NameCensus.

UK surname

Campbell

A Scottish and Irish surname derived from a Gaelic nickname meaning "crooked mouth" or "wry-mouthed."

In the 1881 census there were 50,681 people recorded with the Campbell surname, ranking it #55 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 81,637, ranked #49, up from #55 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barra and South Uist, Oban South and Skye North West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Campbell is 81,840 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 61.1%.

1881 census count

50,681

Ranked #55

Modern count

81,637

2016, ranked #49

Peak year

2014

81,840 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Campbell had 50,681 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #55 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 81,637 in 2016, ranked #49.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 60,285 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Campbell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Campbell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Campbell 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 36,294 #51
1861 historical 38,629 #51
1881 historical 50,681 #55
1891 historical 54,698 #56
1901 historical 60,285 #60
1911 historical 20,342 #220
1997 modern 73,934 #52
1998 modern 76,569 #52
1999 modern 77,109 #52
2000 modern 77,266 #52
2001 modern 74,853 #52
2002 modern 76,991 #52
2003 modern 75,518 #51
2004 modern 75,443 #51
2005 modern 75,450 #49
2006 modern 75,908 #49
2007 modern 76,950 #49
2008 modern 77,687 #48
2009 modern 79,760 #48
2010 modern 81,812 #48
2011 modern 80,140 #48
2012 modern 78,802 #48
2013 modern 80,659 #48
2014 modern 81,840 #48
2015 modern 81,464 #49
2016 modern 81,637 #49

Geography

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Where Campbells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh, 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 Barra and South Uist, Oban South, Skye North West, Caithness North West and Northwest Lewis. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barra and South Uist Na h-Eileanan Siar
2 Oban South Argyll and Bute
3 Skye North West Highland
4 Caithness North West Highland
5 Northwest Lewis Na h-Eileanan Siar

Forenames

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First names often paired with Campbell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Campbell

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Campbell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Campbell 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

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

Meaning and origin of Campbell

The surname Campbell has its origins in Scotland, first appearing in the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words 'cam' meaning crooked and 'beul' meaning mouth or entry, referring to a crooked or winding field or stream near the dwelling place of the family. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was 'de Cambel' in 1249.

The Campbells were a powerful Highland clan, and their name is associated with several notable figures in Scottish history. One of the earliest recorded members of the clan was Sir Duncan Campbell, who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.

The Campbells held significant influence and territories in Argyll and the Western Isles of Scotland. Their clan seat was Castle Campbell, also known as Gloom Castle, which dates back to the 15th century. The Campbells were also closely associated with the town of Inveraray, where they had a stronghold.

In the 16th century, the Campbells played a prominent role in the Protestant Reformation in Scotland. The 4th Earl of Argyll, Archibald Campbell (1507-1558), was a leading supporter of the reformer John Knox and helped establish Protestantism in the country.

Another notable Campbell was John Campbell, Duke of Argyll and Greenwich (1678-1743), a Scottish nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the Jacobite risings and the Union of England and Scotland.

The surname Campbell has also been associated with several notable literary figures, including the Scottish novelist and playwright James Campbell (1817-1888) and the American novelist and essayist John W. Campbell (1910-1971), who was influential in the development of science fiction.

Other notable Campbells include Sir Colin Campbell (1776-1847), a British Army officer who served in the Peninsular War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857, and Thomas Campbell (1777-1844), a Scottish poet known for his patriotic works such as "The Pleasures of Hope" and "Ye Mariners of England".

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Campbell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Campbell 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 9,811 Campbells recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.14x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 9,811 6.14x
Lancashire 3,430 0.58x
Argyllshire 3,364 24.44x
Renfrewshire 2,945 7.69x
Midlothian 2,648 4.00x
Inverness-shire 2,500 16.93x
Ayrshire 2,361 6.38x
Perthshire 2,005 9.04x
Middlesex 1,843 0.37x
Ross-shire 1,775 13.07x
Durham 1,279 0.87x
Dunbartonshire 1,270 9.56x
Angus 1,088 2.38x
Stirlingshire 1,066 5.85x
Yorkshire 987 0.20x
Fife 935 3.19x
Caithness 918 13.56x
Northumberland 905 1.23x
Aberdeenshire 820 1.79x
Surrey 778 0.32x
Sutherland 525 13.81x
Cumberland 498 1.17x
Kent 477 0.28x
Cheshire 394 0.36x
Morayshire 380 4.95x
Wigtownshire 335 5.10x
Sussex 330 0.40x
Kirkcudbrightshire 309 4.32x
Buteshire 298 9.95x
Dumfriesshire 265 2.43x
Hampshire 262 0.26x
Staffordshire 251 0.15x
West Lothian 224 3.01x
Warwickshire 173 0.14x
Clackmannanshire 172 4.21x
Banffshire 159 1.55x
Roxburghshire 157 1.75x
Lincolnshire 153 0.19x
Devon 151 0.15x
East Lothian 147 2.24x
Nairnshire 137 9.08x
Essex 133 0.14x
Gloucestershire 126 0.13x
Berwickshire 107 1.79x
Derbyshire 104 0.13x
Monmouthshire 98 0.27x
Kincardineshire 91 1.51x
Somerset 85 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 82 0.12x
Glamorgan 81 0.09x
Berkshire 77 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 74 0.25x
Selkirkshire 72 1.61x
Peeblesshire 71 3.05x
Isle of Man 69 0.75x
Hertfordshire 68 0.20x
Orkney 68 1.25x
Worcestershire 64 0.10x
Channel Islands 60 0.41x
Royal Navy 53 0.90x
Shropshire 46 0.11x
Suffolk 46 0.08x
Westmorland 43 0.40x
Norfolk 39 0.05x
Kinross-shire 37 2.96x
Cambridgeshire 33 0.11x
Leicestershire 30 0.05x
Northamptonshire 29 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 27 0.17x
Cornwall 26 0.05x
Wiltshire 26 0.06x
Dorset 23 0.07x
Huntingdonshire 23 0.23x
Rutland 22 0.61x
Radnorshire 19 0.48x
Flintshire 13 0.10x
Anglesey 12 0.14x
Shetland 12 0.24x
Bedfordshire 11 0.04x
Brecknockshire 11 0.11x
Herefordshire 11 0.05x
Cardiganshire 7 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 7 0.06x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.03x
Oxfordshire 5 0.02x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.01x
Denbighshire 2 0.01x
Merionethshire 1 0.01x

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 2,908 Campbells recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.19x.

