NameCensus.

UK surname

Carlyle

From a place name meaning "carl's isle" in Old English, referring to a peasant's or freeman's island.

In the 1881 census there were 820 people recorded with the Carlyle surname, ranking it #4,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,151, ranked #5,129, down from #4,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Carlisle St Cuthbert, Newcastle All Saints and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carlisle, Upper Nithsdale and Annan West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carlyle is 1,173 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.4%.

1881 census count

820

Ranked #4,573

Modern count

1,151

2016, ranked #5,129

Peak year

2015

1,173 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carlyle had 820 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,151 in 2016, ranked #5,129.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,044 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Carlyle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carlyle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carlyle 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 501 #4,984
1861 historical 562 #4,687
1881 historical 820 #4,573
1891 historical 970 #4,266
1901 historical 1,044 #4,583
1911 historical 504 #7,787
1997 modern 1,064 #5,220
1998 modern 1,103 #5,248
1999 modern 1,127 #5,191
2000 modern 1,114 #5,218
2001 modern 1,077 #5,260
2002 modern 1,087 #5,322
2003 modern 1,046 #5,394
2004 modern 1,050 #5,387
2005 modern 1,064 #5,282
2006 modern 1,068 #5,253
2007 modern 1,075 #5,278
2008 modern 1,071 #5,323
2009 modern 1,088 #5,366
2010 modern 1,089 #5,485
2011 modern 1,098 #5,382
2012 modern 1,114 #5,237
2013 modern 1,162 #5,131
2014 modern 1,163 #5,150
2015 modern 1,173 #5,071
2016 modern 1,151 #5,129

Geography

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Where Carlyles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Carlisle St Cuthbert, Newcastle All Saints, Edinburgh, Annan and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carlisle, Upper Nithsdale, Annan West, Northumberland and Moffat. 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 Carlisle St Cuthbert Cumberland
2 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Annan Dumfries
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carlisle 001 Carlisle
2 Upper Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
3 Annan West Dumfries and Galloway
4 Northumberland 007 Northumberland
5 Moffat Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carlyle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carlyle

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Carlyle 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

Carlyle is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Carlyle falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Carlyle 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 Carlyle, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Carlyle

The surname Carlyle originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "carr" meaning rock or stone, and "hyll" meaning hill. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a rocky hill or stony place.

The earliest known record of the Carlyle name dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Ragman Rolls of 1296 as "William de Carlyle." This was a list of Scottish nobles who swore fealty to King Edward I of England after the latter's invasion of Scotland.

In the 14th century, the Carlyles were a prominent family in the Scottish Borders region, holding lands near the town of Carlyle, which itself was named after the family. The village of Carlyle is mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1377.

One of the most famous bearers of the Carlyle surname was the Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, and historian Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881). He was a leading figure in the Victorian era and is renowned for works such as "The French Revolution" and "On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and The Heroic in History."

Another notable Carlyle was Sir Robert Carlyle (1550-1638), a Scottish minister and theologian who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation in Scotland. He was a strong advocate of Presbyterian church governance and authored several influential religious works.

In the 17th century, the Carlyles were also prominent in the West Indies. James Carlyle (1629-1698) was a Scottish merchant who became one of the wealthiest planters in Jamaica, owning several sugar plantations and serving as a Member of the Assembly for St. Andrew Parish.

Joseph Dacre Carlyle (1758-1804) was an English orientalist and professor of Arabic at Cambridge University. He made significant contributions to the study of Arabic literature and culture in the late 18th century.

Another bearer of the Carlyle name was John Aitken Carlyle (1801-1879), a Scottish physician and medical writer who published several influential works on health and hygiene, including "A Manual of the Principles of Physiology" and "The House and Its Surroundings."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carlyle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carlyle 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. Cumberland leads with 174 Carlyles recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.11x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 174 25.11x
Dumfriesshire 174 97.87x
Lancashire 56 0.59x
Lanarkshire 55 2.11x
Yorkshire 33 0.41x
Midlothian 30 2.78x
Stirlingshire 23 7.75x
Northumberland 22 1.84x
Middlesex 21 0.26x
Ayrshire 20 3.32x
Cornwall 17 1.87x
Glamorgan 17 1.21x
Kirkcudbrightshire 15 12.88x
Durham 13 0.54x
Kent 13 0.47x
Roxburghshire 13 8.92x
Dunbartonshire 12 5.55x
Norfolk 11 0.89x
Renfrewshire 11 1.76x
Angus 8 1.07x
Isle of Man 8 5.35x
Surrey 7 0.18x
Warwickshire 7 0.34x
Wigtownshire 7 6.55x
Monmouthshire 6 1.03x
Argyllshire 5 2.23x
Devon 5 0.30x
Leicestershire 5 0.56x
Wiltshire 5 0.70x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.40x
Denbighshire 3 0.99x
Peeblesshire 3 7.93x
Westmorland 3 1.70x
Cheshire 2 0.11x
Derbyshire 2 0.16x
Essex 2 0.13x
Hampshire 2 0.12x
West Lothian 2 1.65x
Worcestershire 2 0.19x
Flintshire 1 0.46x
Gloucestershire 1 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.09x
Perthshire 1 0.28x
Selkirkshire 1 1.37x
Shropshire 1 0.14x
Somerset 1 0.08x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Annan in Dumfriesshire leads with 37 Carlyles recorded in 1881 and an index of 242.31x.

