiton 4 224.72x
Benfieldside 3 36.54x
Haydon 3 87.98x
Kenton 3 109.09x
Onchan 3 13.37x
Prudhoe 3 69.12x
Southwark St John 3 23.38x
St Pancras London 3 0.89x
Stretford 3 10.96x
Toxteth Park 3 1.78x
Urr 3 37.97x
Bickerstaffe 2 61.35x
Bishop Middleham 2 298.51x
Casterton 2 240.96x
Elswick 2 4.02x
Everton 2 1.26x
Gateshead 2 2.14x
Girthon 2 98.04x
Heworth 2 8.13x
Knaresborough 2 30.63x
Merthyr Tydfil 2 2.85x
North Meols 2 4.11x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 2 61.73x
Parr 2 11.23x
Portsea 2 1.19x
Speldhurst 2 27.43x
St Osyth 2 99.50x
Troqueer 2 25.09x
West Derby 2 1.37x
Bermondsey 1 0.80x
Bothwell 1 2.72x
Derby St Peter 1 4.78x
Farnborough 1 11.07x
Little Meolse 1 75.76x
Southwark Christchurch 1 5.09x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.18x
Stanhope 1 7.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 34
William 23
James 22
Robert 14
George 9
Henry 8
Thomas 7
Edward 6
Joseph 6
Charles 5
Walter 5
Adam 3
Alexander 3
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Albert 2
David 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Nicholas 2
Tom 2
Douglas 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
F.J. 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.W. 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Leicester 1
Leonard 1
Lofthouse 1
Luke 1
Matthew 1
Peter 1
Robinson 1
Rufus 1
Sam 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Urban 1
Wiliam 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Glendenning surname: questions and answers

How common was the Glendenning surname in 1881?

In 1881, 428 people were recorded with the Glendenning surname. That placed it at #7,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Glendenning surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 736 in 2016. That gives Glendenning a modern rank of #7,409.

What does the Glendenning surname mean?

A surname referring to someone from the valley of the glen or stream.

What does the Glendenning map show?

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