NameCensus.

UK surname

Glynn

A topographical surname referring to someone who lived near a valley or glen.

In the 1881 census there were 1,322 people recorded with the Glynn surname, ranking it #3,105 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,773, ranked #1,792, up from #3,105 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, IZ10 and IZ07.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Glynn is 3,827 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 185.4%.

1881 census count

1,322

Ranked #3,105

Modern count

3,773

2016, ranked #1,792

Peak year

2010

3,827 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Glynn had 1,322 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,105 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,773 in 2016, ranked #1,792.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,920 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Glynn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Glynn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Glynn 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 550 #4,603
1861 historical 846 #3,269
1881 historical 1,322 #3,105
1891 historical 1,358 #3,198
1901 historical 1,644 #3,135
1911 historical 1,920 #2,585
1997 modern 3,591 #1,804
1998 modern 3,759 #1,794
1999 modern 3,796 #1,787
2000 modern 3,767 #1,789
2001 modern 3,687 #1,789
2002 modern 3,821 #1,777
2003 modern 3,752 #1,771
2004 modern 3,724 #1,776
2005 modern 3,644 #1,788
2006 modern 3,677 #1,777
2007 modern 3,667 #1,794
2008 modern 3,692 #1,794
2009 modern 3,777 #1,803
2010 modern 3,827 #1,818
2011 modern 3,783 #1,816
2012 modern 3,709 #1,815
2013 modern 3,779 #1,813
2014 modern 3,787 #1,821
2015 modern 3,781 #1,803
2016 modern 3,773 #1,792

Geography

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Where Glynns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, IZ10, IZ07, Oldham and Halton. 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 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 010 Wigan
2 IZ10 East Lothian
3 IZ07 East Lothian
4 Oldham 007 Oldham
5 Halton 003 Halton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Glynn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Glynn

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

Challenged Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Glynn 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

Glynn 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

Glynn 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 Glynn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Glynn

The surname Glynn is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Gloinne, which means "descendant of Gloinn". It originated in County Roscommon, Ireland during the Middle Ages. The name Gloinn itself is derived from the Gaelic word "gloinn", meaning "glass" or "glaze".

The first recorded instances of the surname Glynn can be found in the Annals of Ulster, which date back to the 15th century. The annals mention several individuals with the surname, such as Donnchadh Ó Gloinne, who was a prominent chieftain in County Roscommon in the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Glynn began to spread throughout Ireland, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such individual was Sir John Glynn, who was a member of the Irish Parliament and served as a judge in the early 17th century.

The surname Glynn has been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Glenogra (Gleann Ó gCloinne) in County Roscommon, and Glynn in County Antrim. The latter was known as Glynn Beag in earlier times, which translates to "little glen".

Several notable individuals with the surname Glynn have made their mark throughout history. These include:

1. Katharine Glynn (1598-1629), an Irish noblewoman and landowner in County Waterford. 2. John Glynn (1722-1779), an Irish-born Anglican priest and scholar who served as the Bishop of Bangor. 3. Joseph Glynn (1799-1863), an Irish-American politician who served as the 8th Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. 4. Austin E. Glynn (1879-1952), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 47th Governor of New York from 1921 to 1925. 5. Martin Henry Glynn (1871-1952), an Irish-born Catholic priest and author who founded the Catholic Truth Society of Ireland.

