NameCensus.

UK surname

Bathgate

A place name referring to a town located in West Lothian, Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 705 people recorded with the Bathgate surname, ranking it #5,155 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,050, ranked #5,548, down from #5,155 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Haddington, Inveresk and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Jedburgh, Doncaster and Cowdenbeath South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bathgate is 1,070 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.9%.

1881 census count

705

Ranked #5,155

Modern count

1,050

2016, ranked #5,548

Peak year

2010

1,070 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bathgate had 705 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,155 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,050 in 2016, ranked #5,548.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 914 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bathgate surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bathgate surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bathgate 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 476 #5,228
1861 historical 565 #4,654
1881 historical 705 #5,155
1891 historical 790 #5,085
1901 historical 914 #5,084
1911 historical 194 #15,250
1997 modern 986 #5,564
1998 modern 1,019 #5,597
1999 modern 1,035 #5,555
2000 modern 1,054 #5,450
2001 modern 1,004 #5,565
2002 modern 1,068 #5,403
2003 modern 1,042 #5,415
2004 modern 1,033 #5,470
2005 modern 1,046 #5,353
2006 modern 1,048 #5,357
2007 modern 1,029 #5,482
2008 modern 1,054 #5,411
2009 modern 1,063 #5,487
2010 modern 1,070 #5,559
2011 modern 1,063 #5,530
2012 modern 1,014 #5,677
2013 modern 1,040 #5,658
2014 modern 1,042 #5,669
2015 modern 1,049 #5,580
2016 modern 1,050 #5,548

Geography

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Where Bathgates are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Haddington, Inveresk, Govan Combination, Borthwick and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Jedburgh, Doncaster, Cowdenbeath South, IZ13 and Dover. 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 Haddington Haddington
2 Inveresk Edinburgh
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Borthwick Edinburgh
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Jedburgh Scottish Borders
2 Doncaster 037 Doncaster
3 Cowdenbeath South Fife
4 IZ13 East Lothian
5 Dover 013 Dover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bathgate

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bathgate

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Bathgate is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bathgate 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

Bathgate 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 Bathgate is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bathgate, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bathgate

The surname Bathgate originated in Scotland during the 12th century. It is derived from the town of Bathgate, located in West Lothian, near Edinburgh. The name is believed to come from the Old English words "baþ" meaning bath or stream, and "geat" meaning road or path, suggesting the name referred to the road leading to the stream or river in the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bathgate can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appeared as "de Bathgate," indicating someone from the town of Bathgate.

In the 14th century, a John de Bathgate was mentioned in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, which recorded legal documents and charters related to land ownership and other official matters.

During the 16th century, the name was documented in various records, including the Scottish Parish Registers, which recorded births, marriages, and deaths. One notable bearer of the name during this time was Robert Bathgate, born in 1562, who was a prominent merchant in Edinburgh.

In the 17th century, Andrew Bathgate (1620-1693) was a Scottish minister and poet, known for his religious writings and poems. He served as the minister of the parish of Cupar in Fife.

In the 18th century, James Bathgate (1740-1819) was a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Tron Kirk and the Old College of the University of Edinburgh.

Another notable bearer of the name was Andrew Bathgate (1801-1878), a Scottish-born American businessman and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1845 to 1849, representing the state of New York.

In the 19th century, Sir Walter Bathgate (1835-1912) was a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to education and healthcare in his hometown of Bathgate.

