NameCensus.

UK surname

Glenn

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "gleann" meaning valley or glen.

In the 1881 census there were 944 people recorded with the Glenn surname, ranking it #4,086 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,972, ranked #3,263, up from #4,086 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Glasgow and Bytham Castle. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Amber Valley, Rushcliffe and Coventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Glenn is 2,016 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 108.9%.

1881 census count

944

Ranked #4,086

Modern count

1,972

2016, ranked #3,263

Peak year

2014

2,016 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Glenn had 944 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,086 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,972 in 2016, ranked #3,263.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,342 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Glenn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Glenn surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Glenn 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 560 #4,524
1861 historical 701 #3,863
1881 historical 944 #4,086
1891 historical 987 #4,190
1901 historical 1,139 #4,262
1911 historical 1,342 #3,566
1997 modern 1,845 #3,261
1998 modern 1,908 #3,280
1999 modern 1,957 #3,231
2000 modern 1,933 #3,251
2001 modern 1,904 #3,235
2002 modern 1,905 #3,307
2003 modern 1,871 #3,277
2004 modern 1,882 #3,269
2005 modern 1,836 #3,304
2006 modern 1,844 #3,303
2007 modern 1,878 #3,286
2008 modern 1,917 #3,249
2009 modern 1,960 #3,270
2010 modern 2,004 #3,273
2011 modern 1,946 #3,317
2012 modern 1,957 #3,240
2013 modern 1,980 #3,271
2014 modern 2,016 #3,243
2015 modern 1,982 #3,262
2016 modern 1,972 #3,263

Geography

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Where Glenns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Glasgow, Bytham Castle and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Amber Valley, Rushcliffe, Coventry, Stratford-on-Avon and North Kesteven. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Bytham Castle Lincolnshire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Amber Valley 008 Amber Valley
2 Rushcliffe 015 Rushcliffe
3 Coventry 036 Coventry
4 Stratford-on-Avon 006 Stratford-on-Avon
5 North Kesteven 010 North Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Glenn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Glenn

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Glenn is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Glenn 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

Glenn 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 Glenn 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Glenn

The surname Glenn has its origins in the Scottish Gaelic language and is thought to have derived from the personal name Gille Fhionndain, meaning "servant of St. Findan". The name traces back to the 6th century when St. Findan, a Scottish missionary, traveled and preached across Ireland and Scotland.

The earliest known recorded instance of the name Glenn dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Ancient Records of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. In these records, the name is spelled as "de Glyn" and "de Glen". The spelling variations are likely due to the anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic name.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in the historic Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were administrative records of the Scottish government. The name was recorded as "Glene" and "Glenne" during this time period.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Glenn was Sir John de Glen, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.

Another prominent figure was Alexander Glenn, a Scottish clergyman born in 1720, who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1768.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Glenn surname can be found in the colonial records of Pennsylvania. James Glenn, a Scottish immigrant, arrived in Philadelphia in 1730 and later settled in what is now West Virginia.

John Glenn, the famous American astronaut and U.S. Senator, was born in 1921 and was the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 95.

Another notable individual with the surname Glenn was Brigadier General Hugh Glenn, a highly decorated American military officer who fought in World War II and the Korean War. He was born in 1905 and passed away in 1980.

The name Glenn has also been associated with several place names throughout history, including the Scottish town of Glen and the U.S. state of Georgia's Glenn County, which was named after John Glenn, the astronaut.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Glenn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Glenn 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. Lincolnshire leads with 148 Glenns recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.09x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 148 10.09x
Warwickshire 128 5.54x
Lancashire 86 0.79x
Yorkshire 85 0.94x
Middlesex 72 0.79x
Rutland 46 68.32x
Surrey 46 1.03x
Northamptonshire 44 5.10x
Leicestershire 42 4.13x
Cheshire 36 1.78x
Lanarkshire 36 1.21x
Devon 34 1.78x
Durham 24 0.88x
Derbyshire 16 1.11x
Kent 15 0.48x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.97x
Staffordshire 10 0.32x
Buteshire 9 16.20x
Angus 6 0.71x
Cumberland 5 0.63x
Shropshire 5 0.63x
Perthshire 4 0.97x
Essex 3 0.17x
Huntingdonshire 3 1.65x
Northumberland 3 0.22x
Bedfordshire 2 0.42x
Glamorgan 2 0.13x
Oxfordshire 2 0.35x
Renfrewshire 2 0.28x
Sussex 2 0.13x
Berkshire 1 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.18x
Dorset 1 0.17x
Flintshire 1 0.41x
Hampshire 1 0.05x
Herefordshire 1 0.27x
Hertfordshire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 0.92x
Somerset 1 0.07x
Suffolk 1 0.09x
Westmorland 1 0.50x
Wigtownshire 1 0.82x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leamington Priors in Warwickshire leads with 27 Glenns recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.45x.

