NameCensus.

UK surname

Cargill

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Blairgowrie in Perthshire, likely meaning "fort in a hollow."

In the 1881 census there were 1,187 people recorded with the Cargill surname, ranking it #3,398 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,182, ranked #2,973, up from #3,398 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Inverkeilor. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Arbroath Harbour, Arbroath Keptie and Arbroath Cliffburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cargill is 2,192 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.8%.

1881 census count

1,187

Ranked #3,398

Modern count

2,182

2016, ranked #2,973

Peak year

2014

2,192 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cargill had 1,187 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,398 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,182 in 2016, ranked #2,973.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,592 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Cargill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cargill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cargill 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 665 #3,904
1861 historical 741 #3,687
1881 historical 1,187 #3,398
1891 historical 1,399 #3,112
1901 historical 1,592 #3,244
1911 historical 391 #9,443
1997 modern 2,035 #3,016
1998 modern 2,089 #3,052
1999 modern 2,072 #3,097
2000 modern 2,080 #3,073
2001 modern 2,008 #3,104
2002 modern 2,061 #3,096
2003 modern 2,008 #3,107
2004 modern 2,018 #3,092
2005 modern 2,000 #3,090
2006 modern 2,023 #3,056
2007 modern 2,083 #3,004
2008 modern 2,115 #2,987
2009 modern 2,158 #3,007
2010 modern 2,186 #3,039
2011 modern 2,130 #3,067
2012 modern 2,111 #3,032
2013 modern 2,161 #3,019
2014 modern 2,192 #2,995
2015 modern 2,187 #2,973
2016 modern 2,182 #2,973

Geography

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Where Cargills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Inverkeilor, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Arbroath Harbour, Arbroath Keptie, Arbroath Cliffburn, Arbroath Kirkton and Arbroath Warddykes. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Forfar Forfar
2 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 Inverkeilor Forfar
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Arbroath Harbour Angus
2 Arbroath Keptie Angus
3 Arbroath Cliffburn Angus
4 Arbroath Kirkton Angus
5 Arbroath Warddykes Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cargill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cargill

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Cargill 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

Cargill 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

Cargill falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cargill is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cargill

The surname Cargill has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "carr" meaning "marsh" or "fen," and "gil" meaning "a narrow glen or ravine." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a marshy ravine or stream.

The earliest recorded mention of the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Scottish Wars of Independence. One such person listed was Thomas de Cargyll from Perthshire.

By the 15th century, the name had evolved into various spellings like Cargill, Cargyll, Cargyle, and Cargile. These variations appeared in different records, such as the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland and the Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland.

One notable bearer of the name was Donald Cargill (1619-1681), a Scottish Covenanter minister and activist who was executed for his role in the Bothwell Bridge Rebellion against King Charles II. His defiant last words, "The Lord God Omnipotent reign," became a rallying cry for the Covenanters.

Another prominent figure was Ralph Cargill (1693-1778), a British merchant and politician who served as the Governor of the Bank of England from 1766 to 1768. He was also a Member of Parliament for Queensborough and Beverley.

In the 19th century, William Cargill (1784-1860) was a successful Scottish merchant and shipowner based in Greenock. He founded the firm of William Cargill & Co., which later became part of the Cargill Corporation, one of the largest private companies in the world.

The name Cargill has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Cargill in Perthshire, Cargill in Fife, and the village of Cargill near Arbroath. These locations likely derive their names from the surname or vice versa, further reinforcing the name's Scottish heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cargill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cargill 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 657 Cargills recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.30x.

County Total Index
Angus 657 61.30x
Fife 79 11.54x
Lanarkshire 52 1.39x
Middlesex 41 0.35x
Midlothian 39 2.52x
Kincardineshire 38 26.97x
Lincolnshire 36 1.95x
Yorkshire 33 0.29x
Derbyshire 32 1.77x
Perthshire 24 4.62x
Lancashire 19 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 18 1.15x
Durham 17 0.49x
Surrey 13 0.23x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.65x
Ayrshire 7 0.81x
Essex 7 0.31x
Berwickshire 5 3.57x
Dumfriesshire 5 1.96x
Inverness-shire 5 1.45x
Northumberland 5 0.29x
Roxburghshire 5 2.39x
Shropshire 5 0.50x
Staffordshire 5 0.13x
Sussex 5 0.26x
Clackmannanshire 4 4.19x
Devon 4 0.17x
Dunbartonshire 4 1.29x
Morayshire 3 1.67x
Westmorland 3 1.18x
Flintshire 2 0.64x
Gloucestershire 2 0.09x
Hampshire 2 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 0.73x
Stirlingshire 1 0.23x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Arbroath in Angus leads with 215 Cargills recorded in 1881 and an index of 605.29x.

