NameCensus.

UK surname

Baird

A Scottish and English occupational surname referring to a poet or bard.

In the 1881 census there were 6,434 people recorded with the Baird surname, ranking it #661 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,001, ranked #729, down from #661 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Earlston and Hurlford Rural, Doon Valley South and Pollokshaws.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Baird is 9,001 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.9%.

1881 census count

6,434

Ranked #661

Modern count

9,001

2016, ranked #729

Peak year

2016

9,001 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Baird had 6,434 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #661 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,001 in 2016, ranked #729.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,990 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Baird surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Baird surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Baird 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 4,805 #579
1861 historical 4,979 #566
1881 historical 6,434 #661
1891 historical 7,025 #639
1901 historical 7,990 #668
1911 historical 2,045 #2,441
1997 modern 8,124 #783
1998 modern 8,302 #797
1999 modern 8,507 #783
2000 modern 8,493 #784
2001 modern 8,287 #786
2002 modern 8,505 #780
2003 modern 8,352 #777
2004 modern 8,353 #776
2005 modern 8,347 #758
2006 modern 8,381 #761
2007 modern 8,476 #756
2008 modern 8,595 #749
2009 modern 8,786 #752
2010 modern 8,993 #751
2011 modern 8,897 #749
2012 modern 8,723 #747
2013 modern 8,899 #745
2014 modern 8,993 #738
2015 modern 8,956 #736
2016 modern 9,001 #729

Geography

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Where Bairds are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Earlston and Hurlford Rural, Doon Valley South, Pollokshaws, Cheviot East and Northern and Irvine Valley Rural. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bothwell Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Earlston and Hurlford Rural East Ayrshire
2 Doon Valley South East Ayrshire
3 Pollokshaws Glasgow City
4 Cheviot East Scottish Borders
5 Northern and Irvine Valley Rural East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Baird

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Baird

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Baird 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

Baird 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

Baird falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Baird

The surname Baird originates from Scotland, with its earliest known use dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "bearde," meaning "bearded one," suggesting it may have been a descriptive nickname given to someone with a prominent beard.

The earliest recorded reference to the name Baird can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented the names of Scottish noblemen and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One notable entry is that of John Baird, a landowner from Lanarkshire.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various Scottish records and charters, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1359, which mention a Thomas Bard. The spelling variations during this period included Baird, Bard, and Bairde, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings in medieval times.

By the 15th century, the Baird family had established themselves as a prominent clan in Ayrshire, Scotland. One of the earliest recorded members of this clan was Sir John Baird of Kilwinning, who was knighted by King James II of Scotland in 1456.

The 16th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals bearing the surname Baird. One was William Baird (c. 1550-1610), a Scottish minister and author who wrote extensively on religious topics. Another was Robert Baird (1588-1637), a Scottish clergyman and one of the ministers who signed the National Covenant in 1638.

In the 17th century, the Baird family continued to be influential in Scotland. Sir John Baird (1620-1698) was a prominent lawyer and judge who served as Lord President of the Court of Session, the highest civil court in Scotland at the time.

The 18th century brought forth William Baird (1701-1768), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who founded the Baird Trust, a charitable organization that still operates today. Another notable figure was Sir David Baird (1757-1829), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was later made a baronet for his military achievements.

In the 19th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Baird was Spencer Fullerton Baird (1823-1887), an American naturalist, ornithologist, and ichthyologist who served as the first commissioner of the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries, now known as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Baird families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Baird 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. Lanarkshire leads with 1,900 Bairds recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.40x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 1,900 9.40x
Ayrshire 773 16.53x
Stirlingshire 428 18.58x
Renfrewshire 364 7.52x
Midlothian 322 3.85x
Angus 303 5.24x
Lancashire 262 0.35x
Northumberland 179 1.93x
Fife 175 4.73x
Middlesex 160 0.26x
Dunbartonshire 141 8.40x
West Lothian 118 12.54x
Aberdeenshire 117 2.02x
Perthshire 106 3.78x
Dumfriesshire 93 6.74x
Durham 93 0.50x
Kent 87 0.41x
Wigtownshire 70 8.44x
Surrey 62 0.20x
Kirkcudbrightshire 53 5.86x
Argyllshire 49 2.82x
Hampshire 49 0.38x
East Lothian 46 5.56x
Roxburghshire 35 3.09x
Cumberland 32 0.60x
Cheshire 31 0.22x
Yorkshire 30 0.05x
Flintshire 27 1.61x
Buteshire 19 5.02x
Essex 19 0.15x
Glamorgan 19 0.17x
Devon 18 0.14x
Worcestershire 16 0.20x
Isle of Man 14 1.21x
Morayshire 14 1.44x
Norfolk 13 0.14x
Berkshire 11 0.23x
Berwickshire 11 1.45x
Clackmannanshire 11 2.13x
Gloucestershire 11 0.09x
Kinross-shire 10 6.33x
Banffshire 8 0.62x
Kincardineshire 8 1.05x
Suffolk 8 0.11x
Leicestershire 7 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 7 0.35x
Staffordshire 7 0.03x
Cornwall 6 0.08x
Lincolnshire 6 0.06x
Peeblesshire 6 2.04x
Ross-shire 6 0.35x
Royal Navy 6 0.81x
Northamptonshire 4 0.07x
Sussex 4 0.04x
Warwickshire 4 0.03x
Herefordshire 3 0.12x
Inverness-shire 3 0.16x
Selkirkshire 3 0.53x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.08x
Cardiganshire 2 0.13x
Hertfordshire 2 0.05x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.02x
Rutland 2 0.44x
Anglesey 1 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.03x
Caithness 1 0.12x
Derbyshire 1 0.01x
Monmouthshire 1 0.02x
Somerset 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 454 Bairds recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.88x.