Place Total Index
Leamington Priors 27 47.45x
Plymstock 24 240.24x
Brightside Bierlow 22 12.34x
Islington London 22 2.48x
Liverpool 22 3.33x
Aston 21 3.30x
Castle Bytham 19 926.83x
Greetham 16 874.32x
Langham 16 747.66x
Birmingham 15 1.95x
Nuneaton 15 55.99x
Wakefield 15 21.50x
Barony 14 1.87x
Bourn 12 101.35x
Bradfield 12 34.26x
Yardley Gobion 12 648.65x
Bromley London 11 5.45x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 11 53.35x
Wellingborough 11 25.36x
Airmyn 10 641.03x
Chelsea London 10 3.62x
Leicester St Margaret 10 4.03x
Spittlegate 10 49.31x
Coventry Holy Trinity 9 13.03x
Lambeth 9 1.13x
Camberwell 8 1.37x
Coulsdon 8 98.52x
Hackney London 8 1.56x
Halliwell 8 20.20x
Hose 8 575.54x
Lamesley 8 54.50x
Pointon 8 583.94x
Rothesay 8 29.73x
Careby 7 1320.75x
Dale Abbey 7 546.88x
Greenwich 7 4.80x
Hamilton 7 8.46x
Hampton Bickley 7 297.87x
Harpurhey 7 46.36x
Horbling 7 445.86x
Manchester 7 1.43x
Newington 7 2.07x
Northampton All Sts 7 23.92x
Oundle 7 72.61x
Spalding 7 24.06x
Sproxton 7 666.67x
Stockport 7 6.72x
Thurlby Obthorpe 7 357.14x
Castleton 6 5.52x
Clarborough 6 64.94x
Drax 6 517.24x
Gainsborough 6 17.36x
Gateshead 6 2.94x
Glasgow 6 1.14x
Ingleby 6 1818.18x
Leicester St Mary 6 7.30x
Little Casterton 6 1071.43x
Parr 6 15.41x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 4.08x
Salford 6 1.87x
South Witham 6 465.12x
Westminster St John 6 5.37x
Weston In Runcorn 6 114.07x
Burton Dassett 5 243.90x
Cheadle 5 12.93x
Croydon 5 2.02x
Great Bolton 5 3.47x
Great Casterton 5 495.05x
Grendon 5 252.53x
Hope Baggot 5 2000.00x
Leeds 5 0.97x
Peterborough 5 8.01x
Rotherham 5 9.76x
Rugby 5 15.98x
Skirbeck 5 60.83x
Swinstead 5 454.55x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 5 27.75x
Creeton 4 2500.00x
Fulwood 4 34.01x
Helmington Row 4 31.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 56
John 50
Thomas 34
James 32
George 27
Charles 25
Henry 20
Joseph 16
Robert 13
Arthur 10
Edward 10
Samuel 10
Herbert 7
Richard 7
Walter 7
Edwin 6
Thos. 6
Alfred 5
Harry 5
Frederic 4
Patrick 4
Andrew 3
Christopher 3
David 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
Archibald 2
Benjamin 2
Demetrius 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Hugh 2
Noah 2
Philip 2
W. 2
Willie 2
Alex. 1
Allen 1
Ashfert 1
Cecil 1
Danl. 1
Denis 1
Donald 1
Earnest 1
Elijah 1
H. 1
Isaac 1

FAQ

Glenn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Glenn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 944 people were recorded with the Glenn surname. That placed it at #4,086 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Glenn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,972 in 2016. That gives Glenn a modern rank of #3,263.

What does the Glenn surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "gleann" meaning valley or glen.

What does the Glenn map show?

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