NameCensus.

UK surname

Cairncross

A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "cross at the cairn" or "cross by the mound of stones".

In the 1881 census there were 235 people recorded with the Cairncross surname, ranking it #11,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 245, ranked #17,049, down from #11,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Fordoun, Hawick and Wilton and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Uddingston and Gardenside, Southampton and Rother.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cairncross is 275 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.3%.

1881 census count

235

Ranked #11,573

Modern count

245

2016, ranked #17,049

Peak year

1901

275 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cairncross had 235 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 245 in 2016, ranked #17,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 275 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cairncross surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cairncross surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cairncross 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 175 #11,542
1861 historical 181 #12,997
1881 historical 235 #11,573
1891 historical 263 #12,261
1901 historical 275 #12,332
1911 historical 60 #26,808
1997 modern 226 #16,306
1998 modern 236 #16,304
1999 modern 232 #16,594
2000 modern 232 #16,562
2001 modern 229 #16,467
2002 modern 225 #16,994
2003 modern 221 #16,987
2004 modern 223 #16,965
2005 modern 219 #17,126
2006 modern 218 #17,297
2007 modern 217 #17,520
2008 modern 212 #17,950
2009 modern 217 #18,070
2010 modern 224 #18,047
2011 modern 228 #17,673
2012 modern 233 #17,339
2013 modern 240 #17,251
2014 modern 242 #17,285
2015 modern 244 #17,090
2016 modern 245 #17,049

Geography

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Where Cairncross' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Fordoun, Hawick and Wilton, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Gladsmuir. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Uddingston and Gardenside, Southampton, Rother, Test Valley and Adur. 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 Fordoun Kincardine
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Gladsmuir Haddington

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Uddingston and Gardenside South Lanarkshire
2 Southampton 011 Southampton
3 Rother 003 Rother
4 Test Valley 010 Test Valley
5 Adur 005 Adur

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cairncross

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cairncross

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cairncross, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Cairncross surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cairncross household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Cairncross is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cairncross is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cairncross falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cairncross

The surname Cairncross originates from Scotland and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is a locational name derived from the lands of Cairncross in the parish of Torphichen, West Lothian. The name is believed to be a combination of the Scottish Gaelic words "carn" meaning "cairn" or "rocky hill" and "cros" meaning "cross."

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, where a John Cairncross is mentioned in 1540. The Cairncross family held lands in West Lothian for several centuries, and their name appears in various historical records and charters from the region.

In the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname Cairncross was Alexander Cairncross (c. 1620-1701), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Bishop of Raphoe in Ireland. He was a staunch supporter of the Episcopal Church and played a significant role in the religious affairs of his time.

Another prominent individual was John Cairncross (1913-1995), a British spy who passed information to the Soviet Union during World War II while working as a civil servant. He was part of the Cambridge Five spy ring and was not publicly identified as a Soviet agent until the 1990s.

In the 19th century, James Cairncross (1798-1880) was a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Tron Kirk and the Royal Scottish Academy. His works showcased the neoclassical and Greek Revival styles popular during that era.

The surname Cairncross has also been associated with locations beyond Scotland. For instance, there is a town called Cairncross in South Africa, which was likely named after an early settler or landowner with the surname.

Other notable individuals with the Cairncross surname include: - David Cairncross (1909-1993), a British economist and academic. - Andrew Cairncross (1838-1914), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman. - John Cairncross (1772-1839), a Scottish minister and writer.

While the Cairncross name may have evolved from various spellings and variants over time, its Scottish origins and connection to the lands of Cairncross in West Lothian remain a significant part of its history and heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cairncross families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cairncross 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 55 Cairncross' recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.58x.

County Total Index
Angus 55 26.58x
Midlothian 51 17.04x
Lanarkshire 23 3.18x
Roxburghshire 22 54.37x
Middlesex 17 0.76x
Kincardineshire 13 47.79x
Perthshire 8 7.98x
Fife 7 5.29x
East Lothian 5 16.90x
Gloucestershire 5 1.14x
Hampshire 4 0.87x
Peeblesshire 4 38.06x
Dumfriesshire 3 6.08x
West Lothian 3 8.92x
Norfolk 2 0.58x
Berwickshire 1 3.70x
Cheshire 1 0.20x
Clackmannanshire 1 5.42x
Durham 1 0.15x
Hertfordshire 1 0.65x
Kent 1 0.13x
Stirlingshire 1 1.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liff Benvie in Angus leads with 18 Cairncross' recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.31x.

Place Total Index
Liff Benvie 18 57.31x
Dundee 16 20.71x
North Leith 16 115.52x
South Leith 16 47.52x
St George In East London 13 61.88x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 9.14x
Fordoun 11 723.68x
Jedburgh 11 277.08x
Wilton 11 247.75x
Barry 8 322.58x
Lesmahagow 8 104.71x
Montrose 6 47.85x
Newburgh 6 357.14x
Glasgow 5 3.90x
Govan 5 2.80x
Hamilton 5 24.81x
Innerleithen 4 143.37x
Islington London 4 1.85x
Newton 4 396.04x
Portsea 4 4.46x
Blairgowrie 3 75.57x
Corstorphine 3 181.82x
Gladsmuir 3 227.27x
Langholm 3 84.51x
Monifieth 3 41.04x
Perth West Church 3 63.03x
Westbury On Trym 3 20.22x
Arbroath 2 29.15x
Bathgate 2 27.40x
Brechin 2 24.60x
Great Yarmouth 2 7.03x
Haddington 2 45.77x
Stapleton 2 24.07x
Burntisland 1 27.03x
Chatham 1 4.77x
Ecclesmachan 1 476.19x
Fetteresso 1 23.47x
Gateshead 1 2.01x
Hutton 1 135.14x
Liberton 1 21.65x
Liscard 1 11.26x
Marykirk 1 89.29x
Perth Middle Church 1 26.53x
Stirling 1 9.62x
Tillicoultry 1 24.39x
Watford 1 8.38x
Weem 1 270.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 3
Prisscilla 2
Rosina 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Augustua 1
Bessie 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 3
James 2
Robert 2
Bruce 1
Harry 1
John 1
Thomas 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 Cairncross households.

FAQ

Cairncross surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cairncross surname in 1881?

In 1881, 235 people were recorded with the Cairncross surname. That placed it at #11,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cairncross surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 245 in 2016. That gives Cairncross a modern rank of #17,049.

What does the Cairncross surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "cross at the cairn" or "cross by the mound of stones".

What does the Cairncross map show?

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