Show ContentsGlasco History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Glasco

What does the name Glasco mean?

In ancient Scotland, the first people to use Glasco as a surname were the Strathclyde-Britons. It was a name someone who lived in the city of Glasgow on the river Clyde in the county of Renfrew (first recorded in 1116 as Glasgu), or from either of two minor places with the same name in Aberdeenshire. The origins of the place name are uncertain, it may come from the Welsh glas, or "gray," and cau, meaning "hollows." 1 2

Early Origins of the Glasco family

The surname Glasco was first found in Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of Renfrew, East Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern Scotland. 3

One of the first records of the family was that of John de Glasgu, who was chaplain of Gamelin, bishop of St. Andrews in 1258. Later, Andrew de Glasgow was an escheator in 1289, and John of Glasgow appears as a monk of Holyrood in 1299. "Payment was made to John de Glasgu in 1343 for the table of the king's servants, Alan Glasgw was murdered in 1494, and Robert Glasgow was a witness in the burgh in 1554." 4

Early History of the Glasco family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Glasco research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1258, 1259, 1287, 1289, 1299, 1340, 1343, 1419, 1568, 1614, 1629, 1653, 1690, 1693, 1721, 1761, 1764, 1792, 1873 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Glasco History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Glasco Spelling Variations

The origin of rules governing the spelling of names and even words is a very recent innovation. Before that, words and names were spelled according to sound, and, therefore, often appeared under several different spelling variations in a single document. Glasco has been spelled Glassgow, Glasgow, Glassgaw and others.

Early Notables of the Glasco family

John de Glasgu (fl. 1259), chaplain to Bishop Gamelin. John of Glasgow (fl. 1287-1289), was a Scottish monk of Holyrood Abbey. Andrew de Glasgow (fl. 1289), was a burgh official overseeing escheats for the Exchequer. John de Glasgu (fl. 1343), royal servant compensated for services to the king's table. Master John de Glasgow (c. 1340-before 1419), was Vicar of St. Mary's and Canon of Moray. John Glasgow M.A. (fl...
Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Glasco Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Glasco Ranking

the United States, the name Glasco is the 10,075th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Glasco family to Ireland

Some of the Glasco family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 111 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Glasco migration to the United States +

The persecution faced in their homeland left many Scots with little to do but sail for the colonies of North America. There they found land, freedom, opportunity, and nations in the making. They fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence, or traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In both cases, they made enormous contributions to the formation of those great nations. Among them:

Glasco Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Anna Glasco, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1893
  • T Glasco, aged 22, who landed in America, in 1894
Glasco Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • James Glasco, aged 24, who immigrated to America, in 1924


The Glasco Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Lord, let Glasgow flourish


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
  4. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/


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