NameCensus.

UK surname

Glendinning

From a place called "the dinning valley" in Scottish locales.

In the 1881 census there were 1,147 people recorded with the Glendinning surname, ranking it #3,487 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,931, ranked #3,311, up from #3,487 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Allendale and Hawick and Wilton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gretna, Tweeddale East Area and Eastriggs.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Glendinning is 1,932 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.4%.

1881 census count

1,147

Ranked #3,487

Modern count

1,931

2016, ranked #3,311

Peak year

2002

1,932 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Glendinning had 1,147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,487 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,931 in 2016, ranked #3,311.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,403 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Glendinning surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Glendinning surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Glendinning 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 716 #3,652
1861 historical 742 #3,675
1881 historical 1,147 #3,487
1891 historical 1,223 #3,516
1901 historical 1,403 #3,593
1911 historical 830 #5,320
1997 modern 1,802 #3,334
1998 modern 1,920 #3,261
1999 modern 1,929 #3,270
2000 modern 1,913 #3,284
2001 modern 1,868 #3,290
2002 modern 1,932 #3,266
2003 modern 1,847 #3,317
2004 modern 1,858 #3,303
2005 modern 1,879 #3,240
2006 modern 1,859 #3,293
2007 modern 1,853 #3,318
2008 modern 1,865 #3,319
2009 modern 1,894 #3,354
2010 modern 1,923 #3,382
2011 modern 1,890 #3,397
2012 modern 1,849 #3,408
2013 modern 1,888 #3,395
2014 modern 1,907 #3,389
2015 modern 1,913 #3,339
2016 modern 1,931 #3,311

Geography

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Where Glendinnings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Allendale, Hawick and Wilton, Edinburgh and Dumfries. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gretna, Tweeddale East Area, Eastriggs, Northumberland and Eden. 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 Allendale Northumberland
3 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dumfries Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gretna Dumfries and Galloway
2 Tweeddale East Area Scottish Borders
3 Eastriggs Dumfries and Galloway
4 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
5 Eden 005 Eden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Glendinning

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Glendinning

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Glendinning, 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 Glendinning surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Glendinning 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Glendinning 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

Glendinning 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

Glendinning falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Glendinning

The surname Glendinning is of Scottish origin, deriving from the lands of Glendinning in the parish of Westerkirk, Dumfriesshire. The name is believed to have originated from the Gaelic words "gleann" meaning valley and "dinen" meaning fort or hill, suggesting an early settlement in a fortified valley.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century, with a Robert de Glendinning mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles swearing allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name also appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1365, referring to a John de Glendonyn.

In the 16th century, the Glendinnings were a prominent family in the Scottish Borders region, with their ancestral seat at the tower of Glendinning near the village of Canonbie. One notable member was Adam Glendinning (c. 1510-1590), a Scottish reformer and minister who was among the first to embrace Protestantism in Scotland.

The name has also been associated with the Clan Carruthers, with some sources suggesting that the Glendinnings were a sept or branch of this clan. In the 17th century, a Walter Glendinning was recorded as a member of the Carruthers clan in the Border Papers.

During the Scottish Diaspora, the Glendinning name spread beyond Scotland, with notable individuals including:

1. James Glendinning (1789-1857), a Scottish-American entrepreneur who founded the town of Glendale, Ohio. 2. Archibald Glendinning (1801-1874), a Scottish-Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada. 3. Robert Glendinning (1826-1905), a Scottish-Canadian farmer and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons. 4. Alfred Glendinning (1847-1920), a Scottish-American architect known for his work in the Shingle Style, including the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Vermont. 5. Alexander Glendinning (1880-1941), a Scottish-Australian soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration awarded for valor in the British Empire.

While the Glendinning name may have evolved through various spellings over time, such as Glendonyn, Glendonyng, and Glendonwyn, it has maintained its Scottish roots and connection to the historic lands and settlements from which it originated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Glendinning families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Glendinning 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. Northumberland leads with 171 Glendinnings recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.30x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 171 10.30x
Durham 163 4.91x
Dumfriesshire 136 55.17x
Lanarkshire 104 2.88x
Midlothian 95 6.35x
Roxburghshire 91 45.02x
Cumberland 65 6.77x
Kirkcudbrightshire 57 35.29x
Lancashire 56 0.42x
Middlesex 27 0.24x
Selkirkshire 20 19.81x
Ayrshire 18 2.16x
Argyllshire 17 5.47x
Yorkshire 17 0.15x
Renfrewshire 14 1.62x
Surrey 13 0.24x
West Lothian 12 7.14x
Berwickshire 10 7.40x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.87x
Cheshire 9 0.37x
Somerset 7 0.39x
Kent 4 0.11x
Staffordshire 4 0.11x
Fife 3 0.45x
Stirlingshire 3 0.73x
Buteshire 2 2.96x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.67x
Glamorgan 2 0.10x
Wigtownshire 2 1.35x
Angus 1 0.10x
Devon 1 0.04x
Essex 1 0.05x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.45x
Inverness-shire 1 0.30x
Lincolnshire 1 0.06x
Monmouthshire 1 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.07x
Perthshire 1 0.20x
Shetland 1 0.88x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 53 Glendinnings recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.80x.

