NameCensus.

UK surname

Clyde

From a placename derived from the River Clyde in Scotland, which possibly means "cleansing" or "washing" in Celtic.

In the 1881 census there were 444 people recorded with the Clyde surname, ranking it #7,385 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 767, ranked #7,156, up from #7,385 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Govan Combination and Rattray. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Peebles North and North Tyneside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clyde is 773 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.7%.

1881 census count

444

Ranked #7,385

Modern count

767

2016, ranked #7,156

Peak year

2015

773 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clyde had 444 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,385 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 767 in 2016, ranked #7,156.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 516 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Clyde surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clyde surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clyde 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 258 #8,568
1861 historical 239 #10,273
1881 historical 444 #7,385
1891 historical 468 #7,833
1901 historical 516 #7,866
1911 historical 169 #16,564
1997 modern 730 #7,011
1998 modern 748 #7,115
1999 modern 738 #7,239
2000 modern 724 #7,312
2001 modern 694 #7,425
2002 modern 710 #7,428
2003 modern 681 #7,558
2004 modern 704 #7,357
2005 modern 706 #7,283
2006 modern 739 #7,069
2007 modern 738 #7,149
2008 modern 737 #7,204
2009 modern 748 #7,272
2010 modern 770 #7,244
2011 modern 748 #7,322
2012 modern 747 #7,252
2013 modern 758 #7,282
2014 modern 761 #7,281
2015 modern 773 #7,134
2016 modern 767 #7,156

Geography

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Where Clydes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Govan Combination, Rattray, Edinburgh and Old Monkland. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Peebles North, North Tyneside, Barrow-in-Furness and Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Rattray Perth
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Old Monkland Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 032 Doncaster
2 Peebles North Scottish Borders
3 North Tyneside 015 North Tyneside
4 Barrow-in-Furness 001 Barrow-in-Furness
5 Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clyde

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clyde

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

Clyde 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

Clyde falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Clyde 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Clyde

The surname Clyde is of Scottish origin and can be traced back to the early 13th century. It is derived from the River Clyde, which flows through the city of Glasgow and the surrounding areas of central Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Brittonic word "Clud," meaning "strong" or "bending."

In the early medieval period, the Clyde Valley was inhabited by the Brittonic-speaking Strathclyde Britons, and the river's name was recorded in various forms, such as "Cluide" and "Clud." The surname Clyde emerged as a territorial name, referring to individuals who lived near or were associated with the River Clyde or the surrounding lands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Clyde can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of documents recording the submission of Scottish nobles and landowners to King Edward I of England. In these rolls, the name "Thomas de Cluyde" appears, indicating that the surname was already in use by the late 13th century.

Throughout the centuries, the Clyde surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Clyde (1792-1863), a prominent British Army officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was awarded the title "Lord Clyde" in recognition of his military achievements.

Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Blake Glover (1838-1911), a Scottish merchant and diplomat who played a significant role in the industrialization of Japan during the Meiji Era. He was known as the "Scottish Samurai" and was instrumental in the development of the Mitsubishi Corporation.

In the literary world, the Scottish author and essayist Andrew Clyde (1863-1924) gained recognition for his works exploring Scottish culture and history, including "The Romantic Scottish Ballads" and "The Scottish Tradition in Literature."

The Clyde surname has also been associated with Scottish clan societies, such as the Clyde Clan Society, which traces its roots back to the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde and promotes the preservation of Scottish heritage and traditions.

