NameCensus.

UK surname

Cormack

A Scottish surname originally denoting someone from the Corm parish.

In the 1881 census there were 2,269 people recorded with the Cormack surname, ranking it #1,969 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,093, ranked #2,180, down from #1,969 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wick, Edinburgh and Latheron. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caithness North East, Wick North and Caithness North West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cormack is 3,193 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.3%.

1881 census count

2,269

Ranked #1,969

Modern count

3,093

2016, ranked #2,180

Peak year

2010

3,193 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cormack had 2,269 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,969 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,093 in 2016, ranked #2,180.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,737 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cormack surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cormack surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cormack 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 1,550 #1,849
1861 historical 1,604 #1,775
1881 historical 2,269 #1,969
1891 historical 2,490 #1,904
1901 historical 2,737 #2,027
1911 historical 626 #6,620
1997 modern 2,911 #2,222
1998 modern 3,015 #2,237
1999 modern 3,022 #2,249
2000 modern 3,037 #2,220
2001 modern 2,938 #2,242
2002 modern 3,009 #2,237
2003 modern 2,912 #2,254
2004 modern 2,936 #2,236
2005 modern 2,917 #2,218
2006 modern 2,946 #2,199
2007 modern 2,978 #2,187
2008 modern 2,984 #2,199
2009 modern 3,042 #2,216
2010 modern 3,193 #2,170
2011 modern 3,083 #2,208
2012 modern 3,034 #2,201
2013 modern 3,055 #2,225
2014 modern 3,098 #2,201
2015 modern 3,080 #2,192
2016 modern 3,093 #2,180

Geography

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Where Cormacks are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Caithness North East, Wick North, Caithness North West, Buckie Central East and Wick South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Wick Caithness
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Latheron Caithness
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caithness North East Highland
2 Wick North Highland
3 Caithness North West Highland
4 Buckie Central East Moray
5 Wick South Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cormack

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cormack

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

Cormack 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

Cormack falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cormack

The surname Cormack has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the 13th century. Derived from the Gaelic personal name Tormac, which means "son of Tormod" or "son of Thor the mighty," it was initially found in Argyllshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cormack can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where a person named Gillecrist Cormac is mentioned. The name also appears in the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland from 1488, where a certain John Cormak is referenced.

During the 16th century, the name Cormack was found in various areas of Scotland, including Aberdeenshire, Ayrshire, and Renfrewshire. In the Aberdeenshire Parish Registers of 1564, a person named Johnne Cormak is recorded.

In the 17th century, the surname Cormack took on various spellings, such as Cormick, Cormick, and Cormyk. One notable person with this name was John Cormack (1643-1724), a Scottish Presbyterian minister who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1718.

As the name spread throughout Scotland, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to North America. In the 18th century, a prominent figure bearing the Cormack surname was John Cormack (1721-1796), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1784 to 1786.

Another individual of note was Thomas Cormack (1820-1885), a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island from 1867 to 1873.

In the 19th century, the name Cormack gained further recognition with individuals such as John Cormack (1802-1868), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia from 1858 to 1863.

Additionally, William Cormack (1825-1908), a Scottish-born Canadian explorer and author, is remembered for his explorations of Newfoundland's interior and his book "Narrative of a Journey Across the Island of Newfoundland" published in 1856.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cormack families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cormack 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. Caithness leads with 702 Cormacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 232.16x.

County Total Index
Caithness 702 232.16x
Aberdeenshire 305 14.91x
Midlothian 252 8.52x
Middlesex 135 0.61x
Orkney 113 46.51x
Lanarkshire 99 1.39x
Banffshire 89 19.43x
Surrey 62 0.58x
Kincardineshire 56 20.82x
Lancashire 52 0.20x
Berwickshire 50 18.70x
Yorkshire 44 0.20x
Angus 42 2.05x
Morayshire 39 11.37x
Fife 33 2.52x
Essex 28 0.64x
Dunbartonshire 14 2.36x
Northumberland 14 0.43x
Renfrewshire 13 0.76x
Durham 11 0.17x
Perthshire 11 1.11x
Lincolnshire 10 0.28x
Sussex 9 0.24x
Sutherland 8 4.71x
Warwickshire 8 0.14x
Inverness-shire 7 1.06x
Ayrshire 5 0.30x
Cheshire 5 0.10x
Somerset 5 0.14x
Stirlingshire 5 0.61x
Dumfriesshire 4 0.82x
Kent 4 0.05x
Hampshire 3 0.07x
Staffordshire 3 0.04x
Buteshire 2 1.49x
Devon 2 0.04x
Glamorgan 2 0.05x
Gloucestershire 2 0.05x
Ross-shire 2 0.33x
Shetland 2 0.89x
West Lothian 2 0.60x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Derbyshire 1 0.03x
Hertfordshire 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.04x
Monmouthshire 1 0.06x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Oxfordshire 1 0.07x
Roxburghshire 1 0.25x
Royal Navy 1 0.38x
Wigtownshire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wick in Caithness leads with 319 Cormacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 326.61x.

