Top surnames from the 1881 census in Shetland

Top surnames by total occurrences

Surname Total Frequency Index
SMITH1,2514.19292.97
WILLIAMSON1,2194.085745.58
ROBERTSON1,0423.492420.84
ANDERSON9513.187416.14
JOHNSON8973.00648.95
JAMIESON8722.9226104.95
SINCLAIR8052.698152.31
IRVINE7852.6310119.42
NICOLSON5471.8334158.68
TAIT5281.769760.11
MANSON4981.6691142.74
LEASK4791.6054390.57
HENDERSON4721.582014.55
THOMSON4251.424510.66
SUTHERLAND4141.387627.54
FRASER4071.364115.32
HUNTER3901.307112.73
JOHNSTON3821.280315.87
TULLOCH3731.2502188.42
HUGHSON3321.1127608.17
JAMESON3061.025692.68
PETERSON3001.0055197.72
HENRY2830.948537.52
GOUDIE2790.9351295.39
GEORGESON2700.9049453.17
MORRISON2450.821210.45
GRAY2280.76425.35
DUNCAN2190.734010.73
SANDISON2140.7173285.26
ABERNETHY2130.7139308.96
LESLIE2110.707242.72
BROWN2090.70051.06
CLARK1880.63012.10
ARTHUR1780.596627.38
BRUCE1750.586512.52
COUTTS1590.532952.83
CHRISTIE1570.526216.23
GIFFORD1540.516259.36
POTTINGER1530.5128195.88
SPENCE1500.502715.20
THOMPSON1370.45921.53
GILBERTSON1370.4592156.98
SCOTT1370.45921.81
MONCRIEFF1350.4525179.71
CHEYNE1330.4458134.03
THOMASON1280.429073.50
LINKLATER1230.4123175.87
HAY1220.408911.15
HARPER1210.40566.33
DAVIDSON1200.40224.78

Top surnames by population index

Surname Index Total Frequency
WALTERSON812.64720.2413
HUGHSON608.173321.1127
GEORGESON453.172700.9049
STOVE404.67520.1743
LEASK390.574791.6054
ABERNETHY308.962130.7139
GOUDIE295.392790.9351
SANDISON285.262140.7173
ISBISTER262.831050.3519
PETERSON197.723001.0055
POTTINGER195.881530.5128
TULLOCH188.423731.2502
GARRICK185.72840.2815
TULLOCK183.23710.2380
MONCRIEFF179.711350.4525
LINKLATER175.871230.4123
NICOLSON158.685471.8334
GILBERTSON156.981370.4592
MANSON142.744981.6691
CHEYNE134.031330.4458
IRVINE119.427852.6310
JAMIESON104.958722.9226
JAMESON92.683061.0256
GEAR78.11870.2916
POLE77.80720.2413
THOMASON73.501280.4290
TAIT60.115281.7697
GIFFORD59.361540.5162
DALZIEL57.62760.2547
STOUT55.26790.2648
COUTTS52.831590.5329
SINCLAIR52.318052.6981
WILLIAMSON45.581,2194.0857
LESLIE42.722110.7072
HENRY37.522830.9485
MOODIE36.41510.1709
WISHART33.37780.2614
BOLT30.60660.2212
NISBET27.62870.2916
SUTHERLAND27.544141.3876
ARTHUR27.381780.5966
PETRIE21.72770.2581
ROBERTSON20.841,0423.4924
CHRISTIE16.231570.5262
ANDERSON16.149513.1874
JOHNSTON15.873821.2803
FRASER15.324071.3641
SPENCE15.201500.5027
HENDERSON14.554721.5820
MOFFAT13.88750.2514

The Total column shows the total number of people in that county or town with this surname. For example, there were 72 people called WALTERSON in Shetland 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 0.2413 in Shetland means that 0.2413% of the people in Shetland on census day were called WALTERSON.

The Index column shows the relative probability of finding someone called WALTERSON 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 WALTERSON 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 WALTERSON 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 WALTERSON here than in the UK as a whole, and 10 would make it ten times as likely. The value of 812.64 in Shetland means that you are 812.64 times as likely to find someone with the surname of WALTERSON in Shetland than you would be in the whole of the UK.

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