NameCensus.

UK surname

Aitkin

Habitational surname derived from places in Scotland, likely referring to a place of oaks or a place by water.

In the 1881 census there were 523 people recorded with the Aitkin surname, ranking it #6,537 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, down from #6,537 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hawick and Wilton, Lerwick and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hawick West End, County Durham and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Aitkin is 530 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 73.2%.

1881 census count

523

Ranked #6,537

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

1851

530 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Aitkin had 523 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,537 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 530 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Aitkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Aitkin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Aitkin 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 530 #4,736
1861 historical 430 #5,979
1881 historical 523 #6,537
1891 historical 495 #7,489
1901 historical 344 #10,569
1911 historical 192 #15,342
1997 modern 138 #22,227
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 149 #21,924
2000 modern 135 #23,250
2001 modern 140 #22,441
2002 modern 149 #22,001
2003 modern 131 #23,553
2004 modern 136 #23,207
2005 modern 141 #22,688
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 137 #23,590
2008 modern 146 #22,822
2009 modern 159 #22,072
2010 modern 167 #21,835
2011 modern 157 #22,574
2012 modern 153 #22,963
2013 modern 151 #23,529
2014 modern 152 #23,631
2015 modern 140 #24,836
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Aitkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hawick and Wilton, Lerwick, Gateshead, Newcastle All Saints and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hawick West End, County Durham, Stockton-on-Tees, Medway and Northumberland. 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 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
2 Lerwick Shetland
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hawick West End Scottish Borders
2 County Durham 048 County Durham
3 Stockton-on-Tees 024 Stockton-on-Tees
4 Medway 003 Medway
5 Northumberland 012 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Aitkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Aitkin

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Aitkin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Aitkin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Aitkin 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

Aitkin is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Aitkin falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Aitkin

The surname Aitkin originates from Scotland, where it first appeared in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Aedkin" or "Edikin", which is a diminutive form of the name "Eda" or "Ede". The name likely stems from the Germanic root "aud", meaning wealth or fortune.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One such entry lists a "Roger Aitkin" from Ayrshire.

In the 14th century, the name was also recorded in various forms, such as "Aitken", "Aitkins", and "Aitkinson", reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

The surname is closely associated with the Scottish town of Aitken, located in the county of Berwickshire. This place name likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable bearers of the Aitkin surname include Sir Robert Aitkin (1570-1638), a Scottish merchant and diplomat who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh in the early 17th century.

Another prominent figure was William Aitkin (1725-1792), a Scottish-born American military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later served as a member of the Continental Congress.

In the 19th century, John Aitkin (1839-1919) was a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Senate of Canada from 1891 until his death.

The name also gained recognition through the works of author William Edmondstoune Aytoun (1813-1865), a Scottish poet and critic who used the pen name "Aitkin".

In the field of engineering, John Aitken (1839-1919) was a Scottish meteorologist and physicist known for his pioneering work on the study of atmospheric dust and the formation of clouds.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the surname Aitkin throughout history, illustrating its rich Scottish heritage and widespread influence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Aitkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Aitkin 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. Lancashire leads with 99 Aitkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.66x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 99 1.66x
Middlesex 52 1.04x
Northumberland 45 6.02x
Roxburghshire 39 42.86x
Lanarkshire 35 2.15x
Yorkshire 32 0.64x
Durham 18 1.20x
Renfrewshire 18 4.62x
Kent 16 0.93x
Derbyshire 13 1.65x
Ayrshire 11 2.93x
Shetland 10 19.49x
Surrey 10 0.41x
Dumfriesshire 9 8.11x
Ross-shire 9 6.52x
Berkshire 8 2.12x
Angus 7 1.50x
Cumberland 7 1.62x
Peeblesshire 7 29.62x
Pembrokeshire 7 4.38x
Sutherland 6 15.53x
Aberdeenshire 5 1.07x
Banffshire 5 4.80x
Cheshire 5 0.45x
Fife 5 1.68x
East Lothian 4 6.01x
Midlothian 4 0.59x
Flintshire 3 2.22x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.44x
Clackmannanshire 2 4.82x
Dorset 2 0.61x
Gloucestershire 2 0.20x
Hampshire 2 0.19x
Orkney 2 3.62x
Royal Navy 2 3.34x
Selkirkshire 2 4.40x
Warwickshire 2 0.16x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.31x
Devon 1 0.10x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.74x
Herefordshire 1 0.49x
Hertfordshire 1 0.29x
Northamptonshire 1 0.21x
Suffolk 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newcastle On Tyne All Sts in Northumberland leads with 17 Aitkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.08x.

