NameCensus.

UK surname

Colquhoun

A Scottish surname derived from a territory or barony name meaning "meeting place of the Houn or Hound".

In the 1881 census there were 1,776 people recorded with the Colquhoun surname, ranking it #2,439 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,961, ranked #2,276, up from #2,439 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lomond Shore, Stockton-on-Tees and Dunoon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Colquhoun is 3,021 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 66.7%.

1881 census count

1,776

Ranked #2,439

Modern count

2,961

2016, ranked #2,276

Peak year

2010

3,021 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Colquhoun had 1,776 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,439 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,961 in 2016, ranked #2,276.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,250 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Colquhoun surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Colquhoun surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Colquhoun 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 1,357 #2,117
1861 historical 1,410 #2,027
1881 historical 1,776 #2,439
1891 historical 1,870 #2,466
1901 historical 2,250 #2,407
1911 historical 207 #14,635
1997 modern 2,684 #2,379
1998 modern 2,800 #2,377
1999 modern 2,836 #2,372
2000 modern 2,861 #2,353
2001 modern 2,817 #2,336
2002 modern 2,861 #2,348
2003 modern 2,816 #2,334
2004 modern 2,838 #2,320
2005 modern 2,794 #2,325
2006 modern 2,775 #2,340
2007 modern 2,824 #2,321
2008 modern 2,855 #2,318
2009 modern 2,958 #2,292
2010 modern 3,021 #2,287
2011 modern 2,931 #2,324
2012 modern 2,883 #2,320
2013 modern 2,921 #2,326
2014 modern 2,961 #2,311
2015 modern 2,952 #2,293
2016 modern 2,961 #2,276

Geography

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Where Colquhouns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Paisley Abbey 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 Lomond Shore, Stockton-on-Tees, Dunoon, Paisley Central and Paisley West. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Paisley Abbey Renfrew
5 Old Monkland Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lomond Shore Argyll and Bute
2 Stockton-on-Tees 003 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Dunoon Argyll and Bute
4 Paisley Central Renfrewshire
5 Paisley West Renfrewshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Colquhoun

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Colquhoun

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

Colquhoun 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

Colquhoun falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Colquhoun

The surname Colquhoun is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic words 'colg,' meaning 'prickle' or 'sharp point,' and 'chuana,' meaning 'hound' or 'dog.' It is believed to have originated in the 13th century in the region of Luss, located on the banks of Loch Lomond in Dunbartonshire, Scotland.

The Colquhoun family was one of the ancient clans of Scotland, with their ancestral lands centered around the parish of Luss. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where it is listed as 'Colquhoun' and 'Colquhoune.'

In the 14th century, the Colquhouns played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence, supporting Robert the Bruce against the English. Sir Robert Colquhoun, who lived from around 1260 to 1320, was a prominent figure during this time and is mentioned in several historical records.

The Colquhouns were also known for their involvement in the Clan Gregor/MacGregor feud, which lasted for centuries and was marked by several bloody battles and conflicts. In the 16th century, Sir John Colquhoun, who lived from around 1500 to 1558, was appointed as the king's lieutenant in suppressing the MacGregors.

One notable figure in the history of the Colquhoun clan was Sir Humphrey Colquhoun (1619-1676), a Scottish lawyer and political writer who served as a judge and Lord Advocate of Scotland. Another prominent Colquhoun was Patrick Colquhoun (1745-1820), a Scottish merchant and social reformer who established the first professional police force in Glasgow.

The Colquhoun name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as the village of Colquhoun in Stirlingshire, the Colquhoun Estate in Luss, and the Colquhoun Arms Hotel in Helensburgh.

Other notable individuals with the Colquhoun surname include Archibald Colquhoun (1680-1757), a Scottish merchant and politician; John Colquhoun (1805-1885), a Scottish portrait painter; and Kathleen Colquhoun (1891-1989), a British author and artist.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Colquhoun families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Colquhoun 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 733 Colquhouns recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.10x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 733 13.10x
Renfrewshire 260 19.39x
Dunbartonshire 193 41.50x
Midlothian 84 3.62x
Argyllshire 72 14.95x
Ayrshire 61 4.71x
Stirlingshire 45 7.05x
Kent 33 0.56x
Surrey 33 0.39x
Durham 29 0.56x
Lancashire 29 0.14x
Middlesex 23 0.13x
Northumberland 23 0.89x
Perthshire 23 2.96x
Yorkshire 17 0.10x
Angus 15 0.94x
Inverness-shire 15 2.90x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.56x
Essex 9 0.26x
Cumberland 8 0.54x
East Lothian 7 3.05x
Gloucestershire 7 0.21x
Bedfordshire 5 0.56x
Selkirkshire 5 3.19x
Derbyshire 4 0.15x
Sutherland 4 3.01x
Clackmannanshire 3 2.10x
Somerset 3 0.11x
Warwickshire 3 0.07x
Cheshire 2 0.05x
Dorset 2 0.18x
Fife 2 0.20x
Flintshire 2 0.43x
Isle of Man 2 0.62x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.09x
Buteshire 1 0.95x
Cardiganshire 1 0.24x
Hampshire 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.14x
Morayshire 1 0.37x
West Lothian 1 0.38x
Wigtownshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 192 Colquhouns recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.56x.

