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

Glisson, 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 Glisson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Glisson in America

Glisson is the 7607th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Glisson surname appeared 4,370 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Glisson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Glisson 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 Glisson

The surname Glisson has its origins in England, with the earliest known references dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English personal name Gylys, which was a diminutive form of the name William. The name Gylys eventually evolved into the surname Glisson.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Glisson can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where a John Gilysoun is mentioned. This spelling variation provides insight into the evolution of the name over time.

In the 14th century, records indicate that the Glisson family held lands in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. A notable entry is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1327, which lists a Robert Gylysoun as a taxpayer in the village of Frampton-on-Severn.

The Glisson surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Glisson Green in Gloucestershire and Glisson's Farm in Oxfordshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, suggesting the presence of Glisson families in those areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Glisson in literature can be found in the works of the 16th-century English playwright and poet Thomas Heywood, who mentions a character named Glisson in his play "The Wise Woman of Hogsdon" (1604).

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Glisson. Francis Glisson (1597-1677) was an English physician and anatomist who made significant contributions to the study of the human body. He is best known for his work on the anatomy of the liver and for coining the term "irritability" in reference to the contractility of muscles.

Another prominent figure was William Glisson (1600-1679), an English politician and lawyer who served as a Member of Parliament for Penryn in Cornwall during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and played a role in the defense of Oxford during the conflict.

In the 18th century, there was John Glisson (1717-1792), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects. His most notable work was "The Doctrine of Reprobation Briefly Considered" (1755), which addressed the controversial theological concept of predestination.

Moving into the 19th century, we find Mary Glisson (1819-1898), a British poet and writer who published several volumes of poetry and novels. Her works often explored themes of love, nature, and the struggles of women in Victorian society.

Finally, in the 20th century, there was Alfred Glisson (1902-1988), a British artist and illustrator best known for his work in children's literature. He illustrated numerous books, including several editions of Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Glisson

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

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 Glisson 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 Glisson 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 Glisson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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