NameCensus.

UK surname

Ballentine

A Scottish and Irish surname derived from a place name meaning "settlement by a stream."

In the 1881 census there were 106 people recorded with the Ballentine surname, ranking it #19,083 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 138, ranked #25,127, down from #19,083 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Huntingdonshire and Oldham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ballentine is 152 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.2%.

1881 census count

106

Ranked #19,083

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

1861

152 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ballentine had 106 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,083 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016, ranked #25,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 152 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Ballentine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ballentine surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ballentine 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 125 #14,700
1861 historical 152 #15,126
1881 historical 106 #19,083
1891 historical 111 #22,421
1901 historical 139 #18,876
1911 historical 37 #29,263
1997 modern 113 #25,106
1998 modern 115 #25,466
1999 modern 116 #25,487
2000 modern 124 #24,469
2001 modern 121 #24,493
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 120 #24,909
2004 modern 128 #24,117
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 123 #24,873
2007 modern 117 #26,066
2008 modern 123 #25,505
2009 modern 128 #25,427
2010 modern 132 #25,519
2011 modern 127 #25,926
2012 modern 132 #25,289
2013 modern 133 #25,655
2014 modern 145 #24,395
2015 modern 140 #24,836
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Ballentines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Bywell St Peter, Bywell St Andrew (Stocksfield Hall), Ovingham (Ovington, Mickley, Prudhoe, Prudhoe and Orphir. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Huntingdonshire, Oldham, Barrow-in-Furness and Hart. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Bywell St Peter, Bywell St Andrew (Stocksfield Hall), Ovingham (Ovington, Mickley, Prudhoe, Prudhoe Northumberland
5 Orphir Orkney

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 024 County Durham
2 Huntingdonshire 010 Huntingdonshire
3 Oldham 001 Oldham
4 Barrow-in-Furness 008 Barrow-in-Furness
5 Hart 001 Hart

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ballentine

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ballentine

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Ballentine is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ballentine 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

Ballentine falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ballentine

The surname Ballentine originated in Scotland, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "baile" meaning "town" and "teine" meaning "fire," suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived in a town where beacon fires were lit.

In the 14th century, the name was recorded as "Ballenteyne" in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. This early spelling indicates that the name likely evolved from a place name associated with a specific town or village.

One of the earliest known records of the name Ballentine is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented individuals who swore fealty to King Edward I of England during his conquest of Scotland. The name "John de Ballyntyne" appears in this historical document.

During the 16th century, the Ballentine surname began to spread throughout Scotland, particularly in the regions of Lanarkshire and Ayrshire. In 1538, a record shows a "William Ballentyne" who was a burgess (a respected citizen) in the town of Irvine, Ayrshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Ballentine include:

1. George Ballentine (1776-1853), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who co-founded the Glasgow Asylum for the Blind. 2. Robert Ballentine (1825-1899), a Scottish-born engineer and architect who designed many buildings in Sydney, Australia, including the Sydney Mint. 3. Frances Ballentine (1867-1942), a Scottish-American author and journalist known for her works on Scottish history and culture. 4. James Ballentine (1892-1965), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois from 1937 to 1947. 5. Marianne Ballentine (1948-present), an American politician and member of the South Carolina House of Representatives since 2005.

Throughout its history, the Ballentine surname has been spelled in various ways, such as Ballantyne, Ballenden, and Ballentine, reflecting regional variations and evolving spellings over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ballentine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ballentine 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. Angus leads with 19 Ballentines recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.84x.

County Total Index
Angus 19 19.84x
Lanarkshire 18 5.38x
Lancashire 12 0.98x
Midlothian 12 8.66x
Durham 11 3.58x
Northumberland 8 5.20x
Cheshire 4 1.75x
Middlesex 4 0.39x
Cumberland 3 3.37x
Essex 2 0.98x
Norfolk 2 1.26x
Perthshire 2 4.31x
Buteshire 1 15.97x
Derbyshire 1 0.62x
Dumfriesshire 1 4.38x
Glamorgan 1 0.56x
Orkney 1 8.80x
Renfrewshire 1 1.25x
Surrey 1 0.20x
West Lothian 1 6.42x
Yorkshire 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. Kirriemuir in Angus leads with 18 Ballentines recorded in 1881 and an index of 762.71x.

Place Total Index
Kirriemuir 18 762.71x
Everton 9 23.02x
East Kilbride 7 489.51x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 10.77x
Mickley 6 1224.49x
Iveston 5 352.11x
Glasgow 4 6.74x
Govan 4 4.84x
Carmunnock 3 1153.85x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 50.00x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 3 114.50x
Church 2 115.61x
Currie 2 235.29x
East Ham 2 52.77x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 2 60.98x
Forgandenny 2 909.09x
Islington London 2 2.00x
Snettisham 2 454.55x
Abbey 1 8.18x
Barrow In Furness 1 5.99x
Cardiff St Mary 1 10.08x
Chester St John Baptist 1 24.39x
Corsenside 1 416.67x
Croydon 1 3.58x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 4.80x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 37.17x
Glamis 1 172.41x
Hackney London 1 1.73x
Harrington 1 93.46x
Hayfield 1 101.01x
High Low Shitlington 1 2500.00x
Kilmory 1 109.89x
Kirkliston 1 109.89x
Lochmaben 1 100.00x
North Leith 1 15.60x
Penrith 1 30.40x
St Cuthbert W O 1 23.04x
St Giles 1 52.08x
St Marylebone London 1 1.81x
Stromness 1 117.65x
West Auckland 1 89.29x
Winlaton 1 33.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 4
Isabella 3
Jane 2
Ann 1
Barbara 1
Betsy 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Sarah 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
James 4
John 3
Henry 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
George 1
Jake 1
Margaret 1
Patrick 1
R. 1
Ralph 1
Wm. 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 Ballentine households.

FAQ

Ballentine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ballentine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 106 people were recorded with the Ballentine surname. That placed it at #19,083 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ballentine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016. That gives Ballentine a modern rank of #25,127.

What does the Ballentine surname mean?

A Scottish and Irish surname derived from a place name meaning "settlement by a stream."

What does the Ballentine map show?

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