Top Locations

See the bottom of the page for an explanation of the numeric columns.

Counties

Census Districts

Demographics

Numbers in brackets are the total recorded in the census. Note that for less common surnames, some of these may well be typos or transcription errors. See below for some more information on occupational titles.

Top male names

  1. William (28)
  2. John (19)
  3. George (12)
  4. Thomas (12)
  5. Alexander (12)
  6. David (10)
  7. James (10)
  8. Robert (9)
  9. Henry (7)
  10. Charles (7)
  11. Edward (5)
  12. Andrew (5)
  13. Frederick (4)
  14. Wm. (4)
  15. Richard (3)
  16. Arthur (3)
  17. W. (2)
  18. Edwin (2)
  19. Joseph (2)
  20. Archd. (2)
  21. Hugh (2)
  22. Thos. (2)
  23. Alfred (2)
  24. Peter (2)
  25. Frank (2)
  26. Douglas (2)
  27. Duncan (2)
  28. Reginald (1)
  29. Jonathan (1)
  30. Samuel (1)
  31. Stanley (1)
  32. Sydney (1)
  33. Lewis (1)
  34. Reyneld (1)
  35. Livingston (1)
  36. Patrick (1)
  37. Llewellyn (1)
  38. Jno. (1)
  39. Colin (1)
  40. Constantine (1)
  41. Daniel (1)
  42. Ernest (1)
  43. Francis (1)
  44. Fred. (1)
  45. Frederic (1)
  46. Andw. (1)
  47. Fredk. (1)
  48. G.E.A. (1)
  49. Harry (1)
  50. Wm.N. (1)

Top female names

  1. Mary (26)
  2. Elizabeth (16)
  3. Margaret (14)
  4. Annie (10)
  5. Jane (8)
  6. Anna (7)
  7. Florence (6)
  8. Martha (6)
  9. Isabella (6)
  10. Anne (5)
  11. Sarah (5)
  12. Agnes (5)
  13. Emma (5)
  14. Edith (4)
  15. Emily (4)
  16. Frances (4)
  17. Ellen (3)
  18. Eliza (3)
  19. Jessie (3)
  20. Grace (3)
  21. Catherine (3)
  22. Caroline (3)
  23. Marion (2)
  24. Minnie (2)
  25. Ann (2)
  26. Harriet (2)
  27. Helen (2)
  28. Margt. (2)
  29. Janet (2)
  30. Giffard (2)
  31. Harriett (2)
  32. Evelyn (2)
  33. Charlotte (2)
  34. Jeanie (1)
  35. Jannet (1)
  36. Jeannie (1)
  37. Allice (1)
  38. Jenie (1)
  39. Enis (1)
  40. Hon.Constance (1)
  41. Henrietta (1)
  42. Helena (1)
  43. Ethel (1)
  44. Arabella (1)
  45. Beatrice (1)
  46. Blanche (1)
  47. Fanny (1)
  48. Wilhelmina (1)
  49. Amy (1)
  50. C. (1)

Top occupations

  1. Scholar (74)
  2. Annuitant (5)
  3. No Occupation (3)
  4. Domestic Servant (3)
  5. Laundress (3)
  6. Carpenter (3)
  7. Clerk (3)
  8. Private (3)
  9. Beer Retailer (2)
  10. Retired Nautical Instmt Makr (2)
  11. Seaman (2)
  12. Tailor (2)
  13. Dom Servant (2)
  14. Draper (2)
  15. Weaver Silk (Manuf) (2)
  16. Milliner (2)
  17. Interest Of Money (2)
  18. Income From Dividends (2)
  19. Draper Employing 7 Women (Master) (1)
  20. Agent To Provisions Merchants Wife (1)
  21. Companion Of The Bath And A Major General Retired List (1)
  22. Compositor (1)
  23. Confectioner (1)
  24. A B Seaman (1)
  25. Contractor Of Coal Mines (1)
  26. Cook Dom Serv (1)
  27. Drapers Assistant (1)
  28. Doctors Wife (1)
  29. Drapers Apprentice (1)
  30. Consul (C S O) (1)
  31. Domestic Servant Parlour Maid (1)
  32. Cook Domestic (1)
  33. Book Sellers Asst (1)
  34. Barrack Sergeant (1)
  35. Book Binder (1)
  36. Assistant Of Merchant (1)
  37. Worker Of Fancy Articles (...) (1)
  38. Capt 21st Hussars (1)
  39. Barrister At Law Practising (1)
  40. Charwoman (1)
  41. Chelse Pensioner Army (1)
  42. Cheml Merchant (Man) (1)
  43. Civil Engineer (1)
  44. Clergyman Without Cure Of Souls (1)
  45. Barrister (Not Practicing) F.G.S.R.J. (1)
  46. Clerk In Wine Trade (1)
  47. Clerk Of Merchant (1)
  48. Clerk to Railway Co (1)
  49. Coach Painter (1)
  50. Coachman (1)

Explanation of numeric columns in the county and district tables

The Total column shows the total number of people in that county or town with this surname. For example, there were 481 people with the surname Crichton in the county of Lanarkshire in 1881.

The Frequency column shows the percentage of people in this county or town with this surname. For example, 0.05% of the people in Lanarkshire were called Crichton.

The Index column shows how more or less common a surname is in a particular location compared to the population as a whole. If the index is higher than 1, then you more likely to find a person with this name here than you would in the country as a whole. And if it's less than 1, you are less likely to find someone with this surname here. For example, the Crichton surname has an index of 5.97 in Lanarkshire, meaning that you are 5.97 times as likely to find a Crichton here than you would in the population as a whole.

The Total value is an absolute figure which takes no account of the size of the county or town, so it tends to be biased towards larger towns and counties. The Frequency and Index values are relative to the local population, so they give a better idea of where a surname is most concentrated.

A note on occupational titles

Occupational titles are presented exactly as recorded on the census and later transcribed, with no attempt made to unify names that are the same. So, for example, 'Ag Lab' and 'Agricultural Labourer' will apear as separate entries, and so will any misspellings of them.

'Scholar' was the census term for any child in education. Given that families tended to be large, this means that school children, or scholars, are almost always the largest recorded occupational group for any surname. A better idea of what the family breadwinners did for a living will be found in the other job titles.

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