NameCensus.

UK surname

Bilsland

A locational surname derived from a place name in Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 172 people recorded with the Bilsland surname, ranking it #14,163 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 364, ranked #12,748, up from #14,163 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Drymen, Govan Combination and Doncaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee, City Centre East and Blane Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bilsland is 396 in 2005. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 111.6%.

1881 census count

172

Ranked #14,163

Modern count

364

2016, ranked #12,748

Peak year

2005

396 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bilsland had 172 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,163 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 364 in 2016, ranked #12,748.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 258 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Bilsland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bilsland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bilsland 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 119 #15,247
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 172 #14,163
1891 historical 237 #13,242
1901 historical 258 #12,875
1911 historical 64 #26,435
1997 modern 358 #11,977
1998 modern 384 #11,727
1999 modern 386 #11,740
2000 modern 392 #11,564
2001 modern 383 #11,580
2002 modern 381 #11,865
2003 modern 387 #11,523
2004 modern 395 #11,390
2005 modern 396 #11,271
2006 modern 384 #11,579
2007 modern 376 #11,925
2008 modern 379 #11,960
2009 modern 380 #12,198
2010 modern 392 #12,186
2011 modern 381 #12,300
2012 modern 372 #12,374
2013 modern 380 #12,382
2014 modern 380 #12,449
2015 modern 374 #12,495
2016 modern 364 #12,748

Geography

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Where Bilslands are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee, City Centre East, Blane Valley, Arran and Glenwood South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Drymen Stirling
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bonhill Dunbarton
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee Perth and Kinross
2 City Centre East Glasgow City
3 Blane Valley Stirling
4 Arran North Ayrshire
5 Glenwood South Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bilsland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bilsland

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

Bilsland 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

Bilsland falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bilsland

The surname Bilsland originated in Scotland, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Scottish place name Bilston, a small village located in the county of Midlothian, near the city of Edinburgh. Bilston itself is thought to have originated from the Old English words "byll," meaning a hill or ridge, and "tun," meaning a farm or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bilsland can be found in the Scottish Monastic Annals of 1542, where a certain John Bilsland is mentioned as a tenant farmer in the lands of Bilston. This suggests that the surname may have originated as a locational name, referring to someone who hailed from or lived in the village of Bilston.

In the 17th century, the Bilsland name appears in several parish records and legal documents in the region surrounding Edinburgh. Notable examples include William Bilsland, a merchant in Edinburgh born in 1635, and Robert Bilsland, a local landowner in the nearby village of Dalkeith, born in 1670.

During the 18th century, the Bilsland family seemed to have expanded their presence throughout central Scotland. One notable figure from this era was James Bilsland (1718-1793), a Presbyterian minister who served in the parish of Lecropt, near the city of Stirling. He was known for his influential sermons and writings on theological matters.

In the 19th century, the Bilsland name continued to be prominent in Scottish history. John Bilsland (1820-1892) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from Glasgow, who made his fortune in the textile industry and donated generously to various charitable causes. Another notable figure was William Bilsland (1855-1932), a renowned architect who designed several iconic buildings in Edinburgh, including the Usher Hall and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

As Scottish immigrants began to settle in other parts of the world, the Bilsland surname spread to various countries. One example is Alexander Bilsland (1865-1943), a Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and was involved in the mining and real estate industries.

Throughout its history, the surname Bilsland has maintained strong ties to its Scottish roots and the village of Bilston, where it is believed to have originated. While the name has since spread across the globe, it remains a testament to the rich heritage and cultural traditions of Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bilsland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bilsland 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 80 Bilslands recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.74x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 80 14.74x
Dunbartonshire 40 88.71x
Stirlingshire 24 38.78x
Argyllshire 7 14.99x
Midlothian 7 3.11x
Northumberland 7 2.80x
Kent 6 1.05x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 39 Bilslands recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.40x.

Place Total Index
Barony 39 28.40x
Bonhill 21 290.06x
Govan 19 14.16x
Glasgow 18 18.68x
Kilmaronock 18 3396.23x
Drymen 12 1445.78x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 7.74x
Elswick 7 35.14x
Strachur Stralachlan 7 1794.87x
Plumstead 6 31.45x
Strathblane 6 779.22x
East Kilbride 4 172.41x
Killearn 3 461.54x
St Ninians 3 48.94x
New Kilpatrick 1 23.31x
Scarborough 1 6.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 3
Mary 2
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Isabella 1
Marianne 1
Maud 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alexander 1
James 1
William 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 Bilsland households.

FAQ

Bilsland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bilsland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 172 people were recorded with the Bilsland surname. That placed it at #14,163 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bilsland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 364 in 2016. That gives Bilsland a modern rank of #12,748.

What does the Bilsland surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Scotland.

What does the Bilsland map show?

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