Place Total Index
Barony 454 8.88x
Govan 415 8.31x
Glasgow 264 7.36x
Falkirk 167 30.96x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 141 4.19x
Old Monkland 132 16.46x
Bothwell 104 18.98x
Dundee 92 4.26x
Kilmarnock 91 16.35x
Old Cumnock 78 74.93x
Montrose 77 21.95x
Abbey 73 9.88x
Hamilton 73 12.96x
Cambusnethan 68 15.15x
New Monkland 57 9.54x
Ayr 52 23.57x
Liverpool 52 1.16x
Cathcart 50 19.09x
Larbert 48 34.85x
Carnwath 44 35.22x
Wemyss 43 27.48x
Kilwinning 41 27.16x
Linlithgow 40 33.15x
Maryhill 40 10.11x
Eastwood 39 13.08x
Sorn 39 42.47x
Peterhead 38 12.42x
South Leith 38 4.04x
Liff Benvie 36 4.10x
Polmont 35 41.14x
Loudoun 34 30.24x
Bathgate 33 16.16x
Rutherglen 32 10.80x
Cardross 31 15.38x
Irvine 31 23.87x
West Greenock 31 3.57x
Muirkirk 29 26.42x
Dunfermline 28 4.92x
Tynemouth 28 5.63x
Kirkintilloch 27 11.84x
Paisley High Church 27 7.01x
Scoonie 27 33.72x
St Ninians 27 11.82x
Arbroath 25 13.04x
Kilsyth 25 17.02x
Maybole 25 17.56x
Bonhill 24 8.91x
Dunoon Kilmun 24 17.70x
North Leith 24 6.20x
Dalmellington 23 16.73x
Newton On Ayr 23 16.43x
Northop Golftyn 23 116.63x
Stewarton 23 24.86x
Tranent 23 20.57x
Aberdeen Old Machar 22 1.82x
Auckinleck 22 15.20x
Cambuslang 22 10.80x
East Kilbride 22 25.43x
Monifieth 22 10.76x
Neilston 22 9.05x
Lambeth 21 0.39x
Row 21 9.67x
St Pancras London 21 0.42x
Crawford 20 53.05x
Denny 20 16.32x
Renfrew 20 12.51x
Sanquhar 20 41.24x
Shotts 20 8.27x
Slamannan 20 15.85x
Dalry 19 8.64x
Deptford St Paul 19 1.16x
Galston 19 14.86x
St Quivox 19 12.02x
Twynholm 19 131.03x
Blantyre 18 8.56x
Carluke 18 9.81x
East Greenock 18 3.94x
Lesmahagow 18 8.42x
Dundonald 17 9.86x
Salford 17 0.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 76
Elizabeth 46
Jane 39
Margaret 36
Sarah 26
Ann 20
Annie 20
Agnes 17
Isabella 17
Ellen 15
Emily 14
Alice 11
Emma 11
Eliza 10
Frances 10
Catherine 9
Edith 7
Hannah 7
Helen 7
Janet 7
Jessie 7
Elizth. 6
Anna 5
Caroline 5
Charlotte 5
Florence 5
Harriet 5
Martha 5
Anne 4
Dorothy 4
Georgina 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Rebecca 4
Dinah 3
Eliz. 3
Euphemia 3
Jemima 3
Kate 3
Laura 3
Lilian 3
Margt. 3
Marion 3
Ada 2
Adele 2
Amelia 2
Grace 2
Helena 2
Jannet 2
Jesse 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 88
John 78
James 71
Thomas 44
George 37
Robert 37
Alexander 22
Henry 20
David 16
Andrew 12
Charles 12
Archibald 10
Walter 9
Arthur 7
Edward 7
Joseph 6
Samuel 6
Thos. 5
Alfred 4
Francis 4
Hugh 4
Wm. 4
Albert 3
Chas. 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Geo. 3
Richard 3
Alex 2
Harry 2
Martin 2
Robt. 2
Sydney 2
Willm. 2
Augustus 1
B. 1
Duncan 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezer 1
Eugene 1
Eustace 1
Evan 1
F.J.L. 1
Fergus 1
H.L. 1
Hans 1
Harold 1
Harvey 1
Horace 1
Iric 1

FAQ

Baird surname: questions and answers

How common was the Baird surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,434 people were recorded with the Baird surname. That placed it at #661 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Baird surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,001 in 2016. That gives Baird a modern rank of #729.

What does the Baird surname mean?

A Scottish and English occupational surname referring to a poet or bard.

What does the Baird map show?

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