The Family Tree
Genealogy
Tracing the roots of every Glen and Glenn family — from medieval Scotland to the modern world.
About the Name
Two Originating Families
According to Thomas Allen Glenn, whose Genealogical Notes Regarding the Family of Glen, of Glenn remains the most authoritative source, there were two distinct and unrelated originating families of Glen in Scotland.
One arose from the parish of Traquair in Peebles-shire; the other from estates called Glen in Renfrewshire. Both families developed independently, sharing only a topographic name derived from the Gaelic word “glean” — a small valley.
Spelling Variations
All Are Welcome
The name appears in many forms across historical records, censuses, and emigration documents. The Society embraces every variation of the name as equally valid and equally welcome.
Glen
Glenn
Glyn
Glynn
Glenne
Where the Name Lives
Geographic Origins
Peebles-shire
The parish of Traquair, home of one of the two founding Glen families. The primary Lowland origin of the name.
Renfrewshire
Estates of Glen in Renfrewshire — the second distinct originating family, unrelated to the Traquair line.
Perthshire
Highland Glen families spread throughout Perthshire, carried by the landscape of glens and valleys.
Stirlingshire
The Stirlingshire Glens, positioned at the Highland-Lowland divide, a crossroads of Scottish history.
Argyll
Western coastal Glen families of Argyll, shaped by the sea, the islands, and Gaelic culture.
North America
Post-Jacobite and famine emigrants who carried the name across the Atlantic, founding new Glenn lines.
Research Tools
Key Genealogical Sources
Genealogical Notes Regarding the Family of Glen, of Glenn
Thomas Allen Glenn
The primary reference work for early Glen genealogy.
Memorials of the Scottish Family of Glen
Historical publication
Detailed records of Scottish Glen family branches.
The Old Parochial Records (OPR) of Scotland
National Records of Scotland
Births, marriages, and burials prior to 1855.
Scottish Census Records 1841-1901
Scotland's People
Household listings identifying Glen families across Scotland.
Clan Glen Society Records
Clan Glen
Membership and lineage records held by the official Clan society.
Contribute Your Research
Share Your Family Tree
Have you researched your Glen or Glenn lineage? The Society is building a comprehensive genealogical archive. Your research helps connect families across the globe.