NameCensus.

UK surname

Carmichael

A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "fort of Michael" or "Michael's fort."

In the 1881 census there were 4,295 people recorded with the Carmichael surname, ranking it #1,041 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,951, ranked #1,131, down from #1,041 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lismore and Appin, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oban South, Whisky Isles and Benderloch Trail.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carmichael is 5,992 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.6%.

1881 census count

4,295

Ranked #1,041

Modern count

5,951

2016, ranked #1,131

Peak year

2010

5,992 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carmichael had 4,295 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,041 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,951 in 2016, ranked #1,131.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,193 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Carmichael surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carmichael surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carmichael 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 2,970 #976
1861 historical 3,386 #840
1881 historical 4,295 #1,041
1891 historical 4,461 #1,058
1901 historical 5,193 #1,080
1911 historical 1,541 #3,149
1997 modern 5,695 #1,146
1998 modern 5,855 #1,153
1999 modern 5,897 #1,155
2000 modern 5,835 #1,158
2001 modern 5,711 #1,158
2002 modern 5,857 #1,156
2003 modern 5,705 #1,154
2004 modern 5,733 #1,150
2005 modern 5,631 #1,150
2006 modern 5,658 #1,147
2007 modern 5,723 #1,146
2008 modern 5,775 #1,144
2009 modern 5,900 #1,141
2010 modern 5,992 #1,150
2011 modern 5,879 #1,161
2012 modern 5,793 #1,148
2013 modern 5,891 #1,150
2014 modern 5,990 #1,143
2015 modern 5,944 #1,142
2016 modern 5,951 #1,131

Geography

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Where Carmichaels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lismore and Appin, Govan Combination, Gateshead, 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 Oban South, Whisky Isles, Benderloch Trail, New Cumnock and Lochaber West. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lismore and Appin Argyll
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oban South Argyll and Bute
2 Whisky Isles Argyll and Bute
3 Benderloch Trail Argyll and Bute
4 New Cumnock East Ayrshire
5 Lochaber West Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carmichael

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carmichael

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

Carmichael 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

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

Meaning and origin of Carmichael

The surname Carmichael has its origins in Scotland, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "cair" meaning "fort" and "mìcheil" meaning "Michael," thus translating to "Michael's fort" or "Fortified village of Michael."

Carmichael is a territorial name, referring to various locations in Scotland, particularly in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire. The earliest known record of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where John de Carmychael is mentioned as swearing fealty to King Edward I of England.

In the 13th century, the Carmichaels were a prominent family in the Scottish Borders region, with their ancestral seat located at the village of Carmichael near Lanark. They played a significant role in the conflicts between Scotland and England during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

One of the earliest notable figures bearing the Carmichael name was Sir John Carmichael, who served as a diplomat and ambassador for King Robert III of Scotland in the early 15th century. Another prominent member of the family was James Carmichael, also known as "Mickle Sir James," who fought alongside Robert the Bruce and was rewarded with lands in Fife for his loyalty.

In the 16th century, the Carmichaels were involved in numerous feuds and conflicts with other powerful Scottish families, such as the Douglases and the Hamiltons. Sir John Carmichael of that Ilk, who lived from the late 15th to the early 16th century, is recorded as leading his clan in various battles and skirmishes.

The name Carmichael has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history, including Gershom Carmichael (1672-1729), a Scottish philosopher and theologian who was a prominent figure in the Scottish Enlightenment. Another noteworthy bearer of the name was Andrew Carmichael (1790-1838), a Scottish explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of flora and fauna in the West Indies.

Other historical figures with the surname Carmichael include Sir Thomas Carmichael (1591-1672), a Scottish judge and politician who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland, and Stokely Carmichael (1941-1998), an American civil rights activist who coined the term "Black Power" and played a pivotal role in the African-American civil rights movement.

The Carmichael name has also been associated with various place names, such as Carmichael in Lanarkshire, which served as the ancestral seat of the Carmichael clan, and Carmichaels in Pennsylvania, a town named after the Scottish family who were among its early settlers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carmichael families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carmichael 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 951 Carmichaels recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.03x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 951 7.03x
Argyllshire 511 43.91x
Renfrewshire 314 9.69x
Perthshire 296 15.77x
Midlothian 270 4.82x
Lancashire 220 0.44x
Fife 212 8.57x
Yorkshire 187 0.45x
Northumberland 144 2.31x
Angus 114 2.94x
Stirlingshire 113 7.33x
Durham 98 0.79x
Clackmannanshire 88 25.49x
Surrey 75 0.37x
Dunbartonshire 72 6.41x
Dumfriesshire 71 7.69x
Middlesex 67 0.16x
Ayrshire 41 1.31x
Kinross-shire 30 28.38x
Cumberland 26 0.72x
Ross-shire 25 2.18x
West Lothian 24 3.81x
Buteshire 22 8.68x
Morayshire 22 3.39x
Kent 21 0.15x
Warwickshire 20 0.19x
Inverness-shire 19 1.52x
Aberdeenshire 17 0.44x
Essex 17 0.21x
Peeblesshire 14 7.12x
Hampshire 13 0.15x
Sussex 12 0.17x
Banffshire 11 1.27x
Berwickshire 11 2.17x
Kirkcudbrightshire 11 1.82x
Glamorgan 10 0.14x
Cheshire 9 0.10x
Dorset 9 0.33x
Worcestershire 9 0.16x
Channel Islands 8 0.65x
Gloucestershire 8 0.10x
Derbyshire 7 0.11x
Hertfordshire 6 0.21x
Kincardineshire 6 1.18x
Lincolnshire 6 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.11x
Roxburghshire 6 0.79x
Devon 5 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.11x
Denbighshire 3 0.19x
Radnorshire 3 0.89x
Staffordshire 3 0.02x
Berkshire 2 0.06x
Leicestershire 2 0.04x
Royal Navy 2 0.40x
Somerset 2 0.03x
Suffolk 2 0.04x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.04x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
East Lothian 1 0.18x
Flintshire 1 0.09x
Isle of Man 1 0.13x
Oxfordshire 1 0.04x
Selkirkshire 1 0.26x
Shetland 1 0.23x
Wigtownshire 1 0.18x