Place Total Index
Barony 2,908 7.19x
Govan 2,841 7.18x
Glasgow 1,907 6.72x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1,169 4.39x
West Greenock 737 10.72x
Liverpool 474 1.33x
Dundee 456 2.67x
East Greenock 437 12.08x
Abbey 377 6.45x
Duirinish 367 48.77x
Inverness 339 9.13x
Stornoway 339 19.16x
South Uist 330 32.04x
South Leith 325 4.36x
Glassary 310 41.81x
Manchester 290 1.10x
Barvas 281 31.00x
Dunfermline 278 6.18x
Old Monkland 273 4.30x
Kilmore Kilbride 261 29.88x
Toxteth Park 256 1.29x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 242 2.82x
New Monkland 236 4.99x
Lochbroom 227 32.03x
Rothesay 220 15.17x
Falkirk 219 5.13x
Row 216 12.57x
Cardross 214 13.42x
Kilmarnock 201 4.56x
Bonhill 197 9.24x
Campbeltown 197 11.87x
Tyree 195 41.64x
Dunoon Kilmun 185 17.24x
Wick 184 8.42x
Hamilton 180 4.04x
Cathcart 179 8.64x
Latheron 178 15.72x
Kensington London 175 0.64x
Kirkdale 175 1.77x
Barra 174 47.21x
Dumbarton 174 9.41x
Bothwell 171 3.94x
Maryhill 169 5.40x
Everton 167 0.89x
Knapdale South 166 35.11x
Kilfinichen 165 48.46x
Eastwood 164 6.95x
Paisley High Church 163 5.34x
Liff Benvie 157 2.26x
Thurso 152 14.40x
Old Kilpatrick 151 9.62x
Aberdeen Old Machar 150 1.57x
Barrow In Furness 149 1.87x
Camberwell 147 0.47x
Lambeth 147 0.34x
Stirling 147 6.39x
Harris 146 19.67x
Reay 146 39.34x
Ardchattan Muckairn 140 41.14x
Dull 139 31.25x
Paisley Middle Church 139 6.23x
Gateshead 134 1.22x
Islington London 134 0.28x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 132 2.07x
Halkirk 130 28.39x
Kildalton 129 35.50x
Newton On Ayr 129 11.64x
Drainie 128 18.81x
St Ninians 128 7.08x
Bishopwearmouth 127 1.01x
St Pancras London 127 0.32x
Cambusnethan 125 3.52x
Middle Greenock 124 11.86x
Leeds 122 0.44x
Port Glasgow 121 6.53x
Kirkintilloch 120 6.65x
North Leith 119 3.88x
St Marylebone London 119 0.45x
Kilmorack 116 25.91x
Kilbrandon 115 50.15x
West Derby 114 0.66x
Maybole 110 9.76x
Hackney London 108 0.39x
Perth East Church 106 5.07x
St George Hanover Square 106 1.22x
Durness 105 62.86x
Larbert 104 9.54x
Logierait 104 26.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 980
Elizabeth 516
Margaret 431
Sarah 341
Jane 338
Ann 228
Annie 202
Ellen 194
Catherine 176
Eliza 151
Alice 150
Isabella 132
Emily 107
Agnes 94
Jessie 93
Emma 88
Hannah 79
Martha 71
Maria 68
Florence 67
Louisa 61
Edith 60
Charlotte 55
Anne 53
Bridget 52
Fanny 52
Kate 50
Frances 49
Harriet 49
Rose 44
Ada 43
Helen 43
Caroline 42
Rebecca 40
Janet 36
Susan 36
Julia 34
Eleanor 33
Lucy 33
Grace 31
Maggie 31
Esther 28
Elizth. 26
Flora 26
Clara 24
Marion 24
Christina 23
Matilda 23
Ethel 22
Amelia 21

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 962
William 676
James 649
Thomas 342
George 315
Robert 283
Charles 217
Henry 177
Alexander 164
Joseph 164
Archibald 112
Peter 108
Edward 107
Hugh 83
Arthur 82
Patrick 82
Alfred 80
Colin 79
David 75
Frederick 74
Richard 65
Samuel 64
Walter 60
Wm. 60
Michael 56
Francis 54
Donald 53
Andrew 52
Duncan 52
Daniel 44
Frank 36
Herbert 31
Harry 29
Ernest 28
Albert 26
Thos. 25
Geo. 23
Chas. 22
Owen 22
Bernard 21
Matthew 19
Robt. 18
Jas. 17
Allan 14
Benjamin 13
Fred 13
Malcolm 13
Stephen 13
Collin 12
Fredk. 12

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 Campbell households.

FAQ

Campbell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Campbell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50,681 people were recorded with the Campbell surname. That placed it at #55 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Campbell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 81,637 in 2016. That gives Campbell a modern rank of #49.

What does the Campbell surname mean?

A Scottish and Irish surname derived from a Gaelic nickname meaning "crooked mouth" or "wry-mouthed."

What does the Campbell map show?

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