NameCensus.

UK surname

Carruthers

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Dumfries, likely meaning "fort of Rydderch" in Brittonic Celtic.

In the 1881 census there were 3,969 people recorded with the Carruthers surname, ranking it #1,143 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,936, ranked #1,134, up from #1,143 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Carlisle St Cuthbert, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Annandale East and Lockerbie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carruthers is 6,157 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.6%.

1881 census count

3,969

Ranked #1,143

Modern count

5,936

2016, ranked #1,134

Peak year

2010

6,157 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carruthers had 3,969 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,143 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,936 in 2016, ranked #1,134.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,162 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Carruthers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carruthers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carruthers 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 2,562 #1,154
1861 historical 2,618 #1,123
1881 historical 3,969 #1,143
1891 historical 4,198 #1,145
1901 historical 5,162 #1,086
1911 historical 3,252 #1,600
1997 modern 5,921 #1,109
1998 modern 6,078 #1,119
1999 modern 6,128 #1,117
2000 modern 6,129 #1,112
2001 modern 5,986 #1,109
2002 modern 6,121 #1,111
2003 modern 5,999 #1,105
2004 modern 5,976 #1,111
2005 modern 5,858 #1,117
2006 modern 5,854 #1,116
2007 modern 5,881 #1,122
2008 modern 5,891 #1,128
2009 modern 6,013 #1,127
2010 modern 6,157 #1,126
2011 modern 6,110 #1,119
2012 modern 5,883 #1,132
2013 modern 5,981 #1,133
2014 modern 6,036 #1,136
2015 modern 5,973 #1,135
2016 modern 5,936 #1,134

Geography

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Where Carruthers' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Annandale East, Lockerbie, Copeland and Carlisle. 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 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Arthuret Cumberland
5 Annan Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
2 Annandale East Dumfries and Galloway
3 Lockerbie Dumfries and Galloway
4 Copeland 004 Copeland
5 Carlisle 006 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carruthers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carruthers

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

Carruthers 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

Carruthers falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Carruthers

The surname Carruthers has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is a territorial name derived from the lands of Carruthers, located in the former county of Dumfriesshire. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric words "cair" meaning "fortified dwelling" and "rythr" meaning "stream" or "ford," suggesting it was initially a place name referring to a fortified dwelling by a stream or ford.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname dates back to the 12th century, with a mention of Randulf de Cariers in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls listing Scots who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England. During this time, the name was also spelled as "Caruthers" or "Carruthirs," reflecting the variations in spelling common in medieval times.

One notable historical figure bearing the Carruthers name was Sir John de Carruthers, who lived in the 14th century and served as a Scottish knight and ambassador to England. He played a significant role in negotiating peace treaties between Scotland and England during the reign of King Robert II.

In the 15th century, the Carruthers family held lands in Annandale and were considered a prominent border clan. The name appears in various charters and legal documents from this period, solidifying their presence and influence in the region.

Another notable bearer of the Carruthers name was William Carruthers, who lived in the 16th century and was appointed as the Bishop of Bangor in 1593. He played an important role in the Church of England during the tumultuous times of the Protestant Reformation.

The surname Carruthers continued to be prevalent in Scotland throughout the centuries, with several notable individuals bearing the name. These include the scientist William Carruthers (1830-1922), who served as the Keeper of Botany at the British Museum, and the writer and poet Robert Carruthers (1799-1878), known for his works on Scottish literature and history.

In more recent times, the name Carruthers has spread beyond Scotland, with bearers found in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with significant Scottish diaspora populations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carruthers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carruthers 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 935 Carruthers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.11x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 935 28.11x
Dumfriesshire 653 76.50x
Lancashire 512 1.12x
Lanarkshire 380 3.04x
Durham 225 1.96x
Northumberland 153 2.66x
Kirkcudbrightshire 135 24.14x
Midlothian 115 2.22x
Middlesex 79 0.20x
Ayrshire 75 2.59x
Roxburghshire 72 10.29x
Renfrewshire 59 1.97x
Yorkshire 47 0.12x
Cheshire 43 0.50x
Surrey 39 0.21x
Angus 30 0.84x
Dunbartonshire 30 2.89x
Westmorland 29 3.42x
Kent 25 0.19x
Berwickshire 23 4.92x
Bedfordshire 21 1.05x
Leicestershire 21 0.49x
Argyllshire 18 1.67x
Stirlingshire 18 1.26x
Perthshire 17 0.98x
Selkirkshire 16 4.58x
Inverness-shire 15 1.30x
Hampshire 14 0.18x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.23x
Essex 10 0.13x
Peeblesshire 10 5.50x
Glamorgan 9 0.13x
Hertfordshire 9 0.34x
West Lothian 9 1.55x
Lincolnshire 8 0.13x
Gloucestershire 7 0.09x
Staffordshire 7 0.05x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.25x
Derbyshire 6 0.10x
East Lothian 6 1.17x
Banffshire 5 0.62x
Channel Islands 5 0.44x
Fife 5 0.22x
Northamptonshire 5 0.14x
Denbighshire 4 0.27x
Dorset 4 0.16x
Worcestershire 4 0.08x
Berkshire 3 0.10x
Devon 3 0.04x
Oxfordshire 3 0.13x
Royal Navy 3 0.65x
Suffolk 3 0.06x
Sussex 3 0.05x
Brecknockshire 2 0.26x
Cornwall 2 0.05x
Wigtownshire 2 0.39x
Anglesey 1 0.15x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.31x
Flintshire 1 0.10x
Ross-shire 1 0.09x
Shropshire 1 0.03x
Somerset 1 0.02x
Warwickshire 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. St Cuthbert W O in Cumberland leads with 112 Carruthers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.07x.

