NameCensus.

UK surname

Clelland

A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning 'flat land'.

In the 1881 census there were 826 people recorded with the Clelland surname, ranking it #4,553 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,692, ranked #3,694, up from #4,553 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Govan Combination and Kilsyth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kilsyth East and Croy, Balmalloch and Burnbank Central and Udston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clelland is 1,708 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 104.8%.

1881 census count

826

Ranked #4,553

Modern count

1,692

2016, ranked #3,694

Peak year

2010

1,708 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clelland had 826 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,553 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,692 in 2016, ranked #3,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,138 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Clelland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clelland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clelland 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 356 #6,636
1861 historical 483 #5,407
1881 historical 826 #4,553
1891 historical 956 #4,327
1901 historical 1,138 #4,268
1911 historical 200 #14,960
1997 modern 1,583 #3,729
1998 modern 1,628 #3,777
1999 modern 1,617 #3,833
2000 modern 1,611 #3,827
2001 modern 1,574 #3,836
2002 modern 1,602 #3,845
2003 modern 1,565 #3,849
2004 modern 1,557 #3,870
2005 modern 1,578 #3,774
2006 modern 1,576 #3,778
2007 modern 1,585 #3,798
2008 modern 1,596 #3,800
2009 modern 1,637 #3,806
2010 modern 1,708 #3,742
2011 modern 1,663 #3,788
2012 modern 1,626 #3,785
2013 modern 1,636 #3,842
2014 modern 1,676 #3,767
2015 modern 1,687 #3,714
2016 modern 1,692 #3,694

Geography

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Where Clellands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Govan Combination, Kilsyth, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kilsyth East and Croy, Balmalloch, Burnbank Central and Udston, Chryston and Muirhead and IZ10. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Hamilton Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Kilsyth Stirling
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kilsyth East and Croy North Lanarkshire
2 Balmalloch North Lanarkshire
3 Burnbank Central and Udston South Lanarkshire
4 Chryston and Muirhead North Lanarkshire
5 IZ10 East Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clelland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clelland

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Clelland is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Clelland is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Clelland

The surname Clelland has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words 'cloh' meaning 'ravine' and 'land' meaning 'land', indicating that the name referred to someone who lived near a ravine or steep-sided valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of official documents from the reign of King Edward I of England. These rolls contained the names of Scottish landowners who were required to swear allegiance to the English king.

In the 15th century, the Clelland family held lands in the parish of Monkton, Ayrshire. The name appears in various historical records from this area, including the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, which mentions a David Clelland in 1544.

The Clellands were also present in the neighboring county of Lanarkshire, where they were prominent landowners. In 1577, a William Clelland is mentioned in the Records of the Presbytery of Glasgow as a landowner in the parish of Cambuslang.

Over the centuries, the name has had several variations in spelling, including Clelland, Clellan, Clelane, and Clelene. These differences can often be attributed to regional dialects or the preferences of individual clerks who recorded the name.

One notable bearer of the surname was John Clelland (1699-1782), a Scottish minister and author who was born in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire. He was known for his work on the history and antiquities of the region.

Another significant figure was William Clelland (1771-1838), a Scottish merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Glasgow from 1818 to 1820.

In the 19th century, James Clelland (1809-1876) was a prominent Scottish engineer who worked on the construction of several major railway lines in Scotland and England.

A famous bearer of the name in the 20th century was Sir Thomas Clelland (1897-1972), a Scottish businessman and industrialist who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1959 to 1972.

