Find out how popular the last name Glance is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Glance.

Glance, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Glance surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Glance in America

Glance is the 47272nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Glance surname appeared 449 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Glance.

We can also compare 2010 data for Glance to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Glance

The surname Glance is thought to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "glauncier," meaning "to glance" or "to look askance." This surname likely referred to someone who squinted or had a distinctive way of looking at others.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Glance can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which mentions a John le Glauncer. This spelling variation suggests that the name was initially an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked as a glancer or a lookout.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Glauncer, Glaunser, and Glawnser, in records from counties like Suffolk, Essex, and Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name had spread across different regions of England by that time.

The Glance surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Glanvilles Wootton in Dorset and Glanville in Yorkshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Glance throughout history include:

1. Robert Glance (c. 1540 - 1610), an English merchant and landowner from Essex.
2. Elizabeth Glance (c. 1620 - 1685), a Quaker preacher and author from Berkshire.
3. William Glance (1767 - 1844), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.
4. John Glance (1829 - 1901), an English inventor and engineer known for his contributions to the development of early bicycles.
5. Margaret Glance (1892 - 1976), a British suffragette and activist from Lancashire who campaigned for women's rights.

While the Glance surname may not be as widely recognized as some others, its history and origins can be traced back to medieval England, where it likely emerged as an occupational or descriptive surname reflecting a person's distinctive gaze or manner of looking.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Glance

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Glance.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Glance was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Glance has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Glance was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Glance, please contact us.

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