Place Total Index
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 17 38.08x
Newcastle On Tyne St 16 41.30x
Chelsea London 14 9.25x
Jedburgh 12 134.53x
Govan 11 2.74x
Withington 11 57.29x
Bressay Burra Quarff 10 446.43x
Lilliesleaf 10 813.01x
Liverpool 9 2.49x
West Derby 9 5.16x
Middlesbrough 8 12.34x
Reading St Giles 8 21.62x
Barony 7 1.70x
Cockermouth 7 76.84x
Everton 7 3.68x
Gravesend 7 48.24x
Heaton Norris 7 20.63x
Hopton 7 3333.33x
Innerleithen 7 111.64x
Liff Benvie 7 9.91x
Llanstadwell 7 134.10x
Lochalsh 7 197.18x
Paisley High Church 7 22.58x
Port Glasgow 7 37.19x
Shotts 7 36.01x
Toxteth Park 7 3.47x
Byker 6 16.24x
Clerkenwell London 6 5.06x
Glasgow 6 2.08x
Hackney London 6 2.13x
Salford 6 3.42x
St Marylebone London 6 2.24x
St Quivox 6 47.21x
Thornaby 6 32.26x
Benfieldside 5 50.86x
Brightside Bierlow 5 5.12x
Dartford 5 28.52x
Derby St Alkmund 5 21.21x
Gateshead 5 4.47x
Holy Trinity 5 4.18x
Kildonan 5 149.70x
Lytham 5 54.95x
Oldham 5 2.60x
Rathven 5 25.55x
St George Martyr London 5 49.16x
Wilton 5 50.10x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 4.60x
Eccleston In Prescot 4 13.36x
Eckford 4 253.16x
Hawick 4 19.64x
Hulme 4 3.21x
Johnstone 4 231.21x
Kennoway 4 148.15x
Lambeth 4 0.91x
Levenshulme 4 65.15x
Manchester 4 1.49x
Nether Wyresdale 4 384.62x
Paisley Low Church 4 32.47x
Sculcoates 4 5.07x
Urmston 4 103.36x
Altrincham 3 15.48x
Annan 3 31.48x
Beddington 3 31.68x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.37x
Brandon Byshottles 3 16.03x
Edinburgh St Stephens 3 22.64x
Maryhill 3 9.43x
Maxton 3 379.75x
Rhuddlan 3 25.23x
St Pancras London 3 0.74x
Stranton 3 5.96x
Tonge With Haulgh 3 25.86x
Wallsend 3 12.66x
Wandsworth 3 6.20x
Alloa 2 9.94x
Galashiels 2 11.90x
Gillingham 2 35.27x
Hanwell 2 22.45x
Largs 2 22.57x
Liscard 2 10.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 19
Margaret 13
Jane 11
Agnes 6
Ann 5
Ellen 5
Eliza 4
Isabella 4
Jessie 4
Sarah 4
Eleanor 3
Emily 3
Florence 3
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Barbara 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Ealoner 2
Emma 2
Helen 2
Janet 2
Marion 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Anne 1
Clarissa 1
Edith 1
Emely 1
Emmeline 1
Fanny 1
Feenie 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
G.E.F. 1
Grace 1
Isabell 1
Jeanette 1
Jenet 1
Johannah 1
Lillias 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maggie 1
Margeret 1
Margt. 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 23
James 21
John 19
Robert 14
Thomas 12
Alexander 7
George 7
Henry 7
Joseph 5
Andrew 4
David 3
Charles 2
Douglas 2
Edward 2
Hugh 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Adam 1
Alfred 1
Anderson 1
Archibald 1
Augustus 1
Charley 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Hamilton 1
Hughes 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Norman 1
Sarah 1
Septimus 1
Wallace 1

FAQ

Aitkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Aitkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 523 people were recorded with the Aitkin surname. That placed it at #6,537 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Aitkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Aitkin a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Aitkin surname mean?

Habitational surname derived from places in Scotland, likely referring to a place of oaks or a place by water.

What does the Aitkin map show?

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