NameCensus.

UK surname

Christison

A surname referring to the son of Christian or the profession of being a Christian.

In the 1881 census there were 499 people recorded with the Christison surname, ranking it #6,784 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 441, ranked #10,971, down from #6,784 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lochlee, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brechin West, IZ20 and Machars South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Christison is 513 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.6%.

1881 census count

499

Ranked #6,784

Modern count

441

2016, ranked #10,971

Peak year

1891

513 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Christison had 499 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,784 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 441 in 2016, ranked #10,971.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 513 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Christison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Christison surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Christison 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 344 #6,842
1861 historical 358 #7,132
1881 historical 499 #6,784
1891 historical 513 #7,274
1901 historical 474 #8,382
1911 historical 134 #19,131
1997 modern 417 #10,674
1998 modern 453 #10,358
1999 modern 449 #10,464
2000 modern 464 #10,187
2001 modern 456 #10,136
2002 modern 465 #10,163
2003 modern 451 #10,274
2004 modern 449 #10,338
2005 modern 437 #10,437
2006 modern 427 #10,683
2007 modern 442 #10,495
2008 modern 429 #10,850
2009 modern 436 #10,965
2010 modern 445 #11,002
2011 modern 427 #11,243
2012 modern 428 #11,092
2013 modern 425 #11,382
2014 modern 436 #11,198
2015 modern 438 #11,055
2016 modern 441 #10,971

Geography

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Where Christisons are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Brechin West, IZ20, Machars South, Charleston and Burghead, Roseisle and Laich. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

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

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brechin West Angus
2 IZ20 East Lothian
3 Machars South Dumfries and Galloway
4 Charleston Dundee City
5 Burghead, Roseisle and Laich Moray

Forenames

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First names often paired with Christison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Christison

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Christison 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

Christison 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

Christison falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Christison is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Christison

The surname Christison has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English given name Cristian, meaning "a Christian or follower of Christ." Over time, the name evolved into its modern spelling of Christison.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Christison name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where a Robert Cristynesone is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Christison name is found in the records of the Burgh of Edinburgh, indicating that the family had a presence in the Scottish capital during this period. One notable individual was John Christison, a burgess of Edinburgh who lived from 1510 to 1585.

The Christison name has its roots in the village of Christison, located in the Scottish Borders region. This place name is derived from the Old English words "Cristes" and "tun," meaning "Christ's town or settlement." It is likely that the earliest bearers of the Christison surname were residents of this village or the surrounding areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Christison surname. One such figure was Sir Robert Christison (1798-1882), a Scottish toxicologist and physician who served as the President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. He made significant contributions to the field of forensic medicine and was knighted for his achievements.

Another prominent Christison was Sir Alexander Christison (1828-1920), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1888 to 1892. He played a crucial role in the reform of Scottish legal procedures and was appointed Lord Justice General, the highest judicial office in Scotland.

In the 17th century, the Christison name is found in the records of the Church of Scotland, with several individuals serving as ministers and clergymen. One such figure was John Christison (1670-1743), a Church of Scotland minister who served in various parishes throughout Scotland.

The Christison surname also has connections to the world of literature. William Christison (1785-1861) was a Scottish poet and writer who published several works, including "The Emigrant's Farewell" and "The Minstrel's Grave."

Another notable bearer of the Christison name was David Christison (1805-1876), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Royal Scottish Academy and the Evangelical Union Church.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Christison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Christison 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 221 Christisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.81x.

