UK surname
A surname derived from an English place name meaning "chalky" or "bare".
In the 1881 census there were 145 people recorded with the Calman surname, ranking it #15,838 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 55, ranked #34,627, down from #15,838 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, St Leonard Shoreditch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Calman is 223 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 62.1%.
1881 census count
145
Ranked #15,838
Modern count
55
2016, ranked #34,627
Peak year
1861
223 bearers
Map years
5
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Calman surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Calman surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 112 | #15,913 |
| 1861 | historical | 223 | #10,942 |
| 1881 | historical | 145 | #15,838 |
| 1891 | historical | 194 | #15,277 |
| 1901 | historical | 192 | #15,518 |
| 1911 | historical | 99 | #22,850 |
| 1997 | modern | 62 | #31,412 |
| 1998 | modern | 62 | #31,735 |
| 1999 | modern | 57 | #32,367 |
| 2000 | modern | 49 | #33,187 |
| 2001 | modern | 51 | #32,850 |
| 2002 | modern | 51 | #33,193 |
| 2003 | modern | 47 | #33,619 |
| 2004 | modern | 48 | #33,742 |
| 2005 | modern | 48 | #33,932 |
| 2006 | modern | 47 | #34,335 |
| 2007 | modern | 44 | #34,760 |
| 2008 | modern | 50 | #34,521 |
| 2009 | modern | 51 | #34,612 |
| 2010 | modern | 58 | #34,346 |
| 2011 | modern | 46 | #35,047 |
| 2012 | modern | 50 | #34,814 |
| 2013 | modern | 55 | #34,628 |
| 2014 | modern | 57 | #34,556 |
| 2015 | modern | 56 | #34,571 |
| 2016 | modern | 55 | #34,627 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St George in the East | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry | Forfar |
| 5 | Cardiff St John and St Mary | Glamorganshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Calman surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Calman, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Calman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Calman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Calman is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Calman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Calman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname CALMAN is believed to have originated in Scotland, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Gaelic words "calman" or "calma," meaning "dove" or "pigeon." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname or a descriptive term for someone who resembled or had a connection with these birds.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the CALMAN surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls that documented the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. The entry "Johannes de Calmane" is listed among the names, indicating that the surname was already established in Scotland by the late 13th century.
The CALMAN name has also been associated with various place names, such as Calmanmuir in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, and Calmanshill in Lanarkshire, Scotland. These place names may have influenced the spelling and variations of the surname over time.
Notable historical figures bearing the CALMAN surname include:
1. Andrew Calman (c. 1690-1760), a Scottish minister and philosopher who served as the rector of St. Andrews University.
2. Sir Robert Calman (1815-1895), a Scottish industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Calman Shipbuilding Company in Glasgow.
3. Margaret Calman (1848-1923), a Scottish suffragette and advocate for women's rights, known for her involvement in the women's suffrage movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
4. John Calman (1877-1954), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the iconic Usher Hall.
5. Sir Kenneth Calman (born 1941), a Scottish physician and academic who served as the Chief Medical Officer for England and Wales from 1998 to 2003.
While the CALMAN surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Scottish emigration and migration. The name has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Calmane, Calmann, and Callman, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic adaptations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Calman surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 44 Calmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.13x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 44 | 3.13x |
| Surrey | 25 | 3.65x |
| Angus | 24 | 18.44x |
| Essex | 10 | 3.61x |
| Lanarkshire | 6 | 1.32x |
| Fife | 4 | 4.81x |
| Lancashire | 4 | 0.24x |
| Wiltshire | 4 | 3.22x |
| Aberdeenshire | 3 | 2.31x |
| Argyllshire | 3 | 7.67x |
| Kent | 3 | 0.63x |
| Cheshire | 2 | 0.65x |
| Dunbartonshire | 2 | 5.30x |
| Midlothian | 2 | 1.06x |
| Somerset | 2 | 0.88x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.14x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 1.03x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.53x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.21x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 0.58x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 23 Calmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.34x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Calman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Calman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Calman households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 20 |
| Labourer | 3 |
| Laundress | 3 |
| (Gen) Shop Assistant | 2 |
| General Labourer | 2 |
| Shepherd | 2 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Assistant Priest Of St Peters Church Stoke | 1 |
| Bakers (Assistnt) | 1 |
| Barmaid | 1 |
| Barmaid Unemployed | 1 |
| Bricklayer | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Carpenter Etc | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Commision Agent | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver | 1 |
| Dentist Assist | 1 |
| Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Druggist Assistant | 1 |
| Dry Soap Packer | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Fitter & Turner | 1 |
| Forman At Jute Works | 1 |
| Furrier | 1 |
| Gen Lab | 1 |
| Gen Serv | 1 |
| General | 1 |
| General Dealer | 1 |
| General Serv (Domestic) | 1 |
| Grocers Assistant | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Lab At Iron Mines | 1 |
| Laborer | 1 |
| Machinist | 1 |
| No Business | 1 |
| Oil Colorman | 1 |
| Sack Maker | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
| Servant (Cook) | 1 |
| Shoemaker | 1 |
| Stableman (Groom) | 1 |
| Stevedore | 1 |
| Stevedores Labourer | 1 |
| Teacher Of Languages | 1 |
| Waiteress (Inn Servant) | 1 |
| Waterman | 1 |
| Wharf Labourer | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 145 people were recorded with the Calman surname. That placed it at #15,838 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 55 in 2016. That gives Calman a modern rank of #34,627.
A surname derived from an English place name meaning "chalky" or "bare".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Calman bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.