Place Total Index
Arbroath 215 605.29x
St Vigeans 173 299.05x
Craig 56 541.06x
Dundee 46 11.50x
Barony 29 3.06x
Inverkeillor 29 436.09x
Dysart 27 58.54x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 22 3.53x
Forfar 21 36.18x
Govan 19 2.05x
Liff Benvie 18 11.06x
Glenisla 17 541.40x
Chesterfield 12 17.67x
Kensington London 11 1.71x
Strachan 11 400.00x
Wemyss 11 37.96x
Bervie 10 119.76x
Blairgowrie 10 48.69x
Swinderby 10 500.00x
Brampton 9 35.55x
Brechin 9 21.37x
Kingoldrum 9 584.42x
Kirkcaldy 9 26.49x
North Witham 9 957.45x
Tottenham 9 4.88x
Basford 8 11.13x
Bedale 8 191.85x
Camberwell 8 1.08x
Guthrie 8 457.14x
Kinnel 8 288.81x
Mains 8 87.82x
Mile End Old Town London 8 3.25x
Montrose 8 12.32x
North Bedburn 8 83.16x
Toxteth Park 8 1.72x
Beath 7 32.35x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 7 65.18x
Kilspindie 7 254.55x
Tannadice 7 140.28x
Anstruther Wester 6 224.72x
Billingborough 6 127.39x
Crail 6 85.84x
Lasswade 6 16.93x
Letwell 6 1304.35x
Monikie 6 106.76x
Riccarton 6 45.94x
Alyth 5 35.77x
Benholm 5 82.64x
Brighton 5 1.27x
Coddington 5 242.72x
Dunse 5 37.62x
Holy Trinity 5 1.81x
Inverness 5 5.75x
Jedburgh 5 24.34x
Kenley 5 581.40x
Langholm 5 27.22x
Marykirk 5 86.06x
Risley 5 561.80x
St Peterin Eastgate 5 87.41x
Chelsea London 4 1.15x
Collessie 4 50.76x
Crathie Braemar 4 62.40x
Glasgow 4 0.60x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 2.68x
Kirkdale 4 1.73x
Leeds 4 0.62x
Limehouse London 4 3.15x
Old Kilpatrick 4 10.89x
St Andrews 4 12.84x
Tillicoultry 4 18.82x
West Teignmouth 4 21.72x
Whittington 4 15.96x
Balderton 3 70.26x
Chester All Sts 3 163.93x
Dunnichen 3 53.10x
Kirriemuir 3 11.34x
Lambeth 3 0.30x
Lamesley 3 16.19x
West Derby 3 0.75x
West Ham 3 0.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Annie 11
Elizabeth 7
Margaret 6
Jane 5
Florence 4
Martha 4
Ann 3
Catherine 3
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Helen 3
Jessie 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Amy 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Helena 2
Matilda 2
Caroline 1
Cath.B. 1
Cathe. 1
Clement 1
Emeline 1
Etheal 1
Evelina 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Geraldine 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hellen 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
Janet 1
Jemima 1
Kate 1
Kathleen 1
Lettiata 1
Lilicia 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucia 1
Lydia 1
M.Hy. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
John 14
James 10
George 7
Thomas 6
Arthur 3
Charles 3
David 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Ralph 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Chas. 2
Edward 2
Herbert 2
Hugh 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Sidney 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Barthm. 1
Chapel 1
Clement 1
Cornelius 1
Donald 1
E. 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk 1
Georgiana 1
Guiseppe 1
Harold 1
Hert.Wm. 1
Horace 1
Lionel 1
Robt. 1
Tom 1
Wm.Drayton 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Cargill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cargill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,187 people were recorded with the Cargill surname. That placed it at #3,398 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cargill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,182 in 2016. That gives Cargill a modern rank of #2,973.

What does the Cargill surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Blairgowrie in Perthshire, likely meaning "fort in a hollow."

What does the Cargill map show?

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