Place Total Index
St Cuthbert W O 112 69.07x
Barony 93 2.94x
Arthuret 90 259.44x
Caldewgate 74 40.60x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 69 3.31x
Annan 67 91.39x
Dryfesdale 65 165.23x
Govan 64 2.07x
West Derby 57 4.25x
Glasgow 52 2.34x
Toxteth Park 45 2.90x
Gateshead 44 5.11x
Rickergate 41 58.25x
Penrith 40 32.55x
Dornock 35 324.37x
Hulme 35 3.66x
Rutherglen 35 19.09x
Westgate 31 8.71x
Whitehaven 31 17.48x
St Mary Within 30 72.18x
Everton 29 1.98x
Applegarth 28 216.22x
Langholm 27 44.02x
Moffat 27 69.32x
Workington 27 14.18x
Blackburn 26 2.13x
Tundergarth 26 417.34x
Abbey 25 5.47x
Lochmaben 25 66.84x
Wigton 25 50.12x
Hoddam 24 116.67x
Urr 24 32.99x
Westoe 24 3.68x
Johnstone 23 173.06x
Kirkdale 23 2.98x
Stanwix 23 85.41x
Bishopwearmouth 22 2.23x
Cummertrees 22 152.04x
Gretna 22 136.99x
Kirkpatrick Fleming 22 112.82x
Parton 22 112.07x
Bootle Cum Linacre 21 5.77x
Bothwell 21 6.20x
New Monkland 21 5.69x
St Cuthbert Within 21 54.49x
Troqueer 21 28.62x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 20 4.02x
Brampton 19 41.67x
Manchester 19 0.92x
St Mungo 19 216.40x
Lesmahagow 18 13.62x
Melrose 18 29.75x
Newabbey 18 150.38x
Wamphray 18 298.51x
Barrow In Furness 17 2.73x
Liff Benvie 17 3.13x
Middlebie 17 66.38x
Birkenhead 16 2.35x
Brandon Byshottles 16 11.11x
Closeburn 16 80.36x
Dumbarton 16 11.07x
Dumfries 16 19.00x
Hexham 16 17.98x
Kirkmichael 16 141.84x
Salford 16 1.19x
Carlaverock 15 107.68x
Hammersmith London 15 1.58x
Inverness 15 5.17x
Kirkpatrick Durham 15 86.16x
Liverpool 15 0.54x
Moresby 15 118.39x
Bridekirk 14 52.69x
Canonbie 14 38.60x
Castleton 14 46.57x
Dalston 14 54.45x
Heap 14 5.76x
Rockcliff 14 135.40x
Cambuslang 13 10.32x
Penpont 13 82.86x
Stow 13 48.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 205
Elizabeth 112
Jane 95
Margaret 74
Sarah 69
Ann 43
Hannah 30
Isabella 30
Annie 29
Janet 21
Ellen 20
Alice 17
Agnes 16
Catherine 14
Emily 14
Frances 12
Barbara 10
Eliza 10
Emma 10
Martha 10
Eleanor 9
Helen 9
Jessie 9
Ada 8
Fanny 8
Maggie 7
Maria 7
Rebecca 7
Anne 6
Clara 6
Elizth. 6
Edith 5
Eliz. 5
Esther 5
Florence 5
Margt. 5
Susan 5
Susannah 5
Alison 4
Betsy 4
Charlotte 4
Ethel 4
Isabel 4
Nancy 4
Dinah 3
Flora 3
Lilly 3
Lucy 3
Margret 3
Ruth 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 188
William 152
James 125
Thomas 87
Robert 85
George 77
Joseph 54
Richard 32
David 22
Edward 17
Henry 16
Charles 12
Matthew 11
Walter 11
Alexander 10
Christopher 10
Thos. 9
Wm. 9
Alfred 8
Isaac 8
Arthur 7
Andrew 6
Frank 6
Herbert 6
Hugh 6
Samuel 6
Francis 5
Robt. 5
Daniel 4
Albert 3
Archibald 3
Benjamin 3
Ernest 3
Jonathan 3
Mathew 3
Willie 3
Adam 2
Auther 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Jacob 2
Jardine 2
Jos. 2
Osborne 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Robinson 2
Solomon 2
W. 2
Willm. 2

FAQ

Carruthers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carruthers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,969 people were recorded with the Carruthers surname. That placed it at #1,143 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carruthers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,936 in 2016. That gives Carruthers a modern rank of #1,134.

What does the Carruthers surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Dumfries, likely meaning "fort of Rydderch" in Brittonic Celtic.

What does the Carruthers map show?

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