Place Total Index
Barony 192 13.56x
Govan 183 13.22x
Glasgow 148 14.89x
Dumbarton 58 89.60x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 47 5.04x
Cardross 46 82.38x
Neilston 44 65.36x
Abbey 40 19.55x
West Greenock 39 16.20x
Rutherglen 37 45.06x
New Monkland 35 21.16x
Paisley High Church 33 30.91x
Luss 29 671.30x
Hamilton 28 17.94x
Old Monkland 26 11.71x
Bonhill 23 30.81x
Row 23 38.23x
Paisley Middle Church 19 24.33x
Cambusnethan 17 13.68x
Dalziel 17 28.23x
Maryhill 17 15.52x
Renfrew 17 38.39x
Bothwell 15 9.88x
Cathcart 15 20.67x
Gateshead 15 3.89x
Dunblane 13 69.93x
Maybole 13 32.97x
Paisley Low Church 12 28.27x
Eastwood 11 13.32x
Ardchattan Muckairn 10 83.96x
Stirling 10 12.43x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 9 3.00x
Falkirk 9 6.02x
Girvan 9 27.68x
Kilbarchan 9 22.09x
Killearn 9 134.13x
Kilmallie 9 36.32x
Lasswade 9 16.98x
Stewarton 9 35.12x
Westerham 9 66.08x
Wimbledon 9 9.51x
Duirinish 8 30.37x
Kilmaurs 8 36.30x
Kilmore Kilbride 8 26.16x
St Ninians 8 12.65x
Birkdale 7 13.47x
Cheltenham 7 2.67x
Edinburgh Canongate 7 11.86x
Edinburgh Greenside 7 22.85x
Lismore Appin 7 43.67x
Rochester St Margaret 7 11.24x
Slamannan 7 20.03x
Torosay Pennygown 7 603.45x
Westgate 7 4.39x
Winlaton 7 14.17x
Arrochar 6 196.08x
Barrow In Furness 6 2.15x
Bermondsey 6 1.16x
Campbeltown 6 10.33x
Dundee 6 1.00x
Dunoon Kilmun 6 15.97x
Gate Fulford 6 14.99x
Hackney London 6 0.62x
Haddington 6 17.73x
Inverkip 6 18.98x
Liberton 6 16.77x
Newington 6 0.94x
Barry 5 25.99x
Bedford St Paul 5 8.14x
Cadder 5 12.10x
Colchester St Botolph 5 17.21x
Galashiels 5 8.64x
Houston Killallan 5 38.52x
Kilninian Kilmore 5 33.85x
Lewisham 5 1.59x
Liverpool 5 0.40x
St Cuthbert W O Harraby 5 248.76x
Stretford 5 4.43x
Tynemouth 5 3.63x
Glenorchy Inishail 4 71.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 6
Annie 5
Emily 5
Jane 5
Margaret 5
Alice 4
Isabella 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Frances 3
Ann 2
Emma 2
Francis 2
Hannah 2
Helen 2
Janet 2
Jennet 2
Jessie 2
Lilian 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Anne 1
Betsey 1
Charlotte 1
Christianna 1
Clara 1
Doretta 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Eva 1
Evangeline 1
Eveline 1
Florence 1
Henrietta 1
Jean 1
Katie 1
Leonora 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
M. 1
Margrte 1
Nelly 1
Sophia 1
W. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 14
John 12
William 12
Robert 10
George 8
Peter 5
Alexander 4
Archibald 3
Hugh 3
Thomas 3
Henry 2
Wm. 2
Acheson 1
Adam 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Chas.R. 1
Colin 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Duncan 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Gilbert 1
H. 1
Jas. 1
Jas.T. 1
Julian 1
Lawrence 1
Malcolm 1
Oscar 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Robt.S. 1
Robt.W. 1
Thos. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Colquhoun surname: questions and answers

How common was the Colquhoun surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,776 people were recorded with the Colquhoun surname. That placed it at #2,439 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Colquhoun surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,961 in 2016. That gives Colquhoun a modern rank of #2,276.

What does the Colquhoun surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a territory or barony name meaning "meeting place of the Houn or Hound".

What does the Colquhoun map show?

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