Finally, the sculptor and artist Alasdair Clelland (1942-2023) was a well-known figure in the Scottish art world, known for his public sculptures and works in various media.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clelland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clelland 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 442 Clellands recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.94x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 442 16.94x
Ayrshire 59 9.77x
Midlothian 44 4.07x
Stirlingshire 35 11.76x
Dunbartonshire 29 13.38x
West Lothian 29 23.87x
Northumberland 26 2.17x
Durham 25 1.04x
Lancashire 24 0.25x
Renfrewshire 24 3.84x
Middlesex 18 0.22x
Fife 11 2.30x
Wigtownshire 11 10.27x
Perthshire 10 2.76x
Hampshire 7 0.42x
Morayshire 7 5.58x
Angus 6 0.80x
Cumberland 4 0.58x
Isle of Man 4 2.67x
Glamorgan 3 0.21x
Gloucestershire 2 0.13x
Yorkshire 2 0.03x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.56x
Roxburghshire 1 0.68x
Selkirkshire 1 1.37x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cadder in Lanarkshire leads with 64 Clellands recorded in 1881 and an index of 332.12x.

Place Total Index
Cadder 64 332.12x
Old Monkland 62 59.89x
Hamilton 40 54.97x
Barony 39 5.91x
Govan 34 5.27x
Cambusnethan 23 39.69x
Carluke 23 97.09x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 23 5.29x
New Monkland 23 29.82x
Dalry 21 73.92x
Lesmahagow 20 72.49x
Kilmarnock 19 26.44x
Dalserf 18 69.15x
Blantyre 17 62.59x
Whitburn 17 96.87x
Glasgow 16 3.45x
Elswick 15 15.66x
Cambuslang 13 49.43x
Bothwell 10 14.13x
Kilsyth 10 52.71x
Paisley Low Church 10 50.53x
Bothkennar 9 101.35x
Inveresk 9 30.76x
Torphichen 9 212.77x
Avondale 8 52.46x
Buchanan 8 526.32x
Cupar 8 38.52x
Hackney London 8 1.77x
Kirkintilloch 8 27.16x
New Kilpatrick 8 38.80x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 8 50.70x
Cumbernauld 7 58.92x
Dalziel 7 24.94x
Glasserton 7 210.84x
Heworth 7 14.80x
Islington London 7 0.90x
Moss Side 7 13.90x
Portsea 7 2.16x
Shotts 7 22.42x
St Andrews Lhanbryd 7 180.88x
West Greenock 7 6.24x
Westoe 7 5.15x
Dundee 6 2.15x
Liverpool 6 1.03x
Droylsden 5 16.01x
Liberton 5 29.98x
Row 5 17.83x
Tunstall 5 41.84x
Auckinleck 4 21.40x
Douglas 4 53.19x
Helmington Row 4 35.78x
Longforgan 4 78.13x
Onchan 4 9.27x
Stoneykirk 4 52.22x
Ayr 3 10.53x
Caldewgate 3 7.88x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 3 47.69x
Falkirk 3 4.31x
Glassford 3 74.63x
Lanark 3 14.29x
Rutherglen 3 7.84x
St Marylebone London 3 0.70x
St Quivox 3 14.70x
Wallsend 3 7.88x
Warrington 3 2.64x
Burntisland 2 14.98x
Cardiff St Mary 2 2.59x
Carriden 2 36.30x
Carstairs 2 37.04x
Edinburgh Canongate 2 7.27x
Ford 2 27.82x
Irvine 2 11.93x
Kilmadock 2 24.01x
Larbert 2 11.24x
Mauchline 2 28.82x
Monkton Prestwick 2 34.01x
Muthill 2 42.37x
Paisley Middle Church 2 5.49x
Renfrew 2 9.69x
Stirling 2 5.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Ann 4
Elizabeth 4
Jane 4
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Edwin 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizth.F. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Evyline 1
Georgina 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Maggie 1
Rachel 1
Susan 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 14
John 9
James 8
Robert 7
Joseph 4
George 3
Arthur 2
Hugh 2
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
David 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Hamilton 1
Herbert 1
Hillyar 1
Jas. 1
Lenord 1
Matthew 1
Moses 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Thos.S. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Clelland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clelland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 826 people were recorded with the Clelland surname. That placed it at #4,553 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clelland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,692 in 2016. That gives Clelland a modern rank of #3,694.

What does the Clelland surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning 'flat land'.

What does the Clelland map show?

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