NameCensus.

UK surname

Ainslie

Scottish habitational surname from a place near Edinburgh, likely derived from the Old English words "anne" and "leah" meaning "hermitage" and "clearing."

In the 1881 census there were 809 people recorded with the Ainslie surname, ranking it #4,612 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,198, ranked #4,968, down from #4,612 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Melrose, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Duns and IZ20.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ainslie is 1,208 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.1%.

1881 census count

809

Ranked #4,612

Modern count

1,198

2016, ranked #4,968

Peak year

2014

1,208 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ainslie had 809 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,612 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,198 in 2016, ranked #4,968.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 994 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Ainslie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ainslie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ainslie 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 579 #4,401
1861 historical 613 #4,341
1881 historical 809 #4,612
1891 historical 823 #4,929
1901 historical 994 #4,789
1911 historical 490 #7,943
1997 modern 1,127 #4,969
1998 modern 1,166 #5,003
1999 modern 1,193 #4,959
2000 modern 1,158 #5,056
2001 modern 1,121 #5,086
2002 modern 1,174 #4,989
2003 modern 1,133 #5,054
2004 modern 1,137 #5,048
2005 modern 1,123 #5,050
2006 modern 1,134 #4,996
2007 modern 1,159 #4,954
2008 modern 1,159 #4,974
2009 modern 1,185 #4,985
2010 modern 1,201 #5,041
2011 modern 1,205 #4,950
2012 modern 1,160 #5,050
2013 modern 1,189 #5,030
2014 modern 1,208 #4,988
2015 modern 1,193 #4,998
2016 modern 1,198 #4,968

Geography

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Where Ainslies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Melrose, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Lasswade. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Duns, IZ20 and IZ22. 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 Melrose Roxburgh
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Lasswade Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 001 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
3 Duns Scottish Borders
4 IZ20 East Lothian
5 IZ22 East Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ainslie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ainslie

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Ainslie is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Ainslie 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

Ainslie falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ainslie

The surname Ainslie is of Scottish origin, derived from the place name Enslie or Ainslie in Berwickshire, Scotland. This place name likely stems from the Old English words "an" meaning "one" and "leah" meaning "woodland clearing or meadow."

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Ainslie appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists those who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. The name is spelled as "Aynslie" in these records. Other early spellings include Anislie, Ainsleye, and Aynsley.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the Ainslie name was Sir Robert Ainslie (1508-1587), a Scottish lawyer and diplomat who served as the Lord Advocate of Scotland under Mary, Queen of Scots. He was also the owner of the lands of Dolphingston in East Lothian.

Another significant figure was Sir Robert Ainslie (1730-1804), a British diplomat and ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1776 to 1792. He played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and facilitating trade between Britain and Turkey.

In the literary world, Hew Ainslie (1792-1878) was a Scottish poet and songwriter, known for his works such as "The Pilgrims of the Sun" and "A Border Garland." He was born in Darnick, Roxburghshire, and spent much of his life in Edinburgh.

The surname Ainslie is also associated with place names, such as Ainslie Park in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the suburb of Ainslie in Canberra, Australia, which was named after James Ainslie (1767-1836), a Scottish landowner and merchant.

Another notable bearer of the Ainslie name was Sir Robert Ainslie (1776-1865), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament for Pembrokeshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ainslie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ainslie 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 131 Ainslies recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.67x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 131 12.67x
Northumberland 75 6.53x
Roxburghshire 60 42.93x
Lanarkshire 57 2.28x
Durham 51 2.22x
Fife 50 10.95x
Berwickshire 40 42.81x
Lancashire 33 0.36x
West Lothian 28 24.10x
Selkirkshire 26 37.24x
Cheshire 24 1.41x
East Lothian 20 19.57x
Middlesex 20 0.26x
Peeblesshire 20 55.11x
Yorkshire 18 0.24x
Cumberland 13 1.96x
Perthshire 13 3.75x
Clackmannanshire 9 14.12x
Lincolnshire 8 0.65x
Surrey 8 0.21x
Sussex 8 0.62x
Argyllshire 6 2.79x
Dunbartonshire 6 2.89x
Norfolk 6 0.51x
Stirlingshire 6 2.11x
Worcestershire 6 0.60x
Cambridgeshire 5 1.02x
Devon 5 0.31x
Somerset 5 0.40x
Hampshire 4 0.25x
Kent 4 0.15x
Staffordshire 4 0.15x
Westmorland 4 2.36x
Oxfordshire 3 0.63x
Channel Islands 2 0.87x
Hertfordshire 2 0.38x
Renfrewshire 2 0.33x
Angus 1 0.14x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.21x
Derbyshire 1 0.08x
Dorset 1 0.20x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.59x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 1.09x
Wiltshire 1 0.15x