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 349 Carmichaels recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.44x.

Place Total Index
Govan 349 10.44x
Barony 237 6.93x
Glasgow 148 6.16x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 117 5.19x
West Greenock 87 14.96x
Lismore 85 801.89x
Dundee 79 5.46x
Alloa 53 31.65x
Comrie 49 182.63x
Kildalton 49 159.45x
Holy Trinity 48 4.82x
East Greenock 46 15.03x
Kilcalmonell 44 166.98x
Kilmore Kilbride 40 54.14x
Abbey 37 7.48x
Dunfermline 36 9.46x
Campbeltown 35 24.93x
Everton 35 2.21x
Edinburgh St Marys 34 31.23x
South Leith 32 5.08x
Ardchattan Muckairn 31 107.71x
Elswick 30 6.04x
Carnwath 29 34.68x
Crieff 29 41.56x
Lambeth 27 0.74x
Maryhill 27 10.20x
Paisley Middle Church 27 14.31x
Dysart 26 15.60x
Heworth 26 10.61x
Glassary 24 38.28x
Stirling 24 12.34x
Kilninian Kilmore 23 64.46x
Logie 23 34.17x
Kirkdale 22 2.64x
Liverpool 22 0.73x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 22 5.92x
Orwell 22 75.50x
Dunblane 21 46.76x
Eastwood 21 10.52x
Falkirk 21 5.82x
Kenmore 21 93.88x
Old Monkland 21 3.91x
Toxteth Park 21 1.25x
Dollar 20 55.90x
Campsie 19 22.45x
Hamilton 19 5.04x
Sanguhar 18 146.46x
Tyree 18 45.45x
Bowmore 17 63.46x
Port Glasgow 17 10.85x
St Andrews 17 15.10x
Gateshead 16 1.72x
Huddersfield 16 2.65x
Kilchoman 16 43.81x
Lismore Appin 16 41.31x
Sculcoates 16 2.44x
West Ham 16 0.88x
New Kilpatrick 15 14.03x
Shotts 15 9.27x
Westoe 15 2.13x
Workington 15 7.28x
Lecropt 14 159.27x
Old Kilpatrick 14 10.54x
Westgate 14 3.63x
Aberdeen Old Machar 13 1.61x
Kensington London 13 0.56x
New Monkland 13 3.25x
Thornton In Fylde 13 11.98x
Tillicoultry 13 16.92x
Alva 12 16.32x
Cathcart 12 6.85x
Glenorchy Inishail 12 89.29x
Kirkcaldy 12 9.78x
Lochmaben 12 29.65x
Polmont 12 21.08x
Blackburn 11 0.83x
Dull 11 29.25x
Kilbrandon 11 56.73x
Knapdale South 11 27.51x
Paisley Low Church 11 10.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 82
William 52
James 36
Robert 32
Thomas 31
George 18
Henry 16
Charles 13
Joseph 13
Daniel 9
Andrew 8
Archibald 8
Peter 8
Alexander 7
Hugh 7
David 6
Donald 6
Edward 6
Richard 5
Thos. 5
Arthur 4
Francis 4
Alfred 3
Duncan 3
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Frederick 3
Jas. 3
Neil 3
Robt. 3
Walter 3
Willm. 3
Archibold 2
Benjn. 2
Colin 2
Dougal 2
Laurence 2
Lawrence 2
Michael 2
Norman 2
Richd. 2
Stephen 2
Thos.H. 2
W. 2
Willie 2
Wm. 2
Bartholemew 1
Dougula 1
E.G.M. 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Carmichael surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carmichael surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,295 people were recorded with the Carmichael surname. That placed it at #1,041 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carmichael surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,951 in 2016. That gives Carmichael a modern rank of #1,131.

What does the Carmichael surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "fort of Michael" or "Michael's fort."

What does the Carmichael map show?

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