NameCensus.

UK surname

Ballantine

A Ballantine was a worker or producer of ballantine powder, an explosive used for blasting.

In the 1881 census there were 928 people recorded with the Ballantine surname, ranking it #4,142 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 877, ranked #6,418, down from #4,142 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Borrowstounness and Carriden, London parishes and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ01, Grangemouth - Kersiebank and Perth Road.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ballantine is 941 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.5%.

1881 census count

928

Ranked #4,142

Modern count

877

2016, ranked #6,418

Peak year

2010

941 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ballantine had 928 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,142 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 877 in 2016, ranked #6,418.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 928 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Ballantine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ballantine surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ballantine 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 785 #3,397
1861 historical 772 #3,566
1881 historical 928 #4,142
1891 historical 871 #4,716
1901 historical 844 #5,394
1911 historical 332 #10,642
1997 modern 894 #5,994
1998 modern 917 #6,061
1999 modern 908 #6,156
2000 modern 877 #6,302
2001 modern 857 #6,299
2002 modern 887 #6,246
2003 modern 860 #6,294
2004 modern 859 #6,303
2005 modern 866 #6,215
2006 modern 870 #6,209
2007 modern 882 #6,186
2008 modern 892 #6,163
2009 modern 911 #6,201
2010 modern 941 #6,163
2011 modern 894 #6,351
2012 modern 840 #6,586
2013 modern 877 #6,483
2014 modern 875 #6,505
2015 modern 862 #6,532
2016 modern 877 #6,418

Geography

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Where Ballantines are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to IZ01, Grangemouth - Kersiebank, Perth Road, Tweeddale West Area 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 Borrowstounness and Carriden Linlithgow
2 London parishes London 3
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ01 East Lothian
2 Grangemouth - Kersiebank Falkirk
3 Perth Road Dundee City
4 Tweeddale West Area Scottish Borders
5 Northumberland 037 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ballantine

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ballantine

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Ballantine surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Ballantine household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ballantine 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

Ballantine 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

Ballantine falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ballantine

The surname Ballantine originates from Scotland, specifically the Lowlands region. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "Ballantyne" or "Ballendine," which means "a stranger" or "foreigner." The name first appeared in Scotland around the 12th century, during the Norman conquest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a collection of acts of homage rendered to Edward I of England. The name is listed as "Ballantyne" in these rolls, indicating its presence in Scotland at that time.

In the 15th century, the name Ballantine was associated with the family that owned lands in the parish of Kilbride, near Glasgow. Historical records from this period mention a "John Ballantyne of Corbistoun" and a "Thomas Ballantyne of Craigmayn."

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Ballantine family spread throughout Scotland, with members holding prominent positions in various regions. One notable figure was Sir William Ballantine (1548-1616), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord President of the Court of Session.

Another influential Ballantine was John Ballantine (1670-1743), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who founded the Ballantine Trust, which provided financial support for education and other charitable causes in Edinburgh.

In the 18th century, the name Ballantine gained recognition in the literary world with the birth of James Ballantine (1808-1877), a Scottish poet and writer. He is best known for his works "Poems" and "The Miller of Deanhaugh," which captured the essence of Scottish rural life.

Moving into the 19th century, George Ballantine (1819-1887) was a prominent figure in the Scottish whisky industry. He founded the Ballantine's Whisky Distillery in Edinburgh, which became one of the most successful and well-known whisky brands in the world.

Another notable Ballantine from this era was Samuel Ballantine (1837-1920), a Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist. He established the Ballantine & Sons Brewing Company in Newark, New Jersey, which became one of the largest breweries in the United States.

