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Gleeson History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Sources

Gleeson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Gleeson

What does the name Gleeson mean?

Many Irish names are merely English translations of Gaelic names. The name Gleeson was a translation of the Gaelic name Ó Glasain or Ó Gliasain.

Early Origins of the Gleeson family

The surname Gleeson was first found in County Tipperary (Irish: Thiobraid Árann), established in the 13th century in South-central Ireland, in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the Gleeson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gleeson research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1597, 1617, 1621, 1624, 1627, 1634, 1635, 1636 and 1677 are included under the topic Early Gleeson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gleeson Spelling Variations

Pronunciation, rather than spelling, was what guided scribes and church officials in recording names, a practice that often led to the misleading result of one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname Gleeson are preserved in documents that were examined for evidence of the family's history. The various spellings of Gleeson included Gleason, Gleeson, Glissane, Gleasone, Gleesone, Glissaun, Gleasaune, Glissen and many more.

Early Notables of the Gleeson family

Notable among the family name at this time was Francis Glisson (1597-1677), a British physician, anatomist, and writer on medical subjects. He was the second son of William Glisson of Rampisham in Dorsetshire. He entered at Caius College, Cambridge, in 1617, graduated B.A. 1621, and M.A...
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gleeson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gleeson World Ranking

In the United States, the name Gleeson is the 13,282^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in Australia, the name Gleeson is ranked the 310^th most popular surname with an estimated 11,508 people with that name. 2 And in New Zealand, the name Gleeson is the 977^th popular surname with an estimated 767 people with that name. 3

Gleeson migration to the United States +

The 19th century brought a massive reduction in Ireland's population. It seemed that during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s the Irish people had two options: starve or immigrate. Those that chose the later frequently headed for the United States, hopeful for land, work, and equality. Those determined for free land joined the migration west; while others stayed behind to live in urban centers and often work in factories. Still others began a transitory life in work camps, building the bridges, canals, railways, and highways so critical to the rapidly development of the growing industrial nation. Early passenger and immigration lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the name Gleeson:

Gleeson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Eledia Gleeson, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 4

Gleeson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johanna Gleeson, who landed in New York in 1847 4
Martin Gleeson, who settled in New York in 1850
Thomas Gleeson, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1852 4

Gleeson migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gleeson Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

James Gleeson was a fisherman of St. John's, Newfoundland in 1774 5

Gleeson Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Margaret Gleeson, from Kilkenny, settled and was married in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1803 5
James Gleeson, aged 22, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Ward" from Limerick, Ireland
John Gleeson, aged 26, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Ward" from Limerick, Ireland
Mary Gleeson, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Ward" from Limerick, Ireland
Margaret Gleeson, aged 18, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Ward" from Limerick, Ireland
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gleeson migration to Australia +

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

Gleeson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Michael Gleeson, Irish convict who was convicted in Tipperary, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Miss Ellen Gleeson, (b. 1789), aged 29, Irish convict who was convicted in Tipperary, Ireland for 7 years for felony, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 26th July 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
Mr. Patrick Gleeson, (b. 1810), aged 18, Irish shoe maker who was convicted in Kildare, Ireland for 7 years for robbery, transported aboard the "Fergusson" on 16th November 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1835 8
Mr. Gregory Gleeson, (b. 1811), aged 21, Irish ploughman who was convicted in Tipperary, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 10th May 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1883 9
Mr. Denis Gleeson, (b. 1792), aged 46, Irish labourer who was convicted in Tipperary, Ireland for life for manslaughter, transported aboard the "Clyde" on 11th May 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1857 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gleeson 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:

Gleeson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Matilda Gleeson, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "John Masterman" in 1857
Clare Gleeson, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "John Masterman" in 1857
Philip Gleeson, aged 27, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Reiherstieg" in 1864
Ann Gleeson, aged 25, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Reiherstieg" in 1864
Charlotte Gleeson, aged 6 weeks, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Reiherstieg" in 1864
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Gleeson (post 1700) +

William Andrew Gleeson (1876-1967), American Democratic Party politician, Railway station agent; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Vermont, 1928, 1944 11
Sara Jane Gleeson (1877-1971), American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Vermont, 1928, 1944 11
Jacob Gleeson, American Democratic Party politician, Contractor; Candidate for Michigan State Senate 20th District, 1952, 1954, 1956 11
Gerald A. Gleeson, American politician, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1940-53 11
Edward W. Gleeson, American Republican politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives from Wayne County 1st District, 1940 11
Brendan Gleeson (b. 1955), Academy Award, Emmy Award nominee Irish actor known for his roles in Gangs of New York (2002), The Guard (2011) and The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
John Gleeson (1938-2021), also known by the nickname of "Dookie", an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s
Irene Gleeson AO (1944-2013), Australian humanitarian
Libby Gleeson (b. 1950), Australian children's author
James William Gleeson (1920-2000), Australian clergyman, sixth Archbishop of Adelaide, eponym of Gleeson College
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Gleeson family +

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Thomas Gleeson, British Joiner 4th Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 12

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fergusson
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clyde
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html