County Total Index
Angus 221 49.81x
Durham 36 2.53x
Midlothian 33 5.14x
Kincardineshire 18 30.86x
West Lothian 18 24.95x
Roxburghshire 15 17.29x
Lancashire 14 0.25x
Lanarkshire 12 0.77x
Kent 11 0.67x
Aberdeenshire 10 2.25x
Wigtownshire 10 15.72x
Middlesex 9 0.19x
East Lothian 8 12.61x
Northumberland 8 1.12x
Peeblesshire 8 35.51x
Perthshire 8 3.72x
Dunbartonshire 7 5.44x
Fife 7 2.47x
Buteshire 6 20.68x
Argyllshire 5 3.75x
Yorkshire 5 0.11x
Berwickshire 4 6.90x
Dorset 4 1.27x
Stirlingshire 4 2.26x
Kinross-shire 2 16.52x
Shetland 2 4.09x
Channel Islands 1 0.70x
Devon 1 0.10x
Essex 1 0.11x
Glamorgan 1 0.12x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Surrey 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. Lochlee in Angus leads with 40 Christisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6779.66x.

Place Total Index
Lochlee 40 6779.66x
Edzell 33 2426.47x
Brechin 29 166.28x
Dundee 22 13.28x
Bathgate 16 102.17x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 15 5.81x
Kelso 15 173.41x
Forfar 14 58.26x
Montrose 12 44.63x
St Vigeans 12 50.10x
Stockton On Tees 12 17.47x
Arbroath 9 61.22x
Coupar Angus 8 190.48x
Edinburgh High Church 8 198.51x
Berwick Upon Tweed 7 46.36x
Fettercairn 7 282.26x
Innerleithen 7 117.06x
Oldhamstocks 7 752.69x
Preston 7 4.60x
St Andrews 7 54.26x
St Marylebone London 7 2.74x
Wolsingham 7 53.89x
Barrow In Furness 6 7.76x
Kirriemuir 6 54.79x
Mains 6 159.15x
Menmuir 6 483.87x
Rothesay 6 42.70x
Tudhoe 6 48.12x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 6.02x
Abroath St Vigeans 5 274.73x
Bromley 5 20.07x
Dumbarton 5 27.92x
Fordoun 5 152.91x
Inverkeillor 5 181.82x
Kilarrow 5 349.65x
Wigtown 5 137.74x
Willington 5 60.75x
Aberdeen Old Machar 4 4.32x
Govan 4 1.04x
Kirkinner 4 152.09x
Newtyle 4 266.67x
Perth Middle Church 4 49.51x
Polmont 4 61.35x
York Holy Trinity 4 97.56x
Arbuthnott 3 225.56x
Barony 3 0.77x
Coxhoe 3 74.26x
Dunse 3 54.55x
Edinburgh St Stephens 3 23.75x
Glasgow 3 1.09x
Minster In Sheppey 3 11.08x
North Leith 3 10.10x
Wimborne 3 78.95x
Alyth 2 34.54x
Boness 2 20.12x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 11.74x
Fetteresso 2 21.88x
Gateshead 2 1.87x
Glenisla 2 153.85x
Kinross 2 48.19x
South Leith 2 2.77x
Whiteness Weisdale 2 135.14x
Arbirlot 1 74.07x
Battersea 1 0.57x
Cockburnspath 1 54.05x
Colchester St Giles 1 10.71x
Cortachy 1 181.82x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 1 6.59x
Hartlepool 1 4.94x
Inverarity 1 70.42x
Leeds 1 0.37x
Lethnot Navar 1 212.77x
Logierait 1 26.46x
Maryton 1 156.25x
Old Kilpatrick 1 6.57x
Old Monkland 1 1.63x
Penninghame 1 15.41x
Prestonpans 1 23.53x
Swansea Town 1 1.46x
Tottenham 1 1.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 4
Isabella 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Edith 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Clementina 1
Constance 1
Eliz.Ann 1
Eliza 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Sara 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
William 7
Alexander 4
Charles 4
James 4
Robert 3
David 2
George 2
Henery 2
Joseph 2
Alexr. 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Christine 1
Colin 1
Fred.H. 1
Miles 1
Peter 1
Sam 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Christison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Christison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 499 people were recorded with the Christison surname. That placed it at #6,784 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Christison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 441 in 2016. That gives Christison a modern rank of #10,971.

What does the Christison surname mean?

A surname referring to the son of Christian or the profession of being a Christian.

What does the Christison map show?

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