Place Total Index
Annan 37 242.31x
St Cuthbert W O 29 85.88x
Harrington 26 311.00x
Middlebie 25 469.04x
Kirkpatrick Fleming 20 492.61x
Rickergate 19 129.60x
Glasgow 18 3.89x
Langholm 17 133.02x
Swansea Town 16 13.93x
Barony 15 2.28x
St Mary Within 15 173.21x
Whitehaven 14 37.91x
Tundergarth 13 1000.00x
Caldewgate 12 31.61x
Cummertrees 12 398.67x
Liverpool 12 2.07x
West Derby 12 4.30x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 11 136.99x
Cambusnethan 9 15.57x
Johnstone 9 324.91x
Salford 9 3.20x
South Leith 9 7.42x
St Columb Major 9 119.05x
Wilton 9 56.29x
Canonbie 8 105.96x
Dacre 8 299.63x
Dundee 8 2.87x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 1.84x
Auckinleck 7 37.55x
Bonhill 7 20.16x
Bowness 7 261.19x
Colinton 7 58.24x
Inch 7 67.18x
Lochmaben 7 89.86x
Longbenton 7 13.80x
Urr 7 46.20x
Wetheral 7 76.25x
York St Mary 7 21.19x
Gillingham 6 10.60x
Kilmarnock 6 8.37x
Kirkandrews On Esk 6 255.32x
Plumstead 6 6.56x
St Ninians 6 20.39x
Balmaclellan 5 192.31x
Beswick 5 20.48x
Birmingham 5 0.74x
Dunoon Kilmun 5 28.62x
Gateshead 5 2.79x
Haltwhistle 5 86.06x
Hoddam 5 116.82x
Leicester St Margaret 5 2.30x
Marown 5 183.15x
Newcastle On Tyne St 5 8.06x
Padstow 5 82.51x
Penrith 5 19.53x
Rutherglen 5 13.10x
St Cuthbert Within 5 62.27x
Stirling 5 13.36x
Swindon 5 9.06x
Westgate 5 6.74x
Wigan 5 3.75x
York St Maurice 5 33.29x
Bothwell 4 5.67x
Clifton In York 4 23.98x
Dalmellington 4 22.59x
Ealing 4 5.56x
Exeter Heavitree 4 32.03x
Guiseley 4 39.18x
Killearn 4 128.21x
Old Kilpatrick 4 15.65x
Port Glasgow 4 13.27x
Richmond 4 7.28x
Scarborough 4 5.52x
Stranton 4 4.96x
Uxbridge 4 43.48x
Warwick 4 454.55x
Douglas 3 40.00x
East Greenock 3 5.09x
Llandrillo Yn Rhos 3 66.67x
Stanwix 3 53.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 34
Thomas 34
William 23
James 18
George 14
Robert 10
Joseph 7
Edward 6
Charles 4
Hugh 4
Alexander 3
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
David 3
Henry 3
Walter 3
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Nicholas 2
Phillip 2
Adam 1
Albert 1
Bertie 1
Christopher 1
Davud 1
Dickson 1
Douglas 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Gavin 1
Harry 1
Hildred 1
Irvine 1
Irving 1
Isabella 1
Jno.Thos. 1
Jos. 1
Leslie 1
Lowther 1
Martin 1
Mary 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Wallace 1
Will 1
Windsor 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Carlyle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carlyle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 820 people were recorded with the Carlyle surname. That placed it at #4,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carlyle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,151 in 2016. That gives Carlyle a modern rank of #5,129.

What does the Carlyle surname mean?

From a place name meaning "carl's isle" in Old English, referring to a peasant's or freeman's island.

What does the Carlyle map show?

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