Gleeson is an Irish surname. It is an anglicisation of the Irish name Ó Glasáin or Ó Gliasáin. The name is most common in County Tipperary but originates in East County Cork, in the once powerful Uí Liatháin kingdom, where the Gleesons were great lords and sometimes kings. Notable people with the surname include:

Arts and entertainment

• Brendan Gleeson (born 1955), Irish actor
• Brian Gleeson (actor) (born 1987), son of Brendan
• Dave Gleeson (born 1968), Australian rock singer
• Domhnall Gleeson (born 1983), Irish actor, son of Brendan
• Paul Gleeson (magician) (born 1987), Irish TV magician, mentalist and escapologist
• Jack Gleeson (born 1992), Irish actor
• James Gleeson (1915–2008), Australian surrealist artist, poet, and writer
• Johnny Tom Gleeson (1853–1924), Irish poet and songwriter
• Seán Gleeson, British actor, director and producer
• Simon Gleeson (born 1977), Australian soap opera actor in the UK
• Tom Gleeson, Australian stand-up comedian, writer, television and radio presenter

Law

• Dermot Gleeson (born 1949), Irish barrister, government adviser, and businessman
• Jacqueline Gleeson (born 1966), Australian judge, daughter of Murray Gleeson
• John Gleeson (judge) (born 1953), American judge
• Justin Gleeson (born 1961), Solicitor-General of Australia 2012–2016
• Murray Gleeson (born 1938), Australian jurist, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia

Politics

• Hampton Gleeson (1834–1907), Australian miner, pastoralist, politician and brewer
• Thomas Gleeson (Australian politician), member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
• Thomas Gleeson (American politician), member of the Wisconsin State Assembly

Sport

Association football

• Dan Gleeson (born 1985), English football player
• Jake Gleeson (born 1990), New Zealand football goalkeeper
• Eileen Gleeson (born 1972), Irish football manager
• Stephen Gleeson (born 1988), Irish professional football player

Australian football

• Adrian Gleeson (born 1967), Australian rules football player
• Bill Gleeson (1931–1998), Australian rules footballer with St Kilda
• Brian Gleeson (Australian rules footballer) (born 1934)
• Martin Gleeson (Australian footballer) (born 1994), Australian rules football player

Hurling

• John Gleeson (hurler) (born 1941), Irish hurler
• William Gleeson (hurler, fl. 1880s) (fl. 1880s) Irish hurler who played for Cork
• Willie Gleeson (1893–1975), Irish hurler who played for Limerick

Rugby league

• John Gleeson (rugby league) (1938–2021), Australian rugby league footballer
• Martin Gleeson (rugby league) (born 1980), English rugby league player
• Sean Gleeson (rugby league) (born 1987), English rugby league player
• Tom Gleeson (rugby league), Australian rugby league player

Other sports

• John Gleeson (cricketer) (1938-2016), Australian cricketer
• Keith Gleeson (born 1976), Irish Australian rugby union football player
• Paul Gleeson (tennis) (1880–1956), American tennis player
• Robert Gleeson (1873–1919), South African cricketer
• Tom Gleeson (rugby union), Irish rugby union player
• Trevor Gleeson (born 1966), Australian basketball coach

Other fields

• Dermot Gleeson (BBC) (born 1949), British governor of BBC
• Edward Burton Gleeson (1803–1870), South Australian pioneer, founder of the town of Clare
• Irene Gleeson (1944–2013), Australian humanitarian
• Maree Gleeson, Australian immunologist
• William Gleeson (priest) (1827-1903), Irish-American historian, linguist, and missionary

Fictional characters

• Summer Gleeson, character in Batman: The Animated Series
• Tiger Gleeson, one of the main protagonists in Round the Twist