Throughout its history, the surname Ballantine has been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Ballantyne in Lanarkshire, Ballantyne in Ayrshire, and Ballantine in Peeblesshire. These place names often reflect the presence of the Ballantine family in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ballantine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ballantine 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 192 Ballantines recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.63x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 192 6.63x
Ayrshire 96 14.32x
Middlesex 89 0.99x
West Lothian 64 47.46x
Renfrewshire 53 7.64x
Midlothian 46 3.83x
Surrey 42 0.96x
Northumberland 40 3.00x
Lancashire 38 0.36x
Stirlingshire 38 11.51x
Angus 36 4.34x
Perthshire 32 7.96x
Wigtownshire 23 19.34x
Cheshire 18 0.91x
Orkney 14 14.21x
Essex 12 0.68x
Dunbartonshire 9 3.74x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.48x
Cumberland 8 1.04x
Durham 8 0.30x
Clackmannanshire 6 8.11x
Fife 6 1.13x
Berwickshire 5 4.61x
Hampshire 5 0.27x
Hertfordshire 4 0.65x
Kent 3 0.10x
Peeblesshire 3 7.12x
Westmorland 3 1.52x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.24x
Argyllshire 2 0.80x
Dumfriesshire 2 1.01x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.18x
Devon 1 0.05x
East Lothian 1 0.84x
Kincardineshire 1 0.92x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.77x
Norfolk 1 0.07x
Roxburghshire 1 0.62x
Royal Navy 1 0.94x
Shropshire 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.07x
Warwickshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 37 Ballantines recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.19x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 37 7.19x
Govan 34 4.75x
Barony 29 3.96x
Carriden 23 376.43x
New Monkland 23 26.87x
Whithorn 23 253.86x
Boness 22 118.34x
Camberwell 18 3.15x
Kilmarnock 18 22.56x
Torphichen 17 361.70x
Ardrossan 16 68.97x
West Greenock 16 12.85x
Polmont 15 123.05x
Dundee 14 4.52x
Inverkip 14 85.57x
Errol 13 174.50x
Islington London 13 1.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 2.28x
Maryhill 11 19.40x
Riccarton Hurlford 11 93.54x
South Leith 11 8.15x
Girvan 10 59.45x
Humshaugh 10 684.93x
Old Monkland 10 8.70x
Westminster St John 10 9.17x
Chirton 9 29.85x
Claughton With Grange 9 100.00x
Edmonton 9 12.47x
Kirriemuir 9 43.97x
Bothwell 8 10.19x
Clerkenwell London 8 3.78x
Croydon 8 3.30x
Falkirk 8 10.35x
Iver 8 114.61x
Ochiltree 8 173.54x
Orphir 8 255.59x
Row 8 25.70x
Rutherglen 8 18.83x
Airth 7 166.67x
Battersea 7 2.12x
Chelsea London 7 2.59x
Dull 7 86.85x
Eassie Nevay 7 406.98x
East Greenock 7 10.68x
Edinburgh St Marys 7 30.02x
Kilwinning 7 32.35x
Stonehouse 7 71.28x
Alloa 6 16.73x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.54x
Carstairs 6 100.00x
Crumpsall 6 23.96x
Dunsyre 6 750.00x
East West Greenock 6 535.71x
Elswick 6 5.64x
Flimby 6 92.17x
Great Waltham 6 83.33x
Manchester 6 1.26x
Mearns 6 49.34x
North Leith 6 10.81x
St Mary Le Strand London 6 184.05x
Windle 6 10.04x
Avondale 5 29.53x
Ayr 5 15.81x
Colinton 5 37.37x
Edrom 5 107.76x
Mauchline 5 64.94x
New Cumnock 5 43.03x
Paddington London 5 1.52x
St Pancras London 5 0.69x
Tranmere 5 6.88x
Biggar 4 61.07x
Gorton 4 4.00x
Haslingden 4 9.09x
Higher Bebington 4 31.62x
Hornsey 4 3.53x
Kinnoull 4 37.84x
Mickley 4 95.24x
Moulin 4 62.99x
St George Martyr London 4 22.05x
St Ninians 4 12.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Sarah 13
Elizabeth 9
Annie 6
Jane 6
Alice 5
Margaret 5
Amelia 4
Isabella 4
Agnes 3
Eleanor 3
Eliza 3
Amy 2
Ann 2
C. 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Dorothy 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Janet 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Madiline 2
Matilda 2
Ruth 2
Amanda 1
Annah 1
Avril 1
Barbara 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Christie 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Ellie 1
Euphemia 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Janete 1
Jannet 1
Lucy 1
Maggey 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 23
James 12
William 12
Charles 9
Thomas 9
Joseph 8
Robert 8
George 6
Arthur 4
Henry 3
Walter 3
A. 2
Albert 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Cecil 1
Charley 1
David 1
Donald 1
Edward 1
Elliott 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Fred.G.Anton 1
Frederick 1
Hepburn 1
Hugh 1
Jonathan 1
Mark 1
Michael 1
Neanion 1
Oscar 1
Reginald 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Waverley 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Ballantine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ballantine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 928 people were recorded with the Ballantine surname. That placed it at #4,142 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ballantine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 877 in 2016. That gives Ballantine a modern rank of #6,418.

What does the Ballantine surname mean?

A Ballantine was a worker or producer of ballantine powder, an explosive used for blasting.

What does the Ballantine map show?

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