Place Total Index
Barony 53 5.80x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 27 76.36x
Glasgow 26 4.06x
Wilton 26 117.22x
Allendale 24 155.95x
Hawick 24 53.05x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 20 3.33x
Dalry 19 503.98x
Benfieldside 18 82.46x
Heworth 18 27.51x
Wellhaugh 17 1416.67x
Dumfries 16 65.79x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 16 16.14x
Eskdalemuir 15 707.55x
Annan 14 66.13x
Canonbie 14 133.72x
Abbey 13 9.85x
Castleton 13 149.77x
Earsdon 13 96.23x
Govan 13 1.46x
Kirkpatrick Fleming 13 230.91x
Langholm 13 73.36x
South Leith 12 7.13x
Tanfield 12 30.40x
Darlington 11 8.58x
Kirkpatrick Juxta 11 272.95x
Bishop Middleham 10 561.80x
Byker 10 12.18x
Corstorphine 10 121.21x
Elswick 10 7.55x
Harrow On The Hill 10 44.86x
Hesket In Forest 10 133.33x
Stranton 10 8.95x
Ardchattan Muckairn 9 117.19x
Caldewgate 9 17.10x
Chopwell 9 145.87x
Conside Knitsley 9 34.87x
Edmonton 9 10.01x
Headingley Cum Burley 9 12.64x
Jedburgh 9 45.43x
Bishopwearmouth 8 2.81x
Bournmoor 8 153.55x
Dalmeny 8 124.42x
Houghton Le Spring 8 34.86x
Prudhoe 8 69.26x
Selkirk 8 28.13x
Bedminster 7 4.15x
Godalming 7 20.45x
Irongray 7 233.33x
Jesmond 7 29.97x
Lochmaben 7 64.81x
Penicuik 7 34.47x
Prescot 7 29.23x
Troqueer 7 33.03x
Turriff 7 41.97x
Urr 7 33.32x
Westgate 7 6.81x
Westoe 7 3.72x
Aikton 6 198.02x
Battersea 6 1.46x
Broughton In Salford 6 4.96x
Cavers 6 118.81x
Ford 6 98.85x
Hartlepool 6 12.72x
Newcastle On Tyne St 6 6.97x
Roberton 6 276.50x
St Cuthbert W O 6 12.81x
St Quivox 6 21.25x
Teviothead 6 322.58x
Washington 6 43.10x
West Derby 6 1.55x
Backworth 5 113.64x
Galashiels 5 13.40x
Galston 5 21.89x
Hadstone 5 1612.90x
Newburn 5 105.49x
Old Monkland 5 3.49x
Terregles 5 277.78x
Tottenham 5 2.81x
Toxteth Park 5 1.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Margaret 23
Elizabeth 22
Jane 18
Ann 13
Catherine 12
Sarah 12
Hannah 10
Isabella 8
Agnes 7
Annie 6
Alice 5
Ellen 5
Emma 4
Frances 4
Janet 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Anne 3
Barbara 3
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Grace 3
Jessie 3
Edith 2
Eliz. 2
Elizth. 2
Georgina 2
Harriet 2
Lilly 2
Maggie 2
May 2
Susan 2
Catharine 1
Diana 1
Dora 1
Dorothy 1
Ethel 1
Euphemia 1
F. 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Jemima 1
Joan 1
June 1
Kate 1
M.A. 1
M.J. 1
Maria 1
Yamar 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 52
William 28
George 23
James 23
Thomas 21
Robert 20
Joseph 11
Henry 10
Andrew 4
Matthew 4
Nicholas 4
Alexander 3
Alfred 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Wilkinson 3
Adam 2
Allen 2
Charles 2
David 2
Fred 2
Louis 2
Luke 2
Nenion 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Walker 2
Wm. 2
Archibald 1
Ed 1
Edith 1
Edward 1
Frances 1
Gilbert 1
Harry 1
Hector 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jno. 1
Jose 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Robinson 1
Robson 1
Saml. 1
Sml. 1
Spark 1
Spartell 1
Thirlwell 1
Wm.C. 1

FAQ

Glendinning surname: questions and answers

How common was the Glendinning surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,147 people were recorded with the Glendinning surname. That placed it at #3,487 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Glendinning surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,931 in 2016. That gives Glendinning a modern rank of #3,311.

What does the Glendinning surname mean?

From a place called "the dinning valley" in Scottish locales.

What does the Glendinning map show?

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