Throughout history, the Bathgate surname has been associated with various locations, including the town of Bathgate itself, as well as other places in Scotland and beyond, where individuals with this name have resided and made their mark.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bathgate families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bathgate 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. Midlothian leads with 226 Bathgates recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.92x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 226 24.92x
East Lothian 135 150.55x
Lanarkshire 80 3.65x
Lancashire 53 0.66x
Renfrewshire 20 3.81x
Roxburghshire 17 13.86x
Selkirkshire 16 26.12x
Middlesex 15 0.22x
West Lothian 15 14.71x
Cheshire 12 0.80x
Durham 12 0.60x
Berwickshire 11 13.42x
Clackmannanshire 11 19.67x
Peeblesshire 9 28.27x
Fife 8 2.00x
Caernarfonshire 7 2.56x
Northumberland 7 0.70x
Westmorland 6 4.03x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.80x
Flintshire 5 2.75x
Perthshire 4 1.32x
Angus 3 0.48x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 3.06x
Dorset 2 0.45x
Dumfriesshire 2 1.34x
Argyllshire 1 0.53x
Ayrshire 1 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.24x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.55x
Essex 1 0.07x
Inverness-shire 1 0.49x
Somerset 1 0.09x
Stirlingshire 1 0.40x
Wigtownshire 1 1.11x
Yorkshire 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. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 79 Bathgates recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.65x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 79 21.65x
Gladsmuir 38 950.00x
Barony 25 4.51x
South Leith 25 24.50x
Haddington 19 143.50x
Edinburgh Canongate 17 73.66x
Edinburgh Greenside 16 133.56x
Everton 15 5.86x
Linlithgow 15 114.77x
Ormiston 15 630.25x
Govan 14 2.59x
Athelstaneford 11 621.47x
Glasgow 11 2.83x
Salton 11 820.90x
Selkirk 11 63.77x
Inveresk 10 40.73x
Walton On Hill 10 22.98x
West Greenock 10 10.62x
Dalkeith 9 50.31x
Hawick 9 32.80x
Bothwell 8 13.47x
Crichton 8 316.21x
Dunfermline 8 12.98x
Pencaitland 8 312.50x
Wavertree 8 31.12x
Alloa 7 25.82x
Edinburgh St Marys 7 39.71x
Hilton 7 2800.00x
Innerleithen 7 82.84x
Jedburgh 7 58.24x
Llanbeblig 7 25.20x
Old Monkland 7 8.06x
Ratho 7 165.48x
Toxteth Park 7 2.57x
Tranent 7 57.80x
Borthwick 6 148.15x
Cambusnethan 6 12.34x
Carrington 6 422.54x
Earlston 6 146.34x
East Greenock 6 12.11x
Edinburgh Old 6 109.09x
Kendal 6 22.03x
St James Garlickhithe 6 1176.47x
Whitekirk Tynninghame 6 244.90x
Berwick North 5 79.62x
Cranston 5 216.45x
Edinburgh Greenside S 5 151.98x
Longbenton 5 11.72x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 5 29.09x
West Derby 5 2.13x
Aberlady 4 171.67x
Birkenhead 4 3.36x
Cartmel Fell 4 579.71x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 4 63.69x
Melrose 4 25.96x
Prestonpans 4 66.56x
Shotts 4 15.27x
Tillicoultry 4 32.15x
Whittinghame 4 268.46x
Balmaghie 3 139.53x
Bishopwearmouth 3 1.74x
Eastwood 3 9.29x
Northop 3 46.58x
Rhynd 3 434.78x
Temple 3 83.10x
Cadder 2 12.37x
Channelkirk 2 141.84x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.25x
Echt 2 66.23x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 2 9.32x
Edinburgh St Stephens 2 11.20x
Jesmond 2 14.11x
Kirkdale 2 1.48x
Lasswade 2 9.64x
Maryhill 2 4.67x
Monks Coppenhall 2 3.55x
Radipole 2 65.15x
Rhuddlan 2 12.48x
Shoreditch London 2 0.68x
West Linton 2 76.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 7
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Ann 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Janet 2
Ada 1
Alison 1
Aurena 1
Bella 1
Betsy 1
Clara 1
E...lia 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Hellen 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Margaret 1
Margerate 1
Maria 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Rosina 1
Rowena 1
Sarah 1
Selena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
William 7
James 5
Robert 3
Thomas 3
Adam 2
Alfred 2
Archibald 2
Charles 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Richard 2
Simon 2
Walter 2
Andrew 1
Anne 1
Christopher 1
Constantine 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
J.H.J. 1
J.W. 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Sidney 1
Walt. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bathgate surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bathgate surname in 1881?

In 1881, 705 people were recorded with the Bathgate surname. That placed it at #5,155 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bathgate surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,050 in 2016. That gives Bathgate a modern rank of #5,548.

What does the Bathgate surname mean?

A place name referring to a town located in West Lothian, Scotland.

What does the Bathgate map show?

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