NameCensus.

UK surname

Abernethy

A Scottish habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "mouth of the Nethy" in Pictish.

In the 1881 census there were 697 people recorded with the Abernethy surname, ranking it #5,202 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,082, ranked #5,400, down from #5,202 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Walls and Sandness and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East and West Mainland, Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath and Craigmillar.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Abernethy is 1,084 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.2%.

1881 census count

697

Ranked #5,202

Modern count

1,082

2016, ranked #5,400

Peak year

2015

1,084 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Abernethy had 697 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,202 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,082 in 2016, ranked #5,400.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 852 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Abernethy surname distribution map

The map shows where the Abernethy surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Abernethy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Abernethy over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 418 #5,816
1861 historical 519 #5,044
1881 historical 697 #5,202
1891 historical 745 #5,342
1901 historical 852 #5,352
1911 historical 304 #11,342
1997 modern 985 #5,570
1998 modern 1,041 #5,480
1999 modern 1,050 #5,488
2000 modern 1,064 #5,406
2001 modern 1,045 #5,389
2002 modern 1,048 #5,473
2003 modern 1,016 #5,519
2004 modern 1,013 #5,537
2005 modern 1,000 #5,549
2006 modern 1,025 #5,450
2007 modern 1,031 #5,472
2008 modern 1,064 #5,357
2009 modern 1,059 #5,508
2010 modern 1,069 #5,563
2011 modern 1,059 #5,549
2012 modern 1,057 #5,461
2013 modern 1,071 #5,505
2014 modern 1,071 #5,537
2015 modern 1,084 #5,411
2016 modern 1,082 #5,400

Geography

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Where Abernethys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Walls and Sandness, Edinburgh, Penicuik and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East and West Mainland, Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath, Craigmillar, Central Shetland and Barrow-in-Furness. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Toxteth Park Lancashire
2 Walls and Sandness Shetland
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Penicuik Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East and West Mainland Shetland Islands
2 Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath South Lanarkshire
3 Craigmillar City of Edinburgh
4 Central Shetland Shetland Islands
5 Barrow-in-Furness 006 Barrow-in-Furness

Forenames

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First names often paired with Abernethy

These lists show first names that appear often with the Abernethy surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Abernethy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Abernethy, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Abernethy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Abernethy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Abernethy is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Abernethy is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Abernethy falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Abernethy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Abernethy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Abernethy

The surname Abernethy originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the place name Abernethy, which is located in Perthshire, Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Gaelic words "abair" meaning "confluence" and "nethy" referring to the River Nethy, indicating that it was originally a locational name given to those residing near the confluence of the River Nethy.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Abernethy surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which was a record of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. The name appeared as "Abirnethy" in this document. The Abernethy name was also mentioned in various charters and records from the 13th and 14th centuries, demonstrating its prominence among Scottish families.

The town of Abernethy itself has historical significance, as it was once an important ecclesiastical center and the site of a Culdee monastery founded in the 6th century. This connection to an early Christian community may have contributed to the surname's prestige.

Notable individuals with the Abernethy surname throughout history include:

1. John Abernethy (1680-1740), a renowned Presbyterian minister and philosopher in Ireland. 2. William Abernethy (1804-1873), a Scottish-American minister and educator who founded the Abernethy Institute in North Carolina. 3. James Abernethy (1814-1896), a Scottish-born Australian pioneer and politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. 4. Mary Anne Abernethy (1768-1845), a Scottish botanist and artist known for her illustrations of plant species. 5. Brice Abernethy (1873-1944), an American Baptist missionary and educator who worked in China for over 40 years.

The Abernethy surname has also been associated with various place names and older spellings. For example, the town of Abernethy was historically spelled as "Abirnethy" or "Abernethyn" in older records. Additionally, there are places called Abernethy in both Louisiana and Mississippi, likely named after early Scottish settlers in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Abernethy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Abernethy surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Shetland leads with 213 Abernethys recorded in 1881 and an index of 308.96x.

