The 2010 U.S. Census recorded 1,762 black Americans with Glasgow as their last name. That represented 19% of the total of 9,078 entries.
This article tracks their numbers in the census since the Civil War. We also look at historic African American people named Glasgow.
We end with a review of early records of black military service in the United States.
After The Civil War
The 1870 census was the first survey after the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. In 1850 and 1860, only free African Americans were recorded in the census. The many enslaved were omitted.
From 1870 onward, all black Americans were included.
202 people named Glasgow were recorded in the 1870 census as black and 27 as mixed.
There was a total of 1,168 people with the name.
Glasgow In The 1900 And 1940 Census
The mixed category was dropped from the census in 1900, so we just need to look at the black numbers this time.
The 1900 census recorded 260 people with the last name Glasgow as black within a total of 2,250 that year.
By the way, the mixed category returned in the 1910 and 1920 censuses. It was dropped again in 1930, but replaced with extra categories for colored and non-white in a way that seems confusing now.
This changed again in 1940 and we can simply focus on one black category.
The 1940 census recorded 316 people named Glasgow as black within a total of 4,283.
Historic Black Figures With The Glasgow Surname
Here are some notable African Americans in history with Glasgow as their last name.
Vertie Glasgow
- Born: 1923
- From: Hempstead County, Arkansas
- Died: 2022
Vertie Lee Glasgow grew up in a sharecropping household in Arkansas. She studied for her Masters in Education from the University of Arkansas at a time when African Americans weren’t allowed on the college campus. She married Isaiah Carter in 1958.
Vertie Carter developed the teacher accreditation programs at both Philander Smith College and Arkansas Baptist College in Arkansas. Governor Winthrop Rockefeller appointed her to the state council that oversaw equal opportunity employment.
Chairing the council for seven years, Carter rooted out discriminatory practices and overhauled appointment systems. That included hiring black members of appointment boards.
Glasgow In Black Military Records
Military records are a rich resource of information for family history research. Here are examples of the Glasgow surname from military service.
Buffalo Soldiers
Five regiments for black soldiers were formed during the Civil War. They were known as the Buffalo Soldiers.
Their records are part of the national archive of military monthly returns. The information includes the year and place of birth, where they enlisted, their occupation, and their height.
One of the earliest military entries for Glasgow was in October 1874. Auston Glasgow was a Saddler in the U.S. Tenth Cavalry. He was stationed in October 1874 at Fort Sill, Indian Territory.
One of the later entries was in September 1877. Andrew Glasgow was a Private in the U.S. Ninth Cavalry.
If you are researching military ancestors, there is a free index of these records on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
You have to create an account on either website, but you do not need to pay for the Buffalo Soldiers archive.
Black Civil War Sailors
The National Parks Service has a free archive of African American sailors during the Civil War.
The information includes their age, height, rank, occupation, and where and when they enlisted. It also includes every ship that they served on.
You can search the database on the National Parks website.
John Glasgow
One of the earliest entries for Glasgow was for John Glasgow from Baltimore, Maryland. He enlisted in June 29 1863 at Baltimore when he was aged 28.
The record shows that John was assigned on April 1 1864 to the ship Eutaw.
His occupation before enlisting was as a Caulker. His naval rank was Landsman.
“Landsman” was the lowest rank at the time and was given to recruits with little sea experience.