While the surname Glynn has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to Irish immigration. However, the rich history and significance of this surname can be traced back to its origins in County Roscommon and the Gaelic language.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Glynn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Glynn 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. Lancashire leads with 545 Glynns recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.56x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 545 3.56x
Middlesex 173 1.34x
Yorkshire 116 0.91x
Staffordshire 72 1.65x
Cheshire 53 1.86x
Warwickshire 42 1.29x
Essex 39 1.53x
Worcestershire 33 1.96x
Surrey 29 0.46x
Kent 27 0.61x
Durham 23 0.60x
Derbyshire 16 0.79x
Hampshire 14 0.53x
Northumberland 14 0.73x
Lincolnshire 13 0.63x
Shropshire 13 1.17x
Monmouthshire 11 1.18x
Buckinghamshire 9 1.15x
Gloucestershire 9 0.36x
Devon 7 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.40x
Dunbartonshire 6 1.73x
Stirlingshire 6 1.26x
Cornwall 5 0.34x
Hertfordshire 5 0.56x
Merionethshire 5 2.12x
Somerset 5 0.24x
Sussex 5 0.23x
Northamptonshire 3 0.25x
Berkshire 2 0.21x
Cumberland 2 0.18x
Royal Navy 2 1.30x
Selkirkshire 2 1.71x
Anglesey 1 0.44x
Brecknockshire 1 0.39x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.19x
Dorset 1 0.12x
Herefordshire 1 0.19x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.54x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Norfolk 1 0.05x
Perthshire 1 0.17x
Westmorland 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 64 Glynns recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.29x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 64 9.29x
Liverpool 63 6.77x
Salford 52 11.55x
Warrington 37 20.38x
Birmingham 30 2.77x
Oldham 30 6.07x
Oldbury 23 27.74x
Hackney London 21 2.90x
Widnes 21 19.01x
Chelsea London 20 5.14x
Witton Gilbert 20 131.93x
Bethnal Green London 18 3.21x
Huddersfield 17 9.12x
Lambeth 16 1.42x
Newton In Makerfield 15 31.99x
Toxteth Park 15 2.89x
Cheetham 14 12.26x
Sheffield 14 3.44x
Broughton In Salford 13 9.28x
Everton 13 2.66x
Aston 12 1.34x
Eccleston In Prescot 12 15.61x
Ormskirk 12 40.96x
Woodford 12 41.61x
Mile End Old Town London 11 4.00x
St George Hanover Square 11 4.84x
St Woollos 11 10.56x
Tonge 11 34.24x
Ashton In Makerfield 10 22.93x
Blackburn 10 2.45x
Darlaston 10 16.61x
Derby St Peter 10 15.54x
Crompton 9 20.64x
Heap 9 11.08x
Hyde 9 10.71x
Knaresborough 9 44.80x
Spitalfields London 9 9.27x
Stockport 9 6.14x
Walsall Foreign 9 4.00x
West Ham 9 1.60x
Westgate 9 7.57x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 2.39x
Fulham London 8 4.27x
Golborne 8 40.08x
Kensington London 8 1.11x
Lewisham 8 3.41x
Much Woolton 8 38.50x
Parr 8 14.60x
Preston 8 1.95x
Shitlington 8 60.47x
St Marylebone London 8 1.16x
Walsall Borough 8 23.65x
West Derby 8 1.79x
East Ham 7 14.81x
Hawkhurst 7 51.13x
Islington London 7 0.56x
Little Bolton 7 3.56x
Mavesyn Ridware 7 334.93x
Selby 7 26.19x
Shifnal 7 23.13x
Tipton 7 5.25x
Westminster St John 7 4.45x
Barnsley 6 4.55x
Bowling 6 4.74x
Dronfield 6 23.18x
Leeds 6 0.83x
St Pancras London 6 0.58x
Stirling 6 10.00x
Treeton 6 200.00x
Willesden 6 4.93x
Bold 5 131.58x
Cardross 5 12.01x
Chester St Mary On Hill 5 20.46x
Handsworth 5 4.66x
Llanfihangel Y Traethau 5 37.23x
Lydiate 5 104.82x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 5 15.26x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 1.08x
Tormoham 5 4.40x
Wolverhampton 5 1.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 154
Margaret 37
Bridget 36
Ann 31
Elizabeth 30
Sarah 30
Ellen 28
Catherine 24
Jane 14
Annie 13
Kate 13
Maria 12
Eliza 10
Anne 7
Hannah 7
Louisa 7
Julia 6
Margret 6
Winifred 6
Clara 5
Elizth. 5
Florence 5
Harriet 5
Agnes 4
Fanny 4
Lucy 4
Martha 4
Rose 4
Susannah 4
Alice 3
Amy 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Esther 3
Francis 3
Gertrude 3
Susan 3
Amelia 2
Bessie 2
Blanche 2
Delia 2
Eleanor 2
Frances 2
Georgina 2
Laura 2
M. 2
Mabel 2
Margt. 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 110
Thomas 83
Patrick 55
James 54
William 53
Michael 43
Edward 20
George 20
Joseph 16
Martin 13
Henry 10
Frederick 8
Charles 7
Peter 7
Timothy 7
Richard 6
Thos. 6
Francis 5
Robert 5
Andrew 4
Daniel 4
Lawrence 4
Owen 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Edwd. 3
Geo. 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
J. 3
Laurence 3
Stephen 3
Willm. 3
Wm. 3
Alfred 2
David 2
Edmund 2
Ernest 2
Jeremiah 2
Louis 2
Matthew 2
Percy 2
Samuel 2
Berthe 1
D. 1
Ellis 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Glynn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Glynn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,322 people were recorded with the Glynn surname. That placed it at #3,105 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Glynn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,773 in 2016. That gives Glynn a modern rank of #1,792.

What does the Glynn surname mean?

A topographical surname referring to someone who lived near a valley or glen.

What does the Glynn map show?

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