NameCensus.

UK surname

Carstairs

A topographic surname referring to a locality with stairs near a marsh or carr.

In the 1881 census there were 491 people recorded with the Carstairs surname, ranking it #6,865 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 607, ranked #8,637, down from #6,865 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cupar, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Elie Colinsburgh and Largoward, Auchterarder and Auchtermuchty and Gateside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carstairs is 646 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.6%.

1881 census count

491

Ranked #6,865

Modern count

607

2016, ranked #8,637

Peak year

2002

646 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carstairs had 491 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,865 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 607 in 2016, ranked #8,637.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 578 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Carstairs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carstairs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carstairs 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 305 #7,542
1861 historical 321 #7,938
1881 historical 491 #6,865
1891 historical 521 #7,183
1901 historical 578 #7,272
1911 historical 105 #22,064
1997 modern 612 #8,033
1998 modern 628 #8,120
1999 modern 621 #8,253
2000 modern 627 #8,163
2001 modern 622 #8,062
2002 modern 646 #7,990
2003 modern 613 #8,191
2004 modern 625 #8,092
2005 modern 615 #8,113
2006 modern 605 #8,236
2007 modern 604 #8,310
2008 modern 619 #8,210
2009 modern 617 #8,414
2010 modern 622 #8,542
2011 modern 610 #8,569
2012 modern 582 #8,793
2013 modern 600 #8,752
2014 modern 614 #8,643
2015 modern 609 #8,643
2016 modern 607 #8,637

Geography

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Where Carstairs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cupar, London parishes, Edinburgh, Kilrenny and Crail. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Elie Colinsburgh and Largoward, Auchterarder, Auchtermuchty and Gateside, Kennoway and Bonnybank and Glenrothes Woodside. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Cupar Fife
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Kilrenny Fife
5 Crail Fife

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Elie Colinsburgh and Largoward Fife
2 Auchterarder Perth and Kinross
3 Auchtermuchty and Gateside Fife
4 Kennoway and Bonnybank Fife
5 Glenrothes Woodside Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carstairs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carstairs

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

Carstairs 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

Carstairs falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Carstairs

The surname Carstairs has its origins in Scotland, with records indicating its presence as early as the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the parish of Carstairs in Lanarkshire, which itself takes its name from the Celtic words 'cathair' meaning 'fort' and 'trev' meaning 'settlement' or 'village'.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of feudal homages rendered to King Edward I of England. Here, the name appears as 'de Castres', likely an early variant spelling. Additionally, the name is mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1362, where a 'William de Carstaris' is recorded.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various forms such as 'Carstaires', 'Carstayres', and 'Carstares'. One notable bearer of the name from this period was John Carstairs (1623-1686), a Scottish Presbyterian minister and Principal of the University of Edinburgh.

As the centuries progressed, the spelling of the name seems to have solidified into its modern form of 'Carstairs'. One prominent individual with this surname was Joseph Carstairs (1789-1856), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of education in Glasgow.

Another notable figure was Robert Carstairs (1819-1900), a Scottish-born civil engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of the Tay Bridge in Scotland. His work on this iconic structure, completed in 1887, was a remarkable engineering feat of the time.

In the literary world, the name Carstairs is associated with Dorothy Carstairs (1892-1974), a British author and illustrator renowned for her children's books, particularly her works featuring the character 'Thomas Traherne'.

While the surname Carstairs may not be among the most common in modern times, its rich history and Scottish roots have left an indelible mark on various fields, from religion and academia to engineering and literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carstairs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carstairs 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. Fife leads with 215 Carstairs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 75.37x.

