Glynne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The proud Glynne family originated in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. The Glynne family originally lived the son of Gerard. The surname Glynne was originally derived from the Old German Gerhard which meant spear-brave. In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time.

Early Origins of the Glynne family

The surname Glynne was first found in Cornwall, where the Glynne family held a family seat from very ancient times. The name was first recorded in 1100, when Hubert de Glin was living in the manor of Glynn near Bodmin, Cornwall. 1

"The manor of Glynn belonged for many generations to an ancient family of this name; but in the early part of the fourteenth century, the elder branch becoming extinct, it was carried by an heiress from the Glynns to the Carminows. In this family it remained until it was purchased by the descendant of a younger branch of the Glynn family, its ancient possessors, some time before the days of Charles I." 2

"John Dinham, Baron Dinham of Cardinham's estates was sold, with the exception of certain lands, to Dennis Glynn, Esq. the ancestor of E. J. Glynn, Esq. who with some few exceptions, now inherits the whole of the manor of Cardinham. Glynn, the delightful mansion of Edmund John Glynn, Esq. is situated on a gentle eminence that commands an extensive portion of that lovely vale, through which the river Foy flows towards Lostwithiel. De Glynn, who for many generations flourished here in a worshipful degree. It appears from the authority of Doomsday Survey, to have been simply called Glynn; the addition of ford must therefore have been made when the bridge was erected, in which connexion only it can be applied. Mr. Hals says, that Nicholas Glynn, Esq. of Glynford, was sheriff of Cornwall in the reign of James I." 2

Early History of the Glynne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Glynne research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1430, 1468, 1504, 1508, 1534, 1553, 1555, 1557, 1558, 1602, 1606, 1638, 1663, 1665, 1666, 1673, 1690, 1698, 1701, 1711, 1721, 1729 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Glynne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Glynne Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and 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 of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Glynn, Glynne, Glinn, Glyn, Glin and others.

Early Notables of the Glynne family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Baron Wolverton; Sir John Glynne KS (1602-1666), a Welsh lawyer, Lord Chief Justice of the Upper Bench; Sir William Glynne, 1st Baronet (1638-1690), a Welsh politician, High Sheriff of Flintshire in 1...
William Glyn (1504-1558), also known as William Glynn or William Glynne, was the Bishop of Bangor from 1555 until his death. He was also President of Queens' College, Cambridge (1553-1557.) "The churc...

Migration of the Glynne family to Ireland

Some of the Glynne 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.

Glynne migration to Australia +

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

Glynne Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Bridget Glynne, aged 20, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Agincourt" 3
Bridget Glynne, aged 20, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Agincourt" in 1850 3
Honor Glynne, aged 23, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Coromandel" 4

Glynne 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:

Glynne Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Bridget Glynne, aged 18, a domestic servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Wairoa" in 1877

Contemporary Notables of the name Glynne (post 1700) +

Jessica Hannah "Jess" Glynne (b. 1989), English singer and songwriter
Mary Glynne (1895-1954), born Mary Aitken, Welsh actress from Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales
Sir Stephen Richard Glynne (1780-1815), 8th Baronet, Welsh Baronet of Bisseter, educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, an amateur architect and an agriculturalist
Sir Stephen Glynne (1744-1780), 7th Baronet, Welsh baronet of Bisseter, educated at Queen's College, Oxford and took holy orders, becoming rector of Hawarden
Sir John Glynne (1712-1777), 6th Baronet, Welsh baronet of Bisseter
Sir William Glynne (1710-1730), 5th Baronet, Welsh baronet of Bisseter
Sir Stephen Richard Glynne (1807-1874), Welsh politician and antiquary, eldest son of Sir Stephen Richard Glynne, eighth baronet, of Hawarden Castle, Flintshire
Glynne Thomas (1935-2021), British ice hockey player from London
Sir Glynne Earle Welby -Gregory (1806-1875), 3rd Baronet, a British politician, Member of Parliament for Grantham (1830-1857), High Sheriff of Lincolnshire for 1860 to 1861
Glynne Wickham (1922-2004), English (South African born) Professor of Drama University of Bristol

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The AGINCOURT 1850. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Agincourt.htm
South Australian Register Tuesday 9th January 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Coromandel 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/coromandel1855.shtml