NameCensus.

UK surname

Aikman

An Old English surname derived from the personal name Athelhelm, meaning "noble helmet" or "noble protector."

In the 1881 census there were 622 people recorded with the Aikman surname, ranking it #5,678 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 594, ranked #8,788, down from #5,678 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanark, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gwynedd, Earlston Stow and Clovernfords Area and Dacorum.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Aikman is 772 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.5%.

1881 census count

622

Ranked #5,678

Modern count

594

2016, ranked #8,788

Peak year

1901

772 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Aikman had 622 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,678 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 594 in 2016, ranked #8,788.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 772 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Aikman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Aikman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Aikman 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 393 #6,118
1861 historical 452 #5,730
1881 historical 622 #5,678
1891 historical 628 #6,158
1901 historical 772 #5,804
1911 historical 214 #14,333
1997 modern 583 #8,313
1998 modern 609 #8,299
1999 modern 624 #8,215
2000 modern 601 #8,412
2001 modern 589 #8,405
2002 modern 610 #8,362
2003 modern 585 #8,479
2004 modern 593 #8,419
2005 modern 570 #8,582
2006 modern 559 #8,714
2007 modern 566 #8,713
2008 modern 564 #8,792
2009 modern 574 #8,880
2010 modern 577 #9,028
2011 modern 561 #9,118
2012 modern 543 #9,264
2013 modern 570 #9,058
2014 modern 587 #8,948
2015 modern 590 #8,843
2016 modern 594 #8,788

Geography

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Where Aikmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanark, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, St. Ninians and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gwynedd, Earlston Stow and Clovernfords Area, Dacorum and Renfrewshire Rural North and Langbank. 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 Lanark Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 St. Ninians Stirling
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gwynedd 012 Gwynedd
2 Earlston Stow and Clovernfords Area Scottish Borders
3 Dacorum 010 Dacorum
4 Renfrewshire Rural North and Langbank Renfrewshire
5 Gwynedd 013 Gwynedd

Forenames

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First names often paired with Aikman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Aikman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Aikman, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Aikman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Aikman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Aikman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Aikman 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

Aikman falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Aikman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Aikman

The surname Aikman is of Scottish origin, deriving from the parish of Aiken in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. The name is believed to have evolved from the Old English words "ac" meaning oak and "mann" meaning man, suggesting a connection to someone who resided near oak trees or in an oak forest.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Aikman can be traced back to the 13th century, with William de Aykeman mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name also appears in various medieval Scottish records, such as the Exchequer Rolls and the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland.

In the 16th century, the Aikmans were prominent landowners in the Borders region of Scotland, particularly in the areas around Jedburgh and Kelso. One notable figure was John Aikman, who was granted the lands of Cairney in Roxburghshire in 1540.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Aikman family spread throughout Scotland and beyond. William Aikman (1682-1731) was a renowned Scottish painter and writer, known for his portraits of prominent figures such as Sir John Clerk of Penicuik and Sir Robert Walpole. Another prominent individual was Thomas Aikman (1738-1804), a Scottish poet and literary critic.

In the 19th century, the Aikmans continued to play a role in Scottish society. Alexander Aikman (1806-1871) was a Scottish lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Haddingtonshire. James Aikman (1823-1902) was a Scottish-born Australian businessman and politician, who played a significant role in the development of Victoria.

Other notable individuals with the surname Aikman include John Aikman (1911-1996), a Scottish footballer who played for Rangers F.C. and the Scottish national team, and Troy Aikman (born 1966), an American former professional football quarterback who led the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories in the 1990s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Aikman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Aikman 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. Midlothian leads with 197 Aikmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.35x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 197 24.35x
Lanarkshire 134 6.86x
Berwickshire 60 82.06x
Lancashire 26 0.36x
Fife 23 6.43x
Middlesex 23 0.38x
Northumberland 21 2.34x
Selkirkshire 21 38.44x
Roxburghshire 18 16.46x
Renfrewshire 14 2.99x
Stirlingshire 12 5.39x
West Lothian 12 13.20x
Clackmannanshire 11 22.06x
Perthshire 7 2.58x
Banffshire 6 4.79x
Dunbartonshire 6 3.70x
Durham 6 0.33x
East Lothian 6 7.50x
Ayrshire 5 1.11x
Surrey 4 0.14x
Yorkshire 4 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 1.39x
Sussex 1 0.10x
Wiltshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 83 Aikmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.50x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 83 25.50x
Barony 43 8.70x
Govan 28 5.80x
South Leith 24 26.36x
Glasgow 16 4.61x
Carluke 15 84.60x
Galashiels 15 74.26x
Coldstream 14 264.65x
Lasswade 12 64.90x
Edinburgh Canongate 10 48.57x
Paisley High Church 10 26.84x
Alloa 9 37.22x
Dunse 9 129.87x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 9 47.02x
Edinburgh Greenside 9 84.19x
St Andrews 9 55.35x
St Marylebone London 9 2.79x
Duddingston 8 49.26x
Lanark 8 50.92x
Linton 8 701.75x
Manchester 8 2.48x
Mid Calder 8 227.92x
St Ninians 8 36.25x
Toxteth Park 8 3.30x
Accrington 7 10.75x
Chirnside 7 223.64x
Douglas 7 124.33x
Edinburgh St Georges 7 41.69x
Edinburgh St Stephens 7 43.97x
Maryhill 7 18.31x
St Leonards 7 437.50x
Whitburn 7 53.27x
Whitsome 7 603.45x
Aydon Castle 6 15000.00x
Dunfermline 6 10.92x
Eccles 6 187.50x
Keith 6 44.94x
Shotts 6 25.67x
Bowden 5 314.47x
Coldingham 5 76.10x
Culross 5 212.77x
Edinburgh New North 5 71.02x
Hutton 5 250.00x
Kilwinning 5 34.27x
Melrose 5 36.36x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 5 9.32x
Tweedmouth 5 44.64x
Tynemouth 5 10.39x
Crook Billy Row 4 17.39x
Currie 4 80.81x
Ealing 4 7.41x
Eyemouth 4 65.57x
Lambeth 4 0.76x
Livingstone 4 129.03x
Old Monkland 4 5.16x
St Boswells 4 202.02x
Stirling 4 14.25x
Bolton In Bradford 3 78.13x
Edinburgh St Marys 3 19.08x
Inveresk 3 13.70x
Prestonkirk 3 75.00x
St Pancras London 3 0.62x
Chester Le Street 2 14.50x
Colinton 2 22.17x
Dumbarton 2 8.85x
Hanwell 2 18.69x
Kensington London 2 0.60x
Lauder 2 49.51x
Muckhart 2 160.00x
Roseneath 2 64.31x
Row 2 9.53x
West Greenock 2 2.38x
Whittinghame 2 151.52x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 1.76x
Clackmannan 1 10.60x
Cockpen 1 10.58x
Dollar 1 19.34x
Edinburgh St Johns 1 19.57x
Hackney London 1 0.30x
Tranent 1 9.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Agnes 5
Margaret 3
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Harriet 2
Maria 2
Sarah 2
Agnas 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Crisse 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
Jean 1
Jenny 1
Jessie 1
Leah 1
Lucy 1
Marion 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Aikman households.

FAQ

Aikman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Aikman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 622 people were recorded with the Aikman surname. That placed it at #5,678 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Aikman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 594 in 2016. That gives Aikman a modern rank of #8,788.

What does the Aikman surname mean?

An Old English surname derived from the personal name Athelhelm, meaning "noble helmet" or "noble protector."

What does the Aikman map show?

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