County Total Index
Fife 215 75.37x
Midlothian 63 9.76x
Perthshire 24 11.10x
Renfrewshire 24 6.43x
Lanarkshire 23 1.48x
Surrey 23 0.98x
Angus 19 4.26x
Middlesex 19 0.39x
Hampshire 13 1.32x
Stirlingshire 10 5.63x
Dunbartonshire 7 5.41x
East Lothian 7 10.97x
Lancashire 7 0.12x
Northumberland 6 0.84x
Warwickshire 6 0.49x
Inverness-shire 5 3.47x
Isle of Man 4 4.47x
Yorkshire 4 0.08x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.67x
Essex 3 0.32x
Ayrshire 2 0.55x
Flintshire 2 1.54x
Glamorgan 2 0.24x
Devon 1 0.10x
Kent 1 0.06x
Kincardineshire 1 1.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crail in Fife leads with 39 Carstairs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1340.21x.

Place Total Index
Crail 39 1340.21x
Kilrenny 39 738.64x
St Andrews 26 200.31x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 8.09x
Cupar 14 112.81x
St Leonards 14 1093.75x
Dunfermline 13 29.64x
Liff Benvie 12 17.71x
Scoonie 12 194.17x
Barony 11 2.79x
Kilsyth 10 88.26x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 9 58.94x
Govan 9 2.34x
Islington London 9 1.93x
Largo 9 243.24x
Abbotshall 8 75.05x
Kinnaird 8 1860.47x
Leuchars 8 221.61x
Blairgowrie 7 81.87x
East Molesey 7 128.44x
Kingsbarns 7 534.35x
Kirkintilloch 7 39.80x
Lasswade 7 47.43x
South Leith 7 9.64x
Southampton All Sts 7 41.30x
West Greenock 7 10.44x
Anstruther Easter 6 291.26x
Birmingham 6 1.48x
Southwark St Saviour 6 24.22x
Auchterhouse 5 454.55x
Cathcart 5 24.75x
Corstorphine 5 140.45x
Duirinish 5 68.12x
Errol 5 124.69x
Gladsmuir 5 175.44x
Kinglassie 5 230.41x
Renfrew 5 40.55x
Southwark Christchurch 5 22.14x
Berwick Upon Tweed 4 26.33x
East Greenock 4 11.34x
Edinburgh St Marys 4 31.87x
Kirkheaton 4 51.68x
Portsea 4 2.07x
West Derby 4 2.39x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 3 3.59x
Aberdour 3 104.53x
Currie 3 75.95x
Ferry Port On Craig 3 63.97x
Forgandenny 3 291.26x
Michael 3 164.84x
North Leith 3 10.04x
Twickenham 3 14.52x
West Ham 3 1.43x
Wimbledon 3 11.38x
Abbey 2 3.51x
Acomb 2 114.94x
Carnbee 2 114.94x
Chiswick 2 7.60x
Dundee 2 1.20x
Edinburgh St Stephens 2 15.74x
Hackney London 2 0.74x
Llansamlet Higher 2 31.95x
Paddington London 2 1.13x
Rhuddlan 2 17.54x
Salton 2 210.53x
Biggar 1 28.41x
Blackburn 1 0.66x
Ceres 1 29.15x
Dundonald 1 7.52x
Dysart 1 5.21x
Glasgow 1 0.36x
Kilmarnock 1 2.33x
Meigle 1 62.11x
Newington 1 0.56x
Nigg 1 20.62x
Pittenweem 1 28.41x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 1.29x
Port Glasgow 1 5.54x
Southampton St Mary 1 1.61x
Warden 1 2500.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Anna 3
Annie 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Agness 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Charity 1
Charlotte 1
Eliz.C. 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Laura 1
Lillie 1
Lilly 1
Margret 1
Matilda 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 7
George 5
John 4
William 4
David 3
Robert 3
Arthur 2
Martyn 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Archbold 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Drysdale 1
Ernest 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Johnston 1

FAQ

Carstairs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carstairs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 491 people were recorded with the Carstairs surname. That placed it at #6,865 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carstairs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 607 in 2016. That gives Carstairs a modern rank of #8,637.

What does the Carstairs surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to a locality with stairs near a marsh or carr.

What does the Carstairs map show?

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