NameCensus.

UK surname

Bannerman

A surname derived from the Scottish Gaelic words for "keeper of the standard".

In the 1881 census there were 1,052 people recorded with the Bannerman surname, ranking it #3,746 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,285, ranked #4,663, down from #3,746 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caithness North West, Coupar Angus and Meigle and Glenwood South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bannerman is 1,313 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.1%.

1881 census count

1,052

Ranked #3,746

Modern count

1,285

2016, ranked #4,663

Peak year

2010

1,313 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bannerman had 1,052 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,746 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,285 in 2016, ranked #4,663.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,259 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Bannerman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bannerman surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Bannerman 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 772 #3,459
1861 historical 720 #3,780
1881 historical 1,052 #3,746
1891 historical 1,090 #3,877
1901 historical 1,259 #3,936
1911 historical 301 #11,422
1997 modern 1,131 #4,958
1998 modern 1,172 #4,975
1999 modern 1,179 #5,006
2000 modern 1,197 #4,918
2001 modern 1,187 #4,840
2002 modern 1,203 #4,894
2003 modern 1,188 #4,850
2004 modern 1,205 #4,796
2005 modern 1,215 #4,714
2006 modern 1,227 #4,684
2007 modern 1,240 #4,692
2008 modern 1,244 #4,699
2009 modern 1,273 #4,702
2010 modern 1,313 #4,667
2011 modern 1,261 #4,785
2012 modern 1,257 #4,711
2013 modern 1,269 #4,768
2014 modern 1,286 #4,724
2015 modern 1,276 #4,713
2016 modern 1,285 #4,663

Geography

Back to top

Where Bannermans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Kildonan with Loth and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caithness North West, Coupar Angus and Meigle, Glenwood South, Ross and Cromarty East and Fraserburgh Smiddyhill. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Kildonan with Loth Sutherland
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caithness North West Highland
2 Coupar Angus and Meigle Perth and Kinross
3 Glenwood South Glasgow City
4 Ross and Cromarty East Highland
5 Fraserburgh Smiddyhill Aberdeenshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bannerman

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bannerman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bannerman, 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 Bannerman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Bannerman 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bannerman 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

Bannerman 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

Bannerman falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bannerman

The surname Bannerman has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the 14th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "bàn" meaning "fair" or "white" and "fear" meaning "man," suggesting that the name was likely given as a descriptive nickname to someone with fair hair or a pale complexion.

The earliest recorded use of the name Bannerman can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1362, which mentions a "John Bannerman" in Perth. This indicates that the name was already established in the region by the mid-14th century.

In the 16th century, the Bannerman family gained prominence in Aberdeenshire, where they held lands and estates. One notable figure from this era was Sir Patrick Bannerman (1510-1593), who served as the Lord Provost of Aberdeen and played a significant role in the city's affairs.

The Bannermans were also involved in military service, with several members serving in the Scottish regiments of the British Army. One such individual was Sir Alexander Bannerman (1668-1730), who fought in the Wars of the Spanish Succession and later became the Governor of Nova Scotia.

In the 18th century, the name spread beyond Scotland as members of the Bannerman family migrated to other parts of the British Empire. James Bannerman (1744-1826), a merchant and landowner, settled in Jamaica and established a successful plantation there.

Another prominent Bannerman was Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman (1836-1908), a British statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1908. He was born Henry Campbell but added the surname Bannerman after inheriting an estate from his mother's family.

The Bannerman name has also been associated with notable literary figures, such as John Bannerman (1901-1969), a Scottish poet and editor, and David Bannerman (1915-1999), a British author and illustrator of children's books.

