GLENNON
Glennon is an Irish surname derived from Gaelic origins. It is generally understood to be a patronymic form of Ó Gleanndáin, meaning “descendant of Gleanndán.” The personal name *Gleanndán* is a compound of elements meaning “valley” and “poet”; thus the surname can be interpreted as “descendant of the valley poet.”
The surname also appears as an Anglicised version of the Gaelic title Mag Leannain, where the prefix Mag corresponds to the Gaelic mac, meaning “son of.” The personal element Leannain contains leann, meaning “cloak.” Further, Glennon is a recognised Anglicisation of Mac Giolla Fhianain, which refers to a “son of the servant of Fhianain.” This sept was mainly associated with the Ui Maine areas of mid‑Galway and south‑Roscommon, and the name is also very common in the Leinster counties of Westmeath, Leix and Offaly.
The earliest documented spelling of the family name is that of Thomas Glenan, who married Frances Foord on 18 January 1656 at St. Michan, Dublin, during the period of Oliver Cromwell. In the late 18th and mid‑19th centuries several baptisms and emigrations are recorded. For example, Dorothy, daughter of Thomas and Ann Glennon, was christened on 25 June 1770 at St. Nicholas Within, Dublin; Hannah, daughter of Edward and May Glennon, was christened on 5 April 1785 at St. Andrew’s Church, Holborn, London. During the Great Famine, James and Betty Glennon, aged 21 and 20, sailed on the ship Jane from Liverpool for New York on 4 June 1847, while Patrick Glennon, aged 26, emigrated aboard the Atlas from London on 17 May 1847.
The name’s early prominence is sometimes linked to a 6th‑century chieftain named Glionan, described as a fierce battle leader. Historical accounts note that the family was displaced from Connacht in 889 and subsequently settled in Fermanagh, where they were present for over eight centuries. Their hereditary titles and family home were maintained until the Flight of the Earls in 1607. The longstanding presence of the name in Fermanagh, as well as in Connacht, Meath, Fermanagh and Roscommon, reflects the durability of the clan’s heritage.
In contemporary times, the surname Glennon remains most common in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States. Within the United Kingdom it is particularly frequent in England and Wales, with notable concentrations in Derbyshire, Hampshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and Kent. In Ireland it is widely dispersed, with the greatest numbers in Limerick, Fermanagh and Connacht. In the United States the name is most prevalent in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and California. The surname has spread worldwide through migration, and populations are also found in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico, Taiwan and other regions.
Many orthographic variants of Glennon exist, including Glinnon, Glinon, Glinun, Glionon, Glynon and Glenon. These variations demonstrate the influence of both Gaelic and English linguistic traditions across time and geography.
The continued use of the surname and its variants across several continents testifies to the resilience of a family name that has been transmitted from one generation to the next for more than eight hundred years. The identity and heritage associated with the name are upheld by the contemporary bearers who recognize the history that underpins it.
Typical given names associated with the Glennon surname
Male
- Christopher
- Daniel
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Philip
- Stephen
Female
- Angela
- Anne
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Fiona
- Helen
- Karen
- Kathleen
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Millie
- Stephanie
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Calanan
- Calaunan
- Callanan
- Callanin
- Callinan
- Callnan
- Callnon
- Calnan
- Calnen
- Calnin
- Calnon
- Calnun
- Clannon
- Clenane
- Clennan
- Clennon
- Clonan
- Clonen
- Cloonan
- Clunan
- Colannino
- Colignon
- Colinan
- Collignon
- Collinan
- Colnan
- Cowlinan
- Culinan
- Cullanan
- Cullinan
- Cullinane
- Cullinanu
- Cullinon
- Cullnane
- Culnane
- Glannan
- Glannon
- Gleenan
- Glenan
- Glendon
- Glenin
- Glenmon
- Glennan
- Glennane
- Glennen
- Glennin
- Glenon
- Glenson
- Glenton
- Glinane
- Glinnan
- Glinnane
- Glynane
- Kaliannan
- Kalinin
- Kalinina
- Kallioinen
- Kallonen
- Kalnina
- Kilnan
- Kleinan
- Kleinen
- Kylliainen
- Kyllonen
- Quillinan
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Glennon in...
Braille
⠛⠇⠑⠝⠝⠕⠝
Morse
--..-...-.-.----.
Semaphore
There are approximately 1,473 people named Glennon in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,428th most common surname in Britain. Around 23 in a million people in Britain are named Glennon.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Glennon
- Matt Glennon - Football player
- Connor Glennon - Tennis player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.