NameCensus.

UK surname

Adie

Derived from the Old English personal name Eadwig, meaning "prosperity" or "fortune in war."

In the 1881 census there were 648 people recorded with the Adie surname, ranking it #5,507 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 755, ranked #7,252, down from #5,507 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old Deer, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lochgelly East, North Tyneside and Hill of Beath and Kingseat.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Adie is 767 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.5%.

1881 census count

648

Ranked #5,507

Modern count

755

2016, ranked #7,252

Peak year

2009

767 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Adie had 648 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,507 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 755 in 2016, ranked #7,252.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 765 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Adie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Adie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Adie 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 407 #5,956
1861 historical 396 #6,476
1881 historical 648 #5,507
1891 historical 655 #5,925
1901 historical 765 #5,848
1911 historical 330 #10,669
1997 modern 710 #7,174
1998 modern 739 #7,185
1999 modern 742 #7,208
2000 modern 721 #7,339
2001 modern 702 #7,351
2002 modern 735 #7,221
2003 modern 751 #7,010
2004 modern 755 #6,988
2005 modern 741 #7,027
2006 modern 738 #7,076
2007 modern 732 #7,199
2008 modern 751 #7,098
2009 modern 767 #7,118
2010 modern 766 #7,274
2011 modern 759 #7,232
2012 modern 735 #7,344
2013 modern 752 #7,327
2014 modern 759 #7,302
2015 modern 756 #7,260
2016 modern 755 #7,252

Geography

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Where Adies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Old Deer, Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lochgelly East, North Tyneside, Hill of Beath and Kingseat, Dysart and Blairgowrie West. 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 Old Deer Aberdeen
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lochgelly East Fife
2 North Tyneside 027 North Tyneside
3 Hill of Beath and Kingseat Fife
4 Dysart Fife
5 Blairgowrie West Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Adie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Adie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Adie, 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 Adie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Adie 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Adie is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Adie is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

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

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Adie falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Adie 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 Adie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Adie

The surname Adie is believed to have originated in Scotland, particularly in the regions of Aberdeenshire and Angus. It is thought to have derived from the Gaelic personal name "Addie," which is a pet form of the name Adam. This name was first introduced to Scotland during the Middle Ages, likely through Norman influence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Adie can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the late 13th century, where a person named "Ade" is mentioned. In the 14th century, the surname appears in various Scottish records, with spellings such as "Adye," "Adhie," and "Aydye."

The surname Adie has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Adie Hill in Angus and Adie's Well in Aberdeenshire. These place names may have influenced the adoption of the surname or vice versa.

Notable individuals with the surname Adie throughout history include:

1. William Adie (1786-1858), a Scottish chemist and author who wrote extensively on mineralogy and geology. 2. Richard Adie (1811-1886), a Scottish civil engineer and inventor, best known for his improvements to the marine chronometer. 3. Robert Adie (1775-1866), a Scottish philosopher and mathematician who served as the secretary of the Wernerian Natural History Society. 4. Alexander James Adie (1775-1858), a Scottish writer and poet who wrote extensively on Scottish history and culture. 5. John Adie (1655-1718), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the principal of the University of Edinburgh.

While the surname Adie is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with various notable individuals bearing the name throughout the centuries. The name's connection to the Gaelic personal name "Addie" and its association with certain place names in Scotland add to its unique origins and significance within Scottish heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Adie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Adie 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 106 Adies recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.16x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 106 18.16x
Staffordshire 79 3.71x
Warwickshire 50 3.15x
Lanarkshire 46 2.26x
Midlothian 44 5.21x
Perthshire 44 15.56x
Middlesex 40 0.63x
Fife 37 9.92x
Angus 34 5.82x
Durham 32 1.71x
Kent 27 1.26x
Shetland 18 27.97x
Yorkshire 16 0.26x
Clackmannanshire 11 21.14x
Norfolk 6 0.62x
Renfrewshire 6 1.23x
Banffshire 5 3.83x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.59x
Surrey 5 0.16x
Cheshire 4 0.29x
East Lothian 4 4.79x
Lancashire 4 0.05x
Northumberland 4 0.43x
Hampshire 3 0.23x
Inverness-shire 3 1.59x
Roxburghshire 2 1.75x
Ayrshire 1 0.21x
Derbyshire 1 0.10x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.72x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.59x
Essex 1 0.08x
Gloucestershire 1 0.08x
Isle of Man 1 0.85x
Royal Navy 1 1.33x
Somerset 1 0.10x
Stirlingshire 1 0.43x
West Lothian 1 1.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crieff in Perthshire leads with 18 Adies recorded in 1881 and an index of 171.10x.