Place Total Index
Wick 319 326.61x
Latheron 195 385.53x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 111 9.33x
Aberdeen Old Machar 90 21.08x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 62 16.20x
Canisbay 44 221.66x
Olrig 44 291.39x
Barony 42 2.32x
Rathven 41 47.65x
Stronsay Eday 38 239.14x
Banff 37 92.99x
Thurso 37 78.44x
St Andrews Deerness 34 266.04x
Govan 33 1.87x
Drainie 31 101.97x
Nigg 30 134.83x
North Leith 30 21.91x
South Leith 29 8.71x
Eyemouth 28 125.45x
Bower 22 180.62x
Camberwell 22 1.56x
Coldingham 20 83.19x
Glasgow 19 1.50x
Liverpool 18 1.13x
Watten 17 159.92x
Anstruther Easter 15 159.07x
Dundee 15 1.96x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 15 21.43x
Edinburgh Canongate 15 19.92x
Fraserburgh 15 26.05x
Peterhead 14 12.94x
Dumbarton 13 15.74x
Stromness 13 71.31x
Cairney 12 100.76x
Inveresk 12 14.98x
Lambeth 12 0.62x
Newhills 12 28.65x
Rotherham 12 9.73x
Hackney London 11 0.89x
Kilrenny 11 45.49x
Belhelvie 10 71.48x
Bermondsey 10 1.52x
Clee With Weelsby 10 12.93x
Dunnet 10 82.24x
Edinburgh St Georges 10 16.29x
Fetteresso 10 23.72x
Kirkwall St Ola 10 27.48x
Mile End Old Town London 10 2.13x
New Machar 10 87.03x
Wanstead 10 13.10x
Alyth 9 33.73x
Halkirk 9 43.99x
Limehouse London 9 3.71x
St Marylebone London 9 0.76x
Wortley In Bramley 9 5.19x
Fyvie 8 23.97x
Inverurie 8 34.59x
Rotherhithe 8 2.93x
St George Hanover Square 8 2.06x
St George In East London 8 3.85x
West Derby 8 1.04x
West Ham 8 0.83x
Bellie 7 45.13x
Bromley London 7 1.44x
Cathcart 7 7.56x
Edmonton 7 3.93x
Firth Stenness 7 67.18x
Paddington London 7 0.86x
Bethnal Green London 6 0.63x
Bishopwearmouth 6 1.06x
Byker 6 3.69x
Edinburgh St Marys 6 10.43x
Edinburgh St Stephens 6 10.30x
Foveran 6 38.76x
Kensington London 6 0.49x
Kettins 6 87.46x
Kintore 6 33.76x
St Dionis Backchurch 6 375.00x
Toxteth Park 6 0.68x
Ruthven 5 340.14x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 26
William 26
James 16
George 13
Thomas 11
Charles 8
Henry 6
Robert 6
Walter 6
Alfred 5
Patrick 5
Arthur 4
Donald 4
Edward 4
Daniel 3
David 3
Edwin 3
Joseph 3
Wm. 3
Cecil 2
E. 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Michael 2
Peter 2
Alexr. 1
Andrew 1
Benjn.Wm. 1
Bryne 1
C. 1
Charley 1
Charlie 1
Christopher 1
Clarence 1
Dan 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Georgey 1
Gerald 1
Harry 1
Headley 1
Hy.E. 1
Isidore 1
Jack 1
Joshua 1
Louis 1
Oliver 1
Richard 1

FAQ

Cormack surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cormack surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,269 people were recorded with the Cormack surname. That placed it at #1,969 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cormack surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,093 in 2016. That gives Cormack a modern rank of #2,180.

What does the Cormack surname mean?

A Scottish surname originally denoting someone from the Corm parish.

What does the Cormack map show?

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