NameCensus.

UK surname

Cairney

A Scottish surname derived from a place name referring to someone living near a cairn or stony hill.

In the 1881 census there were 689 people recorded with the Cairney surname, ranking it #5,250 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,993, ranked #3,233, up from #5,250 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Govan Combination and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Yoker South, Drumchapel North and Lennoxtown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cairney is 1,993 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 189.3%.

1881 census count

689

Ranked #5,250

Modern count

1,993

2016, ranked #3,233

Peak year

2016

1,993 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cairney had 689 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,250 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,993 in 2016, ranked #3,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 976 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Cairney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cairney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cairney 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 200 #10,403
1861 historical 332 #7,673
1881 historical 689 #5,250
1891 historical 819 #4,943
1901 historical 976 #4,850
1911 historical 33 #29,703
1997 modern 1,673 #3,556
1998 modern 1,728 #3,585
1999 modern 1,760 #3,547
2000 modern 1,787 #3,483
2001 modern 1,752 #3,470
2002 modern 1,760 #3,541
2003 modern 1,756 #3,472
2004 modern 1,753 #3,479
2005 modern 1,782 #3,398
2006 modern 1,793 #3,384
2007 modern 1,833 #3,343
2008 modern 1,857 #3,334
2009 modern 1,907 #3,332
2010 modern 1,954 #3,335
2011 modern 1,929 #3,337
2012 modern 1,903 #3,321
2013 modern 1,935 #3,332
2014 modern 1,988 #3,278
2015 modern 1,968 #3,277
2016 modern 1,993 #3,233

Geography

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Where Cairneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Yoker South, Drumchapel North, Lennoxtown, Drumchapel South and Airdrie North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 New Monkland Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Yoker South Glasgow City
2 Drumchapel North Glasgow City
3 Lennoxtown East Dunbartonshire
4 Drumchapel South Glasgow City
5 Airdrie North North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cairney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cairney

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Cairney 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

Cairney 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

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

Meaning and origin of Cairney

The surname Cairney originated in Scotland and is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word 'càrn,' meaning a cairn or a heap of stones. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a prominent cairn or a place name containing the word 'cairn.'

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the 14th century in various parts of Scotland, including Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Fife. It is worth noting that the name was initially spelled in various ways, such as Cairnie, Carnie, and Kernie, reflecting the different regional pronunciations and dialects.

In the 15th century, the surname appeared in the Ragman Rolls, a historical document containing the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England in 1296. This suggests that the Cairney family may have been landowners or individuals of some prominence during that period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Cairney was Robert Cairney, who was mentioned in the records of the Parliament of Scotland in 1424. Another notable figure was John Cairney, a Scottish clergyman who served as the Bishop of Argyll from 1557 to 1573.

In the 17th century, the surname gained prominence with the birth of Alexander Cairney (1616-1671), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer. He is best known for his work on calculating the positions of comets and his contributions to the development of logarithms.

During the 18th century, the name was associated with several notable figures, including James Cairney (1732-1809), a Scottish physician and author who wrote extensively on medical topics, and William Cairney (1766-1835), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who founded the Cairney Trust, a charitable organization that supported education and poverty relief.

In the 19th century, one of the most prominent individuals with the surname was John Cairney (1801-1876), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Glasgow, including the City Chambers and the Trades' Hall.

Throughout history, the surname Cairney has been associated with various place names, such as Cairney Hill in Fife, Cairney Mount in Lanarkshire, and Cairney Castle in Aberdeenshire, further solidifying its Scottish origins and connection to geographical features.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cairney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cairney 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 376 Cairneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.76x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 376 17.76x
Renfrewshire 72 14.19x
Ayrshire 49 10.00x
Stirlingshire 47 19.47x
Angus 27 4.45x
Wigtownshire 21 24.16x
Perthshire 16 5.45x
Midlothian 11 1.25x
West Lothian 9 9.13x
Dunbartonshire 8 4.55x
Durham 7 0.36x
Middlesex 7 0.11x
Peeblesshire 6 19.49x
Yorkshire 5 0.08x
Berwickshire 3 3.79x
Lancashire 2 0.03x
Surrey 2 0.06x
Buteshire 1 2.52x
Clackmannanshire 1 1.85x
Northumberland 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. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 101 Cairneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.29x.

Place Total Index
Govan 101 19.29x
Barony 80 14.93x
Glasgow 65 17.29x
New Monkland 37 59.13x
West Greenock 27 29.65x
Bothwell 23 40.06x
Dalziel 18 79.05x
Old Monkland 18 21.43x
Auckinleck 16 105.54x
Kilwinning 16 101.14x
Abbey 15 19.38x
Dundee 13 5.74x
Liff Benvie 13 14.12x
Slamannan 12 90.77x
Cambusnethan 11 23.40x
Maryhill 11 26.54x
Campsie 10 75.47x
New Cumnock 10 117.79x
East Greenock 9 18.79x
Kirkliston 8 139.13x
Scone 8 153.26x
West Calder 8 46.30x
Falkirk 7 12.39x
Gorbals 7 55.73x
Kirkmaiden 7 127.27x
Stirling 7 23.00x
Balfron 6 201.34x
Innerleithen 6 73.44x
Islington London 6 0.95x
Leswalt 6 100.84x
Neilston 6 23.57x
Wingate 6 44.94x
Eastwood 4 12.80x
Inch 4 47.23x
Kilsyth 4 25.99x
Leeds 4 1.09x
Port Glasgow 4 16.31x
Dunblane 3 42.67x
Earlston 3 75.57x
Hamilton 3 5.08x
New Kilpatrick 3 17.93x
Penninghame 3 33.86x
Battersea 2 0.83x
Carluke 2 10.41x
Dumbarton 2 8.17x
Kilbirnie 2 17.01x
Middle Greenock 2 14.45x
Old Kilpatrick 2 9.62x
Over Darwen 2 3.22x
Paisley High Church 2 4.95x
Paisley Middle Church 2 6.77x
Perth East Church 2 7.22x
St Quivox 2 12.08x
Alyth 1 12.64x
Ayr 1 4.33x
Bonhill 1 3.54x
Bute North 1 37.31x
Cockpen 1 9.76x
Cowpen 1 4.46x
Dalmeny 1 26.53x
Dollar 1 17.86x
Dreghorn 1 11.27x
Drymen 1 30.86x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.28x
Kensington London 1 0.27x
Kilmalcolm 1 16.45x
Kilmarnock 1 1.72x
Kirkinner 1 27.86x
Lasswade 1 4.99x
Lochee 1 18.48x
Middlesbrough 1 1.18x
Perth St Pauls 1 14.71x
Sherburn 1 16.86x
Tibbermore 1 23.75x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
James 2
David 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
George 1
Joseph 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
William 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 Cairney households.

FAQ

Cairney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cairney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 689 people were recorded with the Cairney surname. That placed it at #5,250 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cairney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,993 in 2016. That gives Cairney a modern rank of #3,233.

What does the Cairney surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name referring to someone living near a cairn or stony hill.

What does the Cairney map show?

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