NameCensus.

UK surname

Arbuthnot

Person from some place where the strawberry tree grew.

In the 1881 census there were 156 people recorded with the Arbuthnot surname, ranking it #15,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 221, ranked #18,321, down from #15,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Paddington and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, South Norfolk and Scotstoun South and West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Arbuthnot is 231 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.7%.

1881 census count

156

Ranked #15,114

Modern count

221

2016, ranked #18,321

Peak year

2013

231 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Arbuthnot had 156 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 221 in 2016, ranked #18,321.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 199 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Arbuthnot surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Arbuthnot surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Arbuthnot 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 139 #13,659
1861 historical 123 #17,914
1881 historical 156 #15,114
1891 historical 190 #15,486
1901 historical 199 #15,173
1911 historical 82 #24,635
1997 modern 162 #20,107
1998 modern 173 #19,821
1999 modern 160 #20,943
2000 modern 171 #20,044
2001 modern 162 #20,460
2002 modern 161 #20,925
2003 modern 171 #19,953
2004 modern 164 #20,609
2005 modern 157 #21,128
2006 modern 159 #21,148
2007 modern 172 #20,321
2008 modern 182 #19,800
2009 modern 195 #19,329
2010 modern 206 #19,066
2011 modern 205 #18,965
2012 modern 214 #18,358
2013 modern 231 #17,703
2014 modern 223 #18,279
2015 modern 225 #18,050
2016 modern 221 #18,321

Geography

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Where Arbuthnots are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Paddington, Govan Combination, Elgin and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, South Norfolk, Scotstoun South and West and Yoker South. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Paddington London (West Districts)
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Elgin Elgin
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 020 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Kensington and Chelsea 017 Kensington and Chelsea
3 South Norfolk 004 South Norfolk
4 Scotstoun South and West Glasgow City
5 Yoker South Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Arbuthnot

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Arbuthnot

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Arbuthnot is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Arbuthnot is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Arbuthnot falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Arbuthnot 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Arbuthnot

The surname Arbuthnot has its origins in Scotland, stemming from the lands of Arbuthnot in Kincardineshire. The name itself is derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "ard" meaning "high" and "buth" meaning "hut" or "cottage," suggesting it originally referred to a dwelling situated on higher ground.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 12th century, when Osbert Olifard, the son of a Norman nobleman, received the lands of Arbuthnot from King William the Lion of Scotland. Olifard's descendants adopted the territorial designation "de Arbuthnot" as their surname.

The name appears in various historical records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the 13th century, where it is spelled "Arbuthnott." Variations in spelling were common in medieval times, and the name has also been recorded as "Arbuthnot," "Arbuthnet," and "Arbuthnett."

One of the most notable individuals bearing the Arbuthnot surname was Sir Robert Arbuthnot (1538-1583), a Scottish landowner and member of the Protestant faction during the Scottish Reformation. He played a significant role in the struggle against Mary, Queen of Scots, and was involved in her forced abdication in 1567.

Another prominent figure was Viscount John Arbuthnot (1667-1735), a Scottish mathematician, satirist, and physician who served as a member of the Royal Society. He is best known for his satirical works, including the "Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus" and "The History of John Bull."

In the realm of science, John Arbuthnot (1801-1867) was a Scottish chemist and inventor who developed a method for producing alkaline sulphites, which were used in the textile industry. He also held several patents for improvements in the production of soap and other chemical processes.

The Arbuthnot surname has also been associated with notable military figures, such as Sir Robert Arbuthnot (1773-1853), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was later appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy's Plymouth Station.

Another individual of note was Charles Arbuthnot (1767-1850), a British diplomat and politician who served as the Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and later became a member of the British Parliament.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Arbuthnot families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Arbuthnot 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. Middlesex leads with 41 Arbuthnots recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.53x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 41 2.53x
Lanarkshire 16 3.06x
Midlothian 12 5.53x
Berkshire 10 8.23x
Angus 9 6.00x
Channel Islands 9 18.76x
Kent 8 1.45x
Morayshire 8 31.80x
Sussex 8 2.93x
Hampshire 6 1.81x
Lancashire 6 0.31x
Renfrewshire 6 4.78x
Herefordshire 5 7.53x
Aberdeenshire 4 2.67x
Surrey 4 0.51x
Gloucestershire 3 0.94x
Hertfordshire 3 2.69x
Northamptonshire 2 1.31x
Warwickshire 2 0.49x
Ayrshire 1 0.83x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.02x
Perthshire 1 1.38x
Royal Navy 1 5.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Paddington London in Middlesex leads with 17 Arbuthnots recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.55x.

Place Total Index
Paddington London 17 28.55x
Govan 15 11.58x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 12.60x
St Helier 9 57.62x
Eastbourne 8 63.69x
Brechin 7 118.64x
Greenwich 7 27.15x
Ratcliffe London 7 78.30x
Eastwood 6 77.62x
Drainie 5 224.22x
Eardisland 5 1162.79x
Old Windsor 5 354.61x
Everton 4 6.53x
Kensington London 4 4.44x
St George Hanover Square 4 14.02x
Chelsea London 3 6.15x
Elgin 3 61.35x
Peterhead 3 37.83x
Portsea 3 4.61x
St Marylebone London 3 3.47x
Westminster St Margaret 3 38.41x
Cheltenham 2 8.16x
Cheshunt 2 51.28x
Croydon 2 4.57x
Newtown Nr Newbury 2 1538.46x
Reading St Mary 2 20.53x
Stratford On Avon 2 88.50x
Abingdon St Nicholas 1 294.12x
Brenchley 1 50.51x
Brixworth 1 153.85x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 3.28x
Dundee 1 1.79x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 23.70x
Eton 1 45.05x
Flamstead 1 97.09x
Glasgow 1 1.08x
Largs 1 34.97x
Montrose 1 11.00x
Old Deer 1 35.21x
Perth East Church 1 14.60x
Richmond 1 9.04x
Royal Navy 1 6.06x
Rushden 1 49.02x
Salford 1 1.77x
Sandhurst 1 42.55x
Stoke 1 26.88x
Taynton 1 312.50x
Tilehurst 1 40.65x
Wootton St Lawrence 1 181.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Caroline 6
Mary 6
Alice 4
Annie 2
Beatrice 2
Constance 2
Emily 2
Evelyn 2
Helen 2
Margaret 2
Adolphine 1
Anne 1
Charlotte 1
Cicely 1
Dorothy 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Eveline 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Frederica 1
Geraldine 1
H.Susan 1
Helena 1
Hester 1
Hilda 1
Ivy 1
Jane 1
Katherine 1
Mabel 1
Madeline 1
Mareia 1
Maria 1
Mariann 1
Sibella 1
Susan 1
Susan.C. 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
Charles 5
John 5
Robert 5
George 4
Hugh 4
Alexander 2
Frederick 2
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Chas.Ramsay 1
Erie 1
Fitzgerald 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Henry.T. 1
Herbert 1
Keith 1
Kenneth 1
Lenox 1
Malcolm 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Arbuthnot surname: questions and answers

How common was the Arbuthnot surname in 1881?

In 1881, 156 people were recorded with the Arbuthnot surname. That placed it at #15,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Arbuthnot surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 221 in 2016. That gives Arbuthnot a modern rank of #18,321.

What does the Arbuthnot surname mean?

Person from some place where the strawberry tree grew.

What does the Arbuthnot map show?

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