NameCensus.

UK surname

Bald

An archaic English surname possibly referring to someone who was bold or courageous.

In the 1881 census there were 489 people recorded with the Bald surname, ranking it #6,883 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 363, ranked #12,777, down from #6,883 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dunbar, Borrowstounness and Carriden and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Aberdour and Auchtertool, North Queensferry and Inverkeithing West and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bald is 510 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 25.8%.

1881 census count

489

Ranked #6,883

Modern count

363

2016, ranked #12,777

Peak year

1901

510 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bald had 489 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,883 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016, ranked #12,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 510 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Bald surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bald surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bald 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 320 #7,250
1861 historical 404 #6,354
1881 historical 489 #6,883
1891 historical 481 #7,664
1901 historical 510 #7,945
1911 historical 107 #21,842
1997 modern 390 #11,215
1998 modern 393 #11,495
1999 modern 377 #11,954
2000 modern 404 #11,306
2001 modern 389 #11,439
2002 modern 390 #11,646
2003 modern 362 #12,114
2004 modern 359 #12,222
2005 modern 383 #11,565
2006 modern 368 #11,990
2007 modern 368 #12,125
2008 modern 372 #12,123
2009 modern 369 #12,447
2010 modern 378 #12,508
2011 modern 377 #12,392
2012 modern 345 #13,093
2013 modern 351 #13,159
2014 modern 357 #13,068
2015 modern 359 #12,906
2016 modern 363 #12,777

Geography

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Where Balds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dunbar, Borrowstounness and Carriden, Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Inverkeithing. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Aberdour and Auchtertool, North Queensferry and Inverkeithing West, Shropshire, IZ21 and Newport and Wormit. 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 Dunbar Haddington
2 Borrowstounness and Carriden Linlithgow
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Inverkeithing Fife

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Aberdour and Auchtertool Fife
2 North Queensferry and Inverkeithing West Fife
3 Shropshire 029 Shropshire
4 IZ21 East Lothian
5 Newport and Wormit Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bald

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bald

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Bald surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Bald household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Bald is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bald 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

Bald 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 Bald 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 Bald, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bald

The surname BALD originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "beald," which means bold or daring. The name was likely first used as a nickname for someone with a bold or courageous demeanor.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries that include variants of the name BALD. For instance, there is a record of a landowner named Baldrich in Worcestershire.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname BALD was William Bald, a 13th-century English landowner and knight who fought in the Barons' War against King John. Another notable figure was John Bald, a 14th-century English clergyman who served as the Archbishop of Dublin from 1370 to 1384.

During the 16th century, the surname BALD was also found in various place names across England. For example, there was a village called Balderton in Nottinghamshire, which likely derived its name from a person with the surname BALD who owned or lived in the area.

In the 17th century, a famous bearer of the surname BALD was Sir John Bald (1585-1659), an English politician and lawyer who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1638-1639. Another notable figure from this period was Robert Bald (1776-1861), a Scottish engineer and author who wrote several books on mining and engineering.

In the 19th century, a prominent individual with the surname BALD was William Bald (1789-1857), a Scottish writer and journalist who worked for various newspapers and published several books, including a biography of Lord Byron.

Overall, the surname BALD has a long and rich history, originating from Old English and appearing in various historical records and place names throughout the centuries. It has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, clergymen, politicians, engineers, and authors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bald families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bald 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 96 Balds recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.38x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 96 6.38x
East Lothian 71 115.20x
Fife 69 25.05x
Midlothian 61 9.79x
Stirlingshire 37 21.56x
Berwickshire 25 44.37x
West Lothian 17 24.26x
Dunbartonshire 16 12.80x
Middlesex 14 0.30x
Clackmannanshire 12 31.23x
Selkirkshire 8 19.00x
Renfrewshire 7 1.94x
Northumberland 6 0.87x
Angus 5 1.16x
Durham 5 0.36x
Essex 4 0.44x
Peeblesshire 4 18.27x
Staffordshire 4 0.25x
Argyllshire 3 2.32x
Glamorgan 3 0.37x
Berkshire 2 0.57x
Cornwall 2 0.38x
Perthshire 2 0.96x
Yorkshire 2 0.04x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.36x
Devon 1 0.10x

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 41 Balds recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.77x.

Place Total Index
Barony 41 10.77x
Dunbar 38 439.81x
Dunfermline 27 63.75x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 25 9.97x
Glasgow 25 9.36x
Inverkeithing 22 530.12x
Kilsyth 21 191.96x
Govan 20 5.37x
Carnock 16 946.75x
Alloa 12 64.41x
Cumbernauld 11 160.58x
Stirling 11 50.83x
Yester 11 743.24x
Boness 10 103.52x
Channelkirk 9 927.84x
Duddingston 8 63.95x
Galashiels 8 51.41x
Lauder 8 257.23x
Shettleston 8 59.39x
Bathgate 7 46.02x
Edinburgh Greenside S 7 309.73x
Prestonkirk 7 227.27x
South Leith 7 9.98x
Edinburgh Old Church 6 120.00x
Ormiston 6 368.10x
Cockburnspath 5 277.78x
Heworth 5 18.33x
Innerwick 5 403.23x
Leemailing 5 1666.67x
Liff Benvie 5 7.64x
St George Hanover Square 5 6.10x
Larbert 4 38.99x
Row 4 24.72x
South Weald 4 50.83x
Tamworth 4 47.62x
Ayton 3 91.74x
Cardiff St Mary 3 6.72x
Edinburgh Tron Church 3 102.74x
Paisley Middle Church 3 14.29x
Traquair 3 247.93x
Abbey 2 3.64x
Dalziel 2 12.35x
Dunoon Kilmun 2 19.80x
Edinburgh Canongate 2 12.61x
Hammersmith London 2 1.74x
Headingley Cum Burley 2 6.74x
Kilmalcolm 2 46.30x
Kilrenny 2 39.22x
North Leith 2 6.93x
St Columb Major 2 45.77x
St Marylebone London 2 0.81x
Staines 2 27.14x
Whittinghame 2 196.08x
Abbotshall 1 9.72x
Dalgety 1 47.62x
Dalkeith 1 8.13x
Denny 1 10.95x
Dumbarton 1 5.75x
Eton 1 15.67x
Finchley 1 5.61x
Haddington 1 10.99x
Innerleithen 1 17.21x
Kensington London 1 0.39x
Lecropt 1 102.04x
Logie 1 13.35x
Morham 1 303.03x
Morven 1 74.63x
North Shields 1 7.24x
Sandhurst 1 14.79x
Sidmouth 1 18.05x
St George In East London 1 2.29x
Sunninghill 1 20.66x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Thomas 2
Alex 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Charles 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
James 1
Nicholas 1
Norman 1
Reginald 1
Reinhold 1
Robert 1
William 1

Top occupations

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 Bald households.

FAQ

Bald surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bald surname in 1881?

In 1881, 489 people were recorded with the Bald surname. That placed it at #6,883 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bald surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016. That gives Bald a modern rank of #12,777.

What does the Bald surname mean?

An archaic English surname possibly referring to someone who was bold or courageous.

What does the Bald map show?

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