County Total Index
Shetland 213 308.96x
Lanarkshire 96 4.40x
Midlothian 71 7.85x
Aberdeenshire 65 10.40x
Lancashire 48 0.60x
Kincardineshire 45 54.74x
Angus 19 3.04x
Cumberland 18 3.10x
Northumberland 14 1.39x
Banffshire 13 9.28x
Dunbartonshire 12 6.62x
Middlesex 11 0.16x
Durham 9 0.45x
Ayrshire 8 1.58x
Perthshire 8 2.64x
Essex 7 0.53x
Staffordshire 7 0.31x
Surrey 7 0.21x
Renfrewshire 4 0.76x
Yorkshire 3 0.04x
Argyllshire 2 1.06x
Dumfriesshire 2 1.34x
Worcestershire 2 0.23x
Berkshire 1 0.20x
Caithness 1 1.08x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Norfolk 1 0.10x
Roxburghshire 1 0.82x
Shropshire 1 0.17x
Wigtownshire 1 1.12x
Wiltshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sandsting Aitsting in Shetland leads with 126 Abernethys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2016.00x.

Place Total Index
Sandsting Aitsting 126 2016.00x
Barony 37 6.70x
Penicuik 29 235.96x
Toxteth Park 25 9.22x
Unst 22 436.51x
Govan 20 3.70x
Walls 20 598.80x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 5.22x
Lerwick Gulberwick 19 178.07x
Aberdeen Old Machar 17 13.02x
Lanark 16 91.06x
Kincardine O Neil 15 336.32x
Whiteness Weisdale 15 721.15x
Fetteresso 14 108.70x
Peterhead 13 39.32x
Dundee 12 5.14x
Fordyce 12 119.17x
South Leith 10 9.83x
Bishopwearmouth 9 5.22x
Dunnottar 9 155.71x
Fordoun 8 173.54x
North Leith 8 19.12x
Ayr 7 29.36x
Bentley 7 897.44x
Bonhill 7 24.04x
Chirton 7 30.80x
Fettercairn 7 200.00x
Havering 7 679.61x
Maryhill 7 16.38x
Montrose 7 18.47x
New Monkland 7 10.85x
Northmavine 7 133.33x
Sandwith 7 813.95x
Seaton 7 103.24x
Wooler 7 198.30x
Kensington London 6 1.60x
Strachan 6 375.00x
Fraserburgh 5 28.41x
Glasgow 5 1.29x
Lambeth 5 0.85x
Cambuslang 4 18.17x
Cardross 4 18.37x
Chorley 4 8.90x
Everton 4 1.57x
Old Deer 4 33.76x
Perth St Pauls 4 57.06x
West Derby 4 1.71x
Batley 3 4.72x
Great Crosby 3 13.74x
Liverpool 3 0.62x
Skene 3 72.29x
Workington 3 9.02x
Alyth 2 24.54x
Clapham 2 2.37x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 2 9.35x
Hampstead London 2 1.90x
Kirkpatrick Juxta 2 81.97x
Manchester 2 0.56x
St George In East London 2 3.15x
Stourbridge 2 8.82x
Walls Sandness 2 150.38x
West Greenock 2 2.13x
Abbey 1 1.25x
Auckinleck 1 6.39x
Boyndie 1 21.55x
Cramond 1 14.60x
Cruden 1 12.42x
Cuerdley 1 185.19x
Edinburgh St Stephens 1 5.62x
Inch 1 11.44x
Inverkip 1 8.11x
Irton With Santon 1 69.44x
Kelso 1 8.21x
Latheron 1 6.47x
Marykirk 1 29.50x
Peterculter 1 22.68x
Shrewsbury St Chad 1 4.89x
Strichen 1 18.42x
Sutton 1 3.72x
Tibbermore 1 23.04x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Abernethy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 10
Mary 9
Margaret 6
Ann 5
Jane 4
Agnes 3
Charlotte 3
Sarah 3
Annie 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Isabella 2
Janet 2
Jemima 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Cathe. 1
Catherine 1
Jessey 1
Maggie 1
Marion 1
Polulina 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Abernethy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

FAQ

Abernethy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Abernethy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 697 people were recorded with the Abernethy surname. That placed it at #5,202 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Abernethy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,082 in 2016. That gives Abernethy a modern rank of #5,400.

What does the Abernethy surname mean?

A Scottish habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "mouth of the Nethy" in Pictish.

What does the Abernethy map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Abernethy bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.