NameCensus.

UK surname

Boreland

A surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from a boreland or farm.

In the 1881 census there were 95 people recorded with the Boreland surname, ranking it #20,349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 225, ranked #18,105, up from #20,349 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Rutherglen and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool and South Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boreland is 228 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 136.8%.

1881 census count

95

Ranked #20,349

Modern count

225

2016, ranked #18,105

Peak year

2010

228 bearers

Map years

5

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boreland had 95 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,349 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 225 in 2016, ranked #18,105.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 117 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Boreland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boreland surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Boreland 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 103 #16,835
1861 historical 117 #18,635
1881 historical 95 #20,349
1891 historical 73 #27,677
1901 historical 70 #26,383
1911 historical 18 #31,542
1997 modern 187 #18,398
1998 modern 191 #18,624
1999 modern 183 #19,248
2000 modern 182 #19,300
2001 modern 179 #19,215
2002 modern 189 #18,950
2003 modern 190 #18,683
2004 modern 198 #18,308
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 205 #18,005
2007 modern 203 #18,303
2008 modern 208 #18,171
2009 modern 224 #17,685
2010 modern 228 #17,844
2011 modern 216 #18,321
2012 modern 205 #18,909
2013 modern 214 #18,671
2014 modern 216 #18,705
2015 modern 221 #18,289
2016 modern 225 #18,105

Geography

Back to top

Where Borelands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bothwell, Rutherglen, Govan Combination, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool and South Staffordshire. 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 Bothwell Lanark
2 Rutherglen Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 002 Hartlepool
2 Hartlepool 008 Hartlepool
3 Hartlepool 005 Hartlepool
4 South Staffordshire 007 South Staffordshire
5 Hartlepool 012 Hartlepool

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Boreland

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Boreland

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

Boreland 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

Boreland 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 Boreland 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 Boreland, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Boreland

The surname Boreland has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "bor" meaning "a knoll or small hill" and "land," referring to a piece of land or territory. This suggests that the name may have been originally associated with someone who lived on or near a small hill or elevated area of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Boreland surname can be found in the records of the Burgh of Canongate in Edinburgh, Scotland, where a John Boreland was mentioned in 1587. The name also appears in the Parish Records of Ayr, Scotland, where a Robert Boreland was listed in 1649.

The Boreland surname has been associated with various places in Scotland, such as Boreland Farm in Ayrshire and Boreland Hill in Dumfries and Galloway. These place names may have been derived from the same linguistic roots as the surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and its geographic origins.

Notable individuals with the Boreland surname include:

1. James Boreland (1772-1841), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the National Monument on Calton Hill. 2. William Boreland (1792-1869), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who founded the Boreland Trust, a charitable organization that supported education and healthcare in Scotland. 3. Robert Boreland (1804-1882), a Scottish minister and author who wrote several works on theology and church history. 4. Mary Boreland (1826-1893), a Scottish artist known for her landscape paintings and portraits. 5. John Boreland (1860-1932), a Scottish politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Ayr Burghs from 1906 to 1918.

While the Boreland surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, the historical records and associations mentioned above help to trace the name's origins and provide insight into its significance within Scottish culture and heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Boreland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boreland 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 44 Borelands recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.95x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 44 13.95x
Ayrshire 19 26.03x
Renfrewshire 10 13.23x
Staffordshire 8 2.43x
Dunbartonshire 7 26.71x
Isle of Man 5 27.61x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 14.16x
Dumfriesshire 1 4.64x
Middlesex 1 0.10x
Midlothian 1 0.77x
Wigtownshire 1 7.72x
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. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 10 Borelands recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.53x.

Place Total Index
Barony 10 12.53x
Govan 9 11.54x
Bothwell 8 93.46x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 22.91x
Kilwinning 7 296.61x
Carnwath 6 307.69x
Irvine 6 295.57x
Row 6 176.99x
Blantyre 5 152.44x
Dalry 5 145.35x
Lonan 5 454.55x
Rutherglen 5 107.99x
Paisley Low Church 4 167.36x
Eaglesham 2 434.78x
Paisley High Church 2 33.22x
Troqueer 2 108.11x
West Greenock 2 14.74x
Ayr 1 28.99x
Clifton In York 1 49.51x
Glencairn 1 172.41x
Hamilton 1 11.36x
Liberton 1 49.51x
New Kilpatrick 1 40.16x
Penninghame 1 75.76x
St Marylebone London 1 1.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Bridgett 1
Jane 1
Jenney 1
Lilley 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
David 2
John 2
Edward 1
Patrick 1
Robert 1
Thomas 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 Boreland households.

FAQ

Boreland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boreland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 95 people were recorded with the Boreland surname. That placed it at #20,349 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boreland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 225 in 2016. That gives Boreland a modern rank of #18,105.

What does the Boreland surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from a boreland or farm.

What does the Boreland map show?

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