Top surnames from the 1881 census in Ayrshire

Top surnames by total occurrences

Surname Total Frequency Index
WILSON3,8421.75733.83
BROWN3,3741.54322.34
SMITH3,1131.42381.01
CAMPBELL2,3611.07996.38
YOUNG1,9460.89014.14
THOMSON1,8420.84256.31
REID1,8300.83707.97
STEWART1,7630.80645.15
KERR1,7570.803614.74
ROBERTSON1,6170.73964.41
HAMILTON1,5340.70169.35
ANDERSON1,5320.70073.55
GIBSON1,5010.68655.66
MUIR1,4350.656317.15
WALLACE1,3720.62759.16
CLARK1,3320.60922.03
MURRAY1,2520.57264.62
DUNLOP1,2150.555734.49
FERGUSON1,2070.55217.79
CRAWFORD1,2060.551611.27
HUNTER1,1970.54755.33
WALKER1,1650.53291.59
BOYD1,1580.529615.10
MILLER1,1570.52922.96
PATERSON1,1150.51007.49
CRAIG1,1110.508211.57
STEVENSON1,0340.47296.74
ALLAN9230.42226.72
MITCHELL9180.41992.07
SCOTT9010.41211.63
PATON8820.403418.03
TAYLOR8640.39520.62
WATSON8450.38651.67
MURDOCH8400.384222.62
GRAY8370.38282.68
CUNNINGHAM8230.37647.99
CURRIE8200.375113.33
DAVIDSON8050.36824.38
KENNEDY7990.36546.06
MORTON7930.36276.79
ORR7920.362221.50
BAIRD7730.353616.53
ROSS7320.33483.06
WHITE7280.33301.04
FULTON7270.332526.35
GRAHAM7230.33072.88
FINDLAY7050.322515.56
WYLLIE7050.322546.05
JAMIESON6950.317911.41
BLACK6660.30464.70

Top surnames by population index

Surname Index Total Frequency
SPEIR82.81810.0370
BICKET68.49770.0352
BRECKENRIDGE66.231470.0672
BRACKENRIDGE59.001740.0796
HILLHOUSE54.081070.0489
BUNTEN52.69850.0389
GIRVAN51.771780.0814
MURCHIE48.611760.0805
GEBBIE46.561040.0476
WYLLIE46.057050.3225
WOODSIDE45.94550.0252
LAMBERTON45.66660.0302
GEMMILL44.821430.0654
RAESIDE42.81800.0366
SLOSS42.55730.0334
FREW41.874600.2104
SHEDDEN41.251560.0714
CALDERWOOD40.393170.1450
TEMPLETON40.006460.2955
BLANE39.341660.0759
GALT39.141940.0887
LAMBIE38.982780.1272
JESS38.80660.0302
HOWAT38.752600.1189
AIRD35.344020.1839
DUNLOP34.491,2150.5557
GEMMEL32.59640.0293
GEMMELL32.494270.1953
WASON31.69590.0270
BORLAND30.992930.1340
DICKIE29.205010.2291
AULD29.063830.1752
HALBERT28.60810.0370
HOWIE28.216050.2767
SMILLIE28.131220.0558
BARBOUR27.963360.1537
DRENNAN27.40810.0370
WILLOCK27.33800.0366
TANNAHILL27.21590.0270
LOUDON26.561650.0755
FULTON26.357270.3325
ARMOUR26.203590.1642
BRYDEN26.012400.1098
ROXBURGH25.561730.0791
MAIR25.295110.2337
GOLDIE24.993400.1555
KELSO24.941280.0585
SLOAN23.464830.2209
MILROY23.021440.0659
LATTA23.01630.0288

The Total column shows the total number of people in that county or town with this surname. For example, there were 81 people called SPEIR in Ayrshire at the time of the 1881 census.

The Frequency column shows the percentage of people in this county or town with this surname. For example, a frequency of 0.0370 in Ayrshire means that 0.0370% of the people in Ayrshire on census day were called SPEIR.

The Index column shows the relative probability of finding someone called SPEIR in this county or town, compared with the probability of finding them anywhere in Britain as a whole. An index of 1 means that if you pick someone at random from this county or town, you have exactly the same probability of picking someone called SPEIR as if you picked at random from the whole of the UK. Where the index is higher than 1, then you are more likely to find someone called SPEIR here than if you picked from the UK as a whole, and where it's lower then you are less likely. The actual figure shows the level of probability - for example, a figure of 2 would indicate that you are twice as likely to find someone called SPEIR here than in the UK as a whole, and 10 would make it ten times as likely. The value of 82.81 in Ayrshire means that you are 82.81 times as likely to find someone with the surname of SPEIR in Ayrshire than you would be in the whole of the UK.

Ayrshire comprises 50 registration districts

District Population Top Surname by Total Top Surname by Frequency
Ardrossan 7568 MILLER BRECKENRIDGE
Ardrossan New 76 HODGSON YELL
Ardrossan West 194 STEVENSON HAGGANS
Auckinleck 6768 SMITH MUNCIE
Ayr 10319 SMITH TYRIE
Ballantrae 1446 BROWN HANVEY
Barr 600 KIRKLAND KINARD
Beith 6524 KERR FRIELS
Colmonell 2198 CAMPBELL CLINGAN
Coylton 3102 WILSON OTTERSON
Craigie 602 BROWN CRUMLY
Dailly 2230 BRYDEN RILLIE
Dalmellington 6429 MURRAY MCCONNEL
Dalry 10288 CRAWFORD SPEIR
Dalrymple 1370 MURRAY SEAWRIGHT
Dreghorn 3958 WILSON CREELEY
Dundonald 8062 WILSON COUSAR
Dunlop 1364 KERR MCGILVRAY
Fenwick 1157 DUNLOP BICKET
Galston 5979 YOUNG RICARDSON
Girvan 5488 CAMPBELL KEANY
Irvine 6073 WILSON ROBIE
Kilbirnie 5250 BARCLAY PLOTT
Kilmarnock 26022 BROWN BUNTEN
Kilmaurs 3720 SMITH KASE
Kilwinning 7060 KERR BENNERMAN
Kirkmichael 1993 WILSON CROSSGROVE
Kirkoswald 1785 CAMPBELL MCCLUNG
Largs 5151 CRAWFORD GUILL
Loudoun 5258 MORTON STRAWHORN
Mauchline 2513 WILSON CRUMMIE
Maybole 6657 WILSON QUA
Monkton Prestwick 2128 ANDREW WHIGHAM
Muirkirk 5134 BROWN DRYLIE
New Cumnock 3791 BROWN CLINGAN
Newton On Ayr 6548 REID COPES
Ochiltree 1504 BROWN HETTRICK
Old Cumnock 4868 WILSON RIGGANS
Riccarton 3298 BROWN MUNGO
Riccarton Hurlford 3835 WILSON OPRAY
Sorn 4295 YOUNG ANNON
St Quivox 7392 SMITH TUTON
Stair 932 WILSON JANS
Stevenston 5699 HAMILTON PLEW
Stewarton 4326 DUNLOP ARON
Straiton 1243 CAMPBELL MCDOWALL
Symington 702 YOUNG SPROTT
Tarbolton 3598 WILSON HENDREN
Troon 55 WITHERS PASEY
West Kilbride 2083 WILSON WAIR

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