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 49 Ainslies recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.78x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 49 11.78x
St Andrews 22 105.87x
Tweedmouth 21 146.75x
South Leith 20 17.19x
Edrom 18 450.00x
Glasgow 18 4.06x
Birkenhead 17 12.52x
Govan 17 2.75x
Linlithgow 17 114.09x
Monkwearmouth Shore 15 33.47x
Innerleithen 13 134.99x
Melrose 13 73.99x
Barony 12 1.90x
Yetholm 12 434.78x
Manchester 11 2.67x
Dalziel 10 37.24x
Lanton 10 5555.56x
Alloa 9 29.13x
Bowden 9 443.35x
Dunse 9 101.58x
Galashiels 9 34.87x
Gateshead 9 5.24x
Greenlaw 9 271.90x
Howick 9 1097.56x
Jedburgh 9 65.69x
Kelso 9 64.61x
Lasswade 9 38.09x
Ryhope 9 56.46x
Tulliallan 9 153.32x
Bishopwearmouth 8 4.06x
Boness 8 49.94x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 8 32.72x
Leeds 8 1.85x
Liberton 8 50.13x
Ancroft 7 173.27x
Cameron 7 264.15x
Dunfermline 7 9.97x
Garvald 7 346.53x
Over Kellet 7 538.46x
Stobo 7 555.56x
Claines 6 21.70x
Edinburgh St Georges 6 27.97x
Elswick 6 6.55x
Minto 6 526.32x
St Botolph Lincoln 6 67.64x
Strachur Stralachlan 6 338.98x
Tranmere 6 9.58x
Abbotshall 5 29.29x
Brighton 5 1.91x
Caldewgate 5 13.74x
Camberwell 5 1.01x
Chatton 5 142.05x
Edinburgh Newington 5 271.74x
Hawick 5 15.98x
Little Bolton 5 4.25x
Shoreditch London 5 1.49x
St Benedict Cambridge 5 181.16x
Whitby 5 19.40x
Applethwaite 4 79.05x
Arthuret 4 57.72x
Berwick Upon Tweed 4 16.44x
Dysart 4 13.00x
Edinburgh Greenside 4 29.28x
Edinburgh St Marys 4 19.91x
Edinburgh St Stephens 4 19.66x
Falkirk 4 6.00x
Haddington 4 26.51x
Harborne 4 4.79x
Heigham 4 6.28x
Henstridge 4 116.62x
Islington London 4 0.53x
Kirkcaldy 4 17.66x
Melrose 4 33.11x
Monkwearmouth 4 18.21x
Portsea 4 1.29x
Selkirk 4 20.34x
St Cuthbert W O 4 12.35x
Satterthwaite 3 250.00x
Tormoham 3 4.41x
Whitekirk Tynninghame 3 107.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 13
Isabella 13
Margaret 12
Jane 10
Ellen 6
Sarah 6
Eliza 5
Ann 3
Annie 3
Catherine 3
Christian 3
Agnes 2
Beatrice 2
Clara 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Ernestine 2
Frances 2
Helen 2
Janet 2
Jessie 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Maud 2
Amy 1
Anna 1
Betsy 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Carry 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizbeth 1
Elizebeth 1
Euphemia 1
Fanny 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Hella 1
Isabel 1
J.E. 1
Katherine 1
L.Annie 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Margt. 1
Wilhemina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 25
William 18
John 17
Thomas 14
George 10
Charles 5
Alexander 4
Peter 4
Robert 4
Andrew 3
Henry 3
Montague 3
Ralph 3
Alfred 2
Archibald 2
Aymer 2
David 2
Edward 2
Gilbert 2
Percival 2
Philip 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Clement 1
Douglas 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.H. 1
Gerald 1
Harold 1
Joseph 1
Julian 1
Malcolm 1
Samuel 1
T.H. 1
Thos.H. 1
Wilfred 1
Willm. 1
Wm.L. 1

FAQ

Ainslie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ainslie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 809 people were recorded with the Ainslie surname. That placed it at #4,612 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ainslie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,198 in 2016. That gives Ainslie a modern rank of #4,968.

What does the Ainslie surname mean?

Scottish habitational surname from a place near Edinburgh, likely derived from the Old English words "anne" and "leah" meaning "hermitage" and "clearing."

What does the Ainslie map show?

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