Throughout its history, the surname Clyde has been subject to various spellings, including "Cluyd," "Cluyde," and "Clude," reflecting the linguistic and orthographic variations of the time. However, the modern spelling "Clyde" has become the predominant form, firmly establishing its place in the annals of Scottish surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clyde families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clyde 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 188 Clydes recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.05x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 188 14.05x
Midlothian 26 4.69x
Perthshire 26 14.01x
Peeblesshire 22 113.11x
Middlesex 21 0.51x
Lancashire 18 0.37x
Northumberland 18 2.93x
Stirlingshire 15 9.83x
Renfrewshire 12 3.74x
Angus 11 2.87x
Dunbartonshire 7 6.30x
Durham 7 0.57x
West Lothian 7 11.24x
Yorkshire 6 0.15x
Ayrshire 5 1.62x
Kent 5 0.35x
Roxburghshire 4 5.34x
Surrey 4 0.20x
Wiltshire 4 1.09x
Essex 3 0.37x
Fife 3 1.23x
Gloucestershire 3 0.37x
Sussex 3 0.43x
Devon 1 0.12x
Glamorgan 1 0.14x
Hampshire 1 0.12x
Isle of Man 1 1.30x
Lincolnshire 1 0.15x
Selkirkshire 1 2.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 51 Clydes recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.47x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 51 21.47x
Barony 40 11.82x
Govan 32 9.67x
Peebles 22 382.61x
New Monkland 15 37.94x
Shettleston 15 125.21x
Rattray 14 324.07x
Cambusnethan 13 43.76x
Cowpen 12 84.69x
Dunkeld 10 1960.78x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 10 4.49x
Dalserf 9 67.42x
Eastwood 9 45.59x
Kilsyth 9 92.50x
Liverpool 8 2.68x
Dundee 7 4.89x
St Marylebone London 7 3.17x
Uphall 7 102.19x
Bothwell 6 16.54x
South Leith 6 9.62x
Benwell 5 74.29x
Edinburgh High Church 5 143.68x
Largs 5 68.59x
Bethnal Green London 4 2.23x
Dumbarton 4 25.86x
Gateshead 4 4.34x
Kensington London 4 1.74x
Melrose 4 61.73x
Salisbury St Edmund 4 68.14x
St Ninians 4 26.46x
Toxteth Park 4 2.41x
Bonhill 3 16.82x
Colchester St Botolph 3 43.23x
Dewsbury 3 7.14x
Hunslet 3 4.69x
Kemback 3 247.93x
Liff Benvie 3 5.16x
Paisley High Church 3 11.76x
Blackburn 2 1.53x
Camberwell 2 0.76x
Edinburgh St Stephens 2 18.33x
Guildford Holy Trinity 2 52.08x
Hamilton 2 5.36x
Hove 2 6.54x
Lanark 2 18.59x
Newbattle 2 42.19x
Painswick 2 34.84x
Alverstoke 1 3.26x
Blantyre 1 7.18x
Brighton 1 0.71x
Campsie 1 11.95x
Cargill 1 51.81x
Chatham 1 2.58x
Chelsea London 1 0.80x
Cheriton 1 17.39x
Clifton 1 2.44x
Darlington 1 2.10x
Edmonton 1 3.00x
Falkirk 1 2.80x
Galashiels 1 7.23x
Gillingham 1 3.44x
Great Grimsby 1 2.38x
Greenwich 1 1.52x
Hetton Le Hole 1 6.41x
Instow 1 107.53x
Islington London 1 0.25x
Little Bolton 1 1.58x
Malew 1 14.90x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 1.44x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.14x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 2.72x
North Meols 1 2.08x
Old Monkland 1 1.88x
Paddington London 1 0.66x
Perth Middle Church 1 14.33x
Preston 1 0.76x
Southwick 1 8.58x
St Pauls Cray 1 92.59x
Westleigh 1 8.97x
Westminster St James 1 2.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 5
Emily 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Amy 2
Margaret 2
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Bessy 1
C.Harrington 1
Carline 1
Catharine 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Lucy 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Rose 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Clyde surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clyde surname in 1881?

In 1881, 444 people were recorded with the Clyde surname. That placed it at #7,385 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clyde surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 767 in 2016. That gives Clyde a modern rank of #7,156.

What does the Clyde surname mean?

From a placename derived from the River Clyde in Scotland, which possibly means "cleansing" or "washing" in Celtic.

What does the Clyde map show?

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