This is a surname of British origins. It is locational and originates from either a village called 'Glendon' in the county of Northampton, or from the village of 'Clandon' in the county of Surrey. Both these villages are truly ancient, and both are recorded in the famous Domesday Book of the year 1986, the very first gazetteer to be complied by any country in the world. In this book these villages are recorded as 'Clenedun' and 'Clendon' respectively, the introduction of the spelling as 'Glendon' being first recorded in the year 1254, when a land charter which included the village was registered at the city of Norwich, the administrative centre for the region. The surname is later and originated as a result of former residents of 'Clandon or Glendon' moving elsewhere, usually to London, to seek work. The easiest way of identifying people was to call them by the name of their former home. 16th century education being at best rudimentary and local accents being very 'thick' lead to variations in the spelling of the name in the church registers of the day. Early examples of the surname, which is recorded in the spellings of Glendon, Glandon, Glindon, and Glanden, include George Glendon, who was christened at the church of St Martin Orgar, London, on September 10th 1663, and Merrie Glenden, who was married at St Margaret's church, Westminster, on March 11th 1698. A later recording was that of Andrew Glandon, who married Sarah Kirvan at St Phillips church, Stepney, London, on December 15th 1873. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Mary Glendon, which was dated August 18th 1631, christened at St Dunstans in the East, London, during the reign of King Charles 1st of England, known as 'The Martyr' 1625 - 1649. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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