Place Total Index
Crieff 18 171.10x
Dundee 18 8.26x
Delting 17 469.61x
Old Deer 17 153.71x
Birmingham 16 3.02x
Govan 16 3.17x
Bishopwearmouth 14 8.70x
Dunfermline 14 24.41x
Aston 13 2.97x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 13 3.83x
Stone 12 44.10x
Leeds 11 3.12x
Tonbridge 11 14.19x
Dysart 10 39.81x
Fraserburgh 10 60.86x
Lesmahagow 10 46.40x
Longside 10 143.47x
Strichen 10 197.24x
Duddingston 9 53.10x
Monquhitter 9 149.01x
Muthill 9 243.90x
Penshaw 9 159.86x
Walsall Foreign 9 8.19x
Liff Benvie 8 9.03x
Beath 7 59.37x
Culross 7 285.71x
Isleworth 7 24.98x
Kensington London 7 2.00x
Monifieth 7 33.95x
New Deer 7 66.29x
Alloa 6 23.77x
Barony 6 1.16x
Bolehall Glascote 6 89.15x
Crimond 6 333.33x
Edgbaston 6 12.18x
Edinburgh St Marys 6 36.56x
Gorbals 6 49.59x
King Edward 6 89.15x
Longdon 6 203.39x
Neilston 6 24.48x
Thorpe Next Norwich 6 58.42x
Towerof London London 6 300.00x
Tulliallan 6 125.26x
Aberdour 5 108.70x
Castle Church 5 39.12x
Chatham 5 8.45x
Colwich 5 98.81x
Dollar 5 92.76x
Ellon 5 62.27x
Hamstall Ridware 5 602.41x
Mavesyn Ridware 5 490.20x
Nottingham St Mary 5 2.28x
Pitsligo 5 89.61x
South Leith 5 5.26x
St George Hanover Square 5 4.50x
Tamworth 5 43.98x
Trentham 5 27.64x
Westoe 5 4.70x
Wolverhampton 5 3.06x
Aberlady 4 184.33x
Edinburgh Greenside 4 35.87x
Hendon 4 17.64x
Lonmay 4 75.47x
Middlewich 4 139.86x
Milverton 4 85.84x
Newcastle On Tyne St 4 8.23x
Rochester St Margaret 4 17.64x
St George In East London 4 6.75x
Tyrie 4 54.57x
West Bromwich 4 3.28x
Aldershot 3 6.93x
Bothwell 3 5.43x
Holy Trinity 3 2.00x
Inverness 3 6.34x
Nuneaton 3 16.30x
Ratho 3 76.14x
Rochester St Nicholas 3 44.84x
Shenstone 3 55.45x
Whickham 3 17.39x
Lichfield St Michael 2 29.94x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 14
John 12
George 10
Francis 9
James 9
William 9
Charles 6
David 4
Frederick 4
Walter 4
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Joseph 2
Joshua 2
Percy 2
Samuel 2
Aaron 1
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alice 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Clementina 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Frederic 1
Fredk 1
Geo 1
Louis 1
Louisa 1
Olive 1
Patient 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Richd. 1
Scott 1
Sidney 1
Theoble 1

FAQ

Adie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Adie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 648 people were recorded with the Adie surname. That placed it at #5,507 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Adie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 755 in 2016. That gives Adie a modern rank of #7,252.

What does the Adie surname mean?

Derived from the Old English personal name Eadwig, meaning "prosperity" or "fortune in war."

What does the Adie map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Adie 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.