UK surname
From a Scottish place name referring to a location near the River Teviot.
In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Ancrum surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 68, ranked #33,826, down from #19,296 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ancrum is 110 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 34.6%.
1881 census count
104
Ranked #19,296
Modern count
68
2016, ranked #33,826
Peak year
1901
110 bearers
Map years
2
1881 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Ancrum surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Ancrum surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 60 | #22,584 |
| 1861 | historical | 88 | #22,554 |
| 1881 | historical | 104 | #19,296 |
| 1891 | historical | 73 | #27,677 |
| 1901 | historical | 110 | #21,604 |
| 1911 | historical | 66 | #26,249 |
| 1997 | modern | 64 | #31,233 |
| 1998 | modern | 66 | #31,387 |
| 1999 | modern | 68 | #31,311 |
| 2000 | modern | 70 | #31,180 |
| 2001 | modern | 69 | #31,098 |
| 2002 | modern | 69 | #31,527 |
| 2003 | modern | 67 | #31,796 |
| 2004 | modern | 71 | #31,578 |
| 2005 | modern | 76 | #31,267 |
| 2006 | modern | 75 | #31,733 |
| 2007 | modern | 72 | #32,397 |
| 2008 | modern | 75 | #32,373 |
| 2009 | modern | 72 | #33,021 |
| 2010 | modern | 80 | #32,670 |
| 2011 | modern | 74 | #33,151 |
| 2012 | modern | 69 | #33,695 |
| 2013 | modern | 68 | #33,877 |
| 2014 | modern | 68 | #33,898 |
| 2015 | modern | 68 | #33,854 |
| 2016 | modern | 68 | #33,826 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Gateshead, St Philip and Jacob and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | Bedminster | Somerset |
| 3 | Gateshead | Durham |
| 4 | St Philip and Jacob | Gloucestershire |
| 5 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Ancrum surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ancrum, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Ancrum surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Ancrum household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Ancrum is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ancrum is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Ancrum, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Ancrum has its origins in Scotland, specifically in the Scottish Borders region. It is believed to have derived from the place name Ancrum, a village located in the former county of Roxburghshire, now part of the Scottish Borders.
The name Ancrum is thought to have its roots in the Brittonic Celtic language spoken in the area before the arrival of the Angles and Saxons. It is speculated that the name may be derived from the Brittonic words "an" meaning "water" and "crum" meaning "winding" or "crooked," referring to the winding nature of the river that runs through the village.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ancrum can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 13th century.
In the 16th century, records show that a family bearing the surname Ancrum held lands in the village of Ancrum. This included John Ancrum, who was born in the late 15th century and served as the Laird of Ancrum during the early 16th century.
Another notable figure with the surname Ancrum was Sir William Ancrum, who lived in the 17th century and served as a Scottish judge and Member of Parliament. He was born in 1615 and died in 1676.
In the 18th century, the surname Ancrum was also associated with the village of Longnewton in Roxburghshire. Records from this time mention Robert Ancrum, born in 1710, who was a landowner and farmer in the area.
Moving into the 19th century, the name Ancrum continued to be prevalent in the Scottish Borders region. One notable individual was James Ancrum, born in 1801, who was a respected scholar and author known for his works on Scottish history and literature.
Throughout history, the surname Ancrum has been spelled in various ways, such as Ancrumb, Ankrum, and Ankcrum, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.
While the surname Ancrum is relatively rare, it has a rich history rooted in the Scottish Borders, with many prominent individuals bearing this name over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ancrum surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Durham leads with 24 Ancrums recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.95x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Durham | 24 | 7.95x |
| Somerset | 22 | 13.47x |
| Gloucestershire | 21 | 10.56x |
| Midlothian | 19 | 13.98x |
| Middlesex | 13 | 1.28x |
| Lanarkshire | 3 | 0.91x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.40x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 16 Ancrums recorded in 1881 and an index of 85.42x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol St Philip Jacob | 16 | 85.42x |
| Heworth | 14 | 235.29x |
| Bedminster | 13 | 84.75x |
| Hampton London | 13 | 778.44x |
| Brislington | 9 | 3000.00x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 9 | 16.46x |
| Gateshead | 8 | 35.41x |
| Upton St Leonards | 4 | 784.31x |
| Dalziel | 3 | 84.99x |
| Edinburgh Buccleuch | 3 | 93.46x |
| Edinburgh St Georges | 3 | 106.38x |
| Bermondsey | 2 | 6.62x |
| Dalkeith | 2 | 74.63x |
| Inveresk | 2 | 54.35x |
| Westoe | 2 | 11.69x |
| Bristol St James In | 1 | 34.13x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ancrum surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 5 |
| Kate | 2 |
| Ada | 1 |
| Amy | 1 |
| Ann | 1 |
| Anne | 1 |
| Beatrice | 1 |
| Blanche | 1 |
| Carlis | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| Catharine | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Constance | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Elizabeth | 1 |
| Emily | 1 |
| Ethel | 1 |
| Gertrude | 1 |
| Helen | 1 |
| Irenie | 1 |
| Jane | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| Lavinia | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Margret | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Marianne | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Mildred | 1 |
| Minnie | 1 |
| Nellie | 1 |
| Rose | 1 |
| Rosetta | 1 |
| Sarah | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ancrum surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Ancrum households.
FAQ
In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Ancrum surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 68 in 2016. That gives Ancrum a modern rank of #33,826.
From a Scottish place name referring to a location near the River Teviot.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ancrum bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.