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Glanville History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Glanville History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Glanville was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Glanville family lived in Suffolk. The name however, is not a reference to this place, but to the family's place of residence sometime prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Glanville, near Calvados, Normandy. 1

The Glanville variant dates back to Ranulf de Glanville (d. 1190), Chief Justiciar of England. "His family, which probably derived its name from Glanville, near Lisieux, seems to have settled in Suffolk at or soon after the Norman Conquest, and to have become moderately wealthy. Ranulf, it is said, was born at Stratford, that is at Stratford St. Andrew, near Saxmundham. " 2

Bartholomew de Glanville (fl. 1230-1250), was "the name erroneously given to Bartholomew Anglicus or the Englishman." 2

Gilbert de Glanville (d. 1214), was Bishop of Rochester, and a kinsman of Ranulf de Glanville [q. v.], and a native of Northumberland. 2

Early Origins of the Glanville family

The surname Glanville was first found in Suffolk an Norfolk. Bromeholme in the parish of Bacton in Norfolk was an ancient family seat established shortly after the Norman Conquest. "A priory for Cluniac monks, dedicated to St. Andrew, was founded in 1113, by William de Glanvill, and for some time subsisted as a cell to the monastery at Castle Acre." 3 Again in Suffolk, but this time in Leiston, Ranulph de Glanville endowed the monastery there in honour of the Virgin Mary in 1182.

Devon was an ancient homestead to the family as "Harwell was a seat of the Glanvilles for some three centuries before they removed to Kilworthy." 4

Early History of the Glanville family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Glanville research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1542, 1586, 1600, 1636, 1640, 1645, 1652, 1661, 1664, 1680 and 1735 are included under the topic Early Glanville History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Glanville Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Glanfield, Glanville, Glenville and others.

Early Notables of the Glanville family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Sir John Glanville the Elder (1542-1600), was an English jurist, second son of John Glanville of Tavistock, and raised as an attorney

Glanville migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Glanville or a variant listed above:

Glanville Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Glanville, (b. 1829), aged 22, Cornish settler departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Marquis of Chandos" arriving in the United States on 7 June 1851 5

Glanville migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Glanville Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Glanville, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "John Renwick" in 1837 6
Mr. John Glanville, (b. 1820), aged 41, Cornish settler convicted in Cornwall, UK on 4th August 1841, sentenced for 15 years, transported aboard the ship "Somersetshire" on 30th November 1840 to Van Diemen's Land, Tasmania, Australia 7
Mr. John Glanville, (b. 1820), aged 21 born in Camborne, Cornwall, UK convicted in Bodmin on 4th August 1841, sentenced for death reduced to life then 15 years, transported aboard the ship "Somersetshire" in 1841 to Van Diemen's Land, Tasmania, Australia 8
James Glanville, aged 39, a shepherd, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Chatham" 9
Richard Glanville, aged 35, a miner, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "William Prowse" 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Glanville migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Glanville Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Glanville, (b. 1854), aged 7, Cornish settler departing on 18th October 1861 aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 7th January 1862 11
Mr. Edward Glanville, (b. 1854), aged 7, British settler travelling from Bristol aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 10th February 1862 12
Miss Caroline Glanville, (b. 1839), aged 24, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 16th February 1864 12
E. Glanville, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ulcoats" in 1864
Miss Gertrude M. Glanville, (b. 1870), aged 5 months, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merope' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Glanville (post 1700) +

Brandi Glanville (b. 1972), American television personality and former fashion model, best known for her role on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Douglas Metunwa Glanville (b. 1970), former American Major League Baseball outfielder
Jerry Glanville (b. 1941), former American NFL football player and head coach
Harold James Glanville (1854-1930), English Liberal Party politician
Christine Glanville (1924-1999), English puppeteer
Stephen Ranulph Kingdon Glanville MBE (1900-1956), English historian and Egyptologist
Brian Lester Glanville (b. 1931), English football writer and novelist
Ranulph Glanville (1946-2014), British freelance researcher in architecture and cybernetics
Sir William Henry Glanville CB CBE FRS (1900-1976), British civil engineer who worked and developed models for the Dam Busters Raid

Historic Events for the Glanville family +

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Reginald Thomas Glanville, British Chief Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 13

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) JOHN RENWICK 1837. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837JohnRenwick.htm
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/tasmanian_convicts_cornish.pdf
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CHATHAM 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/chatham1852.shtml
South Australian Register Monday 21st August 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) William Prowse 1856. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/williamprowse1854.shtml
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html