While the name Bannerman has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including England, Ireland, Canada, and the United States, carried by descendants of Scottish emigrants and soldiers who served in the British military.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bannerman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bannerman 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 214 Bannermans recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.56x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 214 22.56x
Lanarkshire 141 4.26x
Sutherland 128 162.52x
Angus 64 6.74x
Midlothian 58 4.23x
Caithness 52 37.08x
Lancashire 42 0.35x
Middlesex 40 0.39x
Perthshire 35 7.61x
Ayrshire 34 4.44x
Morayshire 34 21.36x
Banffshire 24 11.30x
Kincardineshire 18 14.43x
Essex 14 0.69x
Surrey 11 0.22x
Cumberland 10 1.13x
Derbyshire 10 0.62x
Renfrewshire 9 1.13x
Staffordshire 9 0.26x
Westmorland 9 4.00x
Devon 8 0.38x
Hampshire 7 0.33x
Ross-shire 7 2.49x
Stirlingshire 7 1.85x
Argyllshire 6 2.10x
Durham 6 0.20x
Fife 6 0.99x
Dunbartonshire 5 1.82x
Inverness-shire 5 1.63x
Herefordshire 4 0.95x
Kent 4 0.11x
Northamptonshire 4 0.42x
Shropshire 3 0.34x
West Lothian 3 1.94x
Buteshire 2 3.22x
Cheshire 2 0.09x
Leicestershire 2 0.18x
Shetland 2 1.91x
Worcestershire 2 0.15x
Glamorgan 1 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.07x
Peeblesshire 1 2.08x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.31x
Royal Navy 1 0.82x
Somerset 1 0.06x
Suffolk 1 0.08x
Sussex 1 0.06x
Wigtownshire 1 0.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kildonan in Sutherland leads with 70 Bannermans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1026.39x.

Place Total Index
Kildonan 70 1026.39x
Govan 47 5.74x
Barony 46 5.49x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 43 24.23x
Glasgow 39 6.63x
Aberdeen Old Machar 37 18.68x
Golspie 33 604.40x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 26 4.71x
Dundee 22 6.21x
Tyrie 22 184.72x
Kilwinning 20 80.81x
Liff Benvie 18 12.50x
Fraserburgh 17 63.67x
Latheron 17 72.46x
Peterhead 17 33.89x
St Vigeans 15 29.29x
North Meols 12 10.09x
Clyne 11 173.23x
Halkirk 11 115.91x
Wick 10 22.08x
Baslow With Bubnell 9 304.05x
Duffus 9 64.19x
Edinburgh St Stephens 9 33.32x
Methlick 9 118.58x
Stainton 9 656.93x
West Ham 9 2.02x
Blithfield 8 761.90x
Dundonald 8 28.30x
Gamrie 8 33.73x
Islington London 8 0.81x
King Edward 8 73.19x
Auchtergaven 7 90.79x
Banchory Ternan 7 64.94x
Moss Side 7 10.95x
New Spynie 7 122.16x
Olrig 7 99.86x
Portsea 7 1.70x
Rogart 7 160.92x
Salford 7 1.96x
St Marylebone London 7 1.28x
Turriff 7 45.72x
Whitehaven 7 14.89x
Drumblade 6 178.57x
Dyke 6 137.61x
Forgue 6 70.42x
Inverkeithny 6 185.19x
Loth 6 292.68x
Midmar 6 163.93x
Saddell Skipness 6 147.78x
Ardersier 5 68.21x
Banff 5 27.10x
Bothwell 5 5.57x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 5 15.40x
Fetteresso 5 25.58x
Inchture 5 218.34x
Insch 5 92.59x
Inverurie 5 46.60x
Leyton Low 5 12.17x
Perth East Church 5 11.54x
St Andrews Lhanbryd 5 101.63x
St George Hanover Square 5 2.77x
Tormoham 5 5.54x
Balfron 4 85.84x
Banchory Devenick 4 34.33x
Brackley St Peter 4 60.51x
Camberwell 4 0.61x
Cathcart 4 9.31x
Coupar Angus 4 44.54x
Edinburgh Old 4 48.02x
Elgin 4 12.92x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 3.03x
Leuchars 4 52.15x
Longside 4 35.30x
Penge 4 6.11x
Shoreditch London 4 0.90x
St Anne Soho London 4 6.84x
Tarbat 4 60.15x
Toxteth Park 4 0.97x
Watten 4 81.14x
Chelsea London 3 0.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 10
James 9
David 7
John 6
Thomas 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Henry 3
Hugh 3
William 3
Alexander 2
Donald 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Kenneth 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Alex 1
Alexan. 1
Alfred 1
Campbell 1
Daniel 1
Farquhar 1
Francis 1
Hamlet 1
Harry 1
Jas. 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Patrick 1
Sinclair 1
W.B. 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1
Wyndham 1

FAQ

Bannerman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bannerman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,052 people were recorded with the Bannerman surname. That placed it at #3,746 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bannerman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,285 in 2016. That gives Bannerman a modern rank of #4,663.

What does the Bannerman surname mean?

A surname derived from the Scottish Gaelic words for "keeper of the standard".

What does the Bannerman map show?

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