NameCensus.

UK surname

Cairnes

An English surname derived from a Norman French place name meaning "rocky heights".

In the 1881 census there were 112 people recorded with the Cairnes surname, ranking it #18,501 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 151, ranked #23,615, down from #18,501 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Durham St Oswald and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Middlesbrough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cairnes is 161 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.8%.

1881 census count

112

Ranked #18,501

Modern count

151

2016, ranked #23,615

Peak year

2014

161 bearers

Map years

5

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cairnes had 112 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,501 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 151 in 2016, ranked #23,615.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 112 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Cairnes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cairnes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cairnes 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 72 #24,643
1881 historical 112 #18,501
1891 historical 73 #27,677
1901 historical 87 #24,386
1911 historical 58 #27,001
1997 modern 115 #24,834
1998 modern 126 #24,094
1999 modern 128 #24,017
2000 modern 117 #25,324
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 138 #23,094
2003 modern 119 #25,026
2004 modern 119 #25,200
2005 modern 130 #23,848
2006 modern 128 #24,267
2007 modern 139 #23,377
2008 modern 137 #23,883
2009 modern 145 #23,473
2010 modern 156 #22,886
2011 modern 155 #22,790
2012 modern 157 #22,551
2013 modern 159 #22,706
2014 modern 161 #22,728
2015 modern 150 #23,718
2016 modern 151 #23,615

Geography

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Where Cairnes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Durham St Oswald, Batley, Pontefract and Wakefield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Middlesbrough. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Durham St Oswald Durham
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Pontefract Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Middlesbrough 003 Middlesbrough
2 Middlesbrough 002 Middlesbrough
3 Middlesbrough 001 Middlesbrough
4 Middlesbrough 011 Middlesbrough
5 Middlesbrough 007 Middlesbrough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cairnes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cairnes

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Cairnes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Cairnes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Cairnes is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Cairnes 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

Cairnes 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 Cairnes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cairnes

The surname CAIRNES has its origins in Scotland, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic word "carn," meaning a rocky hill or cairn, suggesting that the name may have originated from a person living near a prominent cairn or rocky outcrop.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish noblemen and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Cairnes" in this document, indicating its use as a surname during that period.

In the 16th century, the CAIRNES surname is mentioned in various Scottish historical records, including the Exchequer Rolls and the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland. These records suggest that the CAIRNES family held lands and properties in various parts of Scotland, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire.

One notable figure bearing the CAIRNES surname was Sir Robert Cairnes (1595-1662), a Scottish soldier and landowner who served as a colonel in the Royalist army during the English Civil War. He was knighted by King Charles I in recognition of his military service.

Another prominent individual was William Cairnes (1768-1846), a Scottish minister and author who served as the minister of the parish of Symington in Ayrshire. He wrote several works on theology and church history, including a memoir of his life and times.

In the 19th century, the CAIRNES surname gained recognition through the work of John Elliot Cairnes (1823-1875), an influential Irish-born political economist and professor at University College, London. He made significant contributions to the field of economics, particularly in the areas of value theory and international trade.

The name CAIRNES also appears in historical records related to place names and locations. For instance, the village of Cairneyhill in Fife, Scotland, is believed to be derived from the Gaelic "Carn Thaoibh," meaning "hill at the side," possibly indicating a connection to the CAIRNES surname's origins.

Throughout its history, the CAIRNES surname has undergone various spellings, including Cairns, Cairnies, and Carnes, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and regional dialects across Scotland and other parts of the British Isles.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cairnes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cairnes 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. Yorkshire leads with 26 Cairnes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.22x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 26 2.22x
Lancashire 23 1.64x
Durham 20 5.70x
Lanarkshire 11 2.88x
Isle of Man 9 41.06x
Middlesex 7 0.59x
Cumberland 5 4.92x
Fife 4 5.72x
Roxburghshire 4 18.71x
Hampshire 2 0.83x
Ayrshire 1 1.13x
Caernarfonshire 1 2.10x
Clackmannanshire 1 10.26x
Glamorgan 1 0.49x
Gloucestershire 1 0.43x
Kent 1 0.25x
Monmouthshire 1 1.17x
Somerset 1 0.53x
Sussex 1 0.50x
Wiltshire 1 0.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Batley in Yorkshire leads with 12 Cairnes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 108.01x.

Place Total Index
Batley 12 108.01x
Patrick 9 841.12x
Pontefract 9 357.14x
Birkdale 7 197.74x
Collierley 7 448.72x
Everton 6 13.44x
Barony 5 5.18x
Crossgate 5 324.68x
Govan 4 4.24x
Hetton Le Hole 4 89.89x
Islington London 4 3.50x
Rickergate 4 186.05x
Wemyss 4 135.14x
Wilton 4 170.21x
Haslingden 3 51.72x
Stretford 3 38.91x
York All Sts North 3 517.24x
Kensington London 2 3.05x
Preston 2 5.34x
Salford 2 4.86x
Alloa 1 21.14x
Andover 1 43.67x
Bathwick 1 47.62x
Bishopwearmouth 1 3.32x
Brading 1 31.06x
Brampton 1 71.94x
Chopwell 1 153.85x
Darlington 1 7.37x
Dawdon 1 23.15x
Dunlop 1 181.82x
Gate Fulford 1 36.63x
Glasgow 1 1.48x
Greenwich 1 5.32x
Littlehampton 1 62.89x
Llanbeblig 1 20.66x
Newport 1 24.57x
Old Monkland 1 6.60x
Potter Newton 1 48.54x
Preshute 1 156.25x
Shoreditch London 1 1.95x
Stow On The Wold 1 196.08x
Swansea Town 1 5.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Ellen 5
Ann 4
Bridget 3
Elizabeth 3
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Isabel 2
Agnes 1
Allice 1
Annie 1
Charlott 1
Easter 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Frances 1
Honor 1
Irene 1
Jane 1
Lillian 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Marian 1
Rose 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
William 5
James 3
Patrick 3
Peter 3
Thomas 3
Alexander 2
Edmund 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Henry 2
Arthur 1
Daniel 1
Dinnis 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Micheal 1
Paul 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Seamus 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cairnes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cairnes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 112 people were recorded with the Cairnes surname. That placed it at #18,501 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cairnes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 151 in 2016. That gives Cairnes a modern rank of #23,615.

What does the Cairnes surname mean?

An English surname derived from a Norman French place name meaning "rocky heights".

What does the Cairnes map show?

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