NameCensus.

UK surname

Bertie

A habitational surname derived from the French place name Bertie.

In the 1881 census there were 239 people recorded with the Bertie surname, ranking it #11,446 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 338, ranked #13,533, down from #11,446 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Gateshead and Laurencekirk. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fintry, Law and Monifieth East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bertie is 378 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.4%.

1881 census count

239

Ranked #11,446

Modern count

338

2016, ranked #13,533

Peak year

2009

378 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bertie had 239 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,446 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 338 in 2016, ranked #13,533.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 323 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Bertie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bertie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bertie 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 173 #11,629
1861 historical 168 #13,895
1881 historical 239 #11,446
1891 historical 268 #12,087
1901 historical 323 #11,065
1911 historical 168 #16,620
1997 modern 350 #12,172
1998 modern 360 #12,300
1999 modern 368 #12,182
2000 modern 356 #12,408
2001 modern 339 #12,641
2002 modern 350 #12,620
2003 modern 333 #12,875
2004 modern 355 #12,326
2005 modern 338 #12,698
2006 modern 335 #12,883
2007 modern 342 #12,809
2008 modern 348 #12,751
2009 modern 378 #12,248
2010 modern 367 #12,775
2011 modern 343 #13,277
2012 modern 340 #13,245
2013 modern 338 #13,508
2014 modern 353 #13,183
2015 modern 344 #13,332
2016 modern 338 #13,533

Geography

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Where Berties are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Gateshead, Laurencekirk, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fintry, Law, Monifieth East, Forfar Central and Knowsley. 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 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Laurencekirk Kincardine
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fintry Dundee City
2 Law Dundee City
3 Monifieth East Angus
4 Forfar Central Angus
5 Knowsley 018 Knowsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bertie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bertie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bertie, 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 Bertie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Bertie 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, Bertie 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

Bertie 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

Bertie falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bertie

The surname "BERTIE" is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French name "Bert" or "Berte", which itself came from the Germanic name "Berht" meaning "bright" or "shining".

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bertie" and "Berti". This suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the surname began to spread across England, particularly in the southern counties of Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Somerset. During this period, it was often spelled variations like "Berty", "Bertye", and "Bertye".

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname was Sir Thomas Bertie (c. 1455-1513), who served as Lord Privy Seal under King Henry VIII. Another prominent figure was Peregrine Bertie (1555-1601), an English nobleman and soldier who fought in the Netherlands during the Eighty Years' War.

In the 17th century, the Berties became closely associated with the English Royal Family. Robert Bertie (1582-1642) was the 1st Earl of Lindsey and served as Lord Great Chamberlain to King Charles I. His son, Montagu Bertie (1608-1666), was the 2nd Earl of Lindsey and a staunch Royalist during the English Civil War.

Perhaps the most famous member of the Bertie family was James Bertie (1674-1735), who was the 1st Earl of Abingdon. He was a prominent politician and served as Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire for over 30 years.

Another notable individual was Edward Bertie (1758-1824), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Admiral and was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.

Throughout its history, the surname "BERTIE" has been closely tied to the English aristocracy and has produced numerous notable individuals across various fields, including politics, military, and public service.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bertie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bertie 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 106 Berties recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.07x.

County Total Index
Angus 106 48.07x
Lancashire 16 0.57x
Middlesex 16 0.67x
Nottinghamshire 16 4.99x
Midlothian 15 4.70x
Surrey 11 0.95x
Warwickshire 11 1.83x
Hampshire 9 1.84x
Kincardineshire 9 31.06x
Durham 8 1.13x
Channel Islands 6 8.51x
Lincolnshire 5 1.31x
Yorkshire 5 0.21x
Fife 3 2.13x
Berkshire 2 1.12x
Oxfordshire 2 1.36x
Gloucestershire 1 0.21x
Kinross-shire 1 16.61x
Leicestershire 1 0.38x
Renfrewshire 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 38 Berties recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.17x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 38 46.17x
Montrose 17 127.25x
Arbroath 13 177.84x
Aston 11 6.66x
Nottingham St Mary 11 13.26x
Liff Benvie 9 26.89x
St George Hanover Square 7 16.69x
Camberwell 6 3.95x
Forfar 6 50.25x
Laurencekirk 6 357.14x
St Helier 6 26.13x
St Vigeans 6 50.42x
Westoe 6 14.95x
Aldershot 5 30.60x
Burnley 5 21.03x
Edinburgh New North 5 180.51x
Kirkdale 5 10.52x
Monifieth 5 64.18x
Radford 5 30.67x
Uffington 5 1315.79x
Liberton 4 81.30x
South Leith 4 11.15x
Doncaster 3 17.41x
Dundee St Peter 3 3333.33x
East Molesey 3 111.52x
Fordoun 3 185.19x
Islington London 3 1.30x
Liverpool 3 1.75x
St Marylebone London 3 2.36x
Barnsley 2 8.22x
Clerkenwell London 2 3.56x
Craig 2 93.90x
Edzell 2 298.51x
Forgan 2 74.07x
Lambeth 2 0.96x
South Stoneham 2 18.90x
Southwick 2 29.81x
Weston On Green 2 666.67x
Wigan 2 5.07x
Wytham 2 1250.00x
Coston 1 909.09x
Dun 1 227.27x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.78x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 15.11x
Farnell 1 196.08x
Holdenhurst 1 7.81x
Kinross 1 48.54x
Kirkcaldy 1 14.31x
Kirkden 1 72.46x
Maryton 1 312.50x
Neilston 1 10.80x
North Meols 1 3.62x
Paddington London 1 1.14x
Portsea 1 1.05x
Stracathro 1 250.00x
Westbury On Trym 1 6.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 5
Mary 5
Alice 3
Emma 3
Fanny 3
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Florence 2
Rose 2
Agnes 1
Agness 1
Cecelia 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Eveling 1
Evelyn 1
Felicia 1
Felicite 1
Feodorowna 1
George 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Hester 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Kathleen 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Sophie 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Bertie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bertie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 239 people were recorded with the Bertie surname. That placed it at #11,446 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bertie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 338 in 2016. That gives Bertie a modern rank of #13,533.

What does the Bertie surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from the French place name Bertie.

What does the Bertie map show?

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