Show ContentsGlenning History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The forbears of the name Glenning are thought to be of the ancient Scottish kingdom of Dalriada. The name indicates that the first bearer lived in Gleney, or Glennie, in Braemar, Aberdeenshire. Glennie is a surname from the region around Aberdeen, and it was originally born by generations of tenant farmers in the districts of both Dee and Don. The surname Glennie, which was originally derived from Gaelic "gleann" which means "valley", was also given to someone who resided near a valley.

Early Origins of the Glenning family

The surname Glenning was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Glenning family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Glenning research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Glenning History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Glenning Spelling Variations

Medieval spelling was at best an intuitive process, and translation between Gaelic and English was no more effective. These factors caused an enormous number of spelling variations in Dalriadan names. In fact, it was not uncommon to see a father and son who spelled their name differently. Over the years, Glenning has been spelled Glennie, Gleny, Glen, Glenney, Glenning, Glenny and many more.

Early Notables of the Glenning family

More information is included under the topic Early Glenning Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Glenning family to Ireland

Some of the Glenning family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Glenning migration to the United States +

Many settled along the east coast of what would become the United States and Canada. As the American War of Independence broke out, those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these hardy Dalriadan-Scottish settlers began to recover their collective history in the 20th century with the advent of the vibrant culture fostered by highland games and Clan societies in North America. Highland games, clan societies, and other organizations generated much renewed interest in Scottish heritage in the 20th century. The Glenning were among the earliest of the Scottish settlers as immigration passenger lists have shown:

Glenning Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Patrick Glenning, who arrived in New York in 1804

Australia Glenning migration to Australia +

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

Glenning Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Peter Glenning, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancastershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 10th August 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 1


  1. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 23rd August 2020 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/augusta-jessie


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