NameCensus.

UK surname

Cormie

From a Scottish surname meaning "twisted" or "bent."

In the 1881 census there were 129 people recorded with the Cormie surname, ranking it #17,013 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 233, ranked #17,625, down from #17,013 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkcaldy Dysart and Abbotshall, Markinch and Comrie. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forfar West, Burghead, Roseisle and Laich and Forfar Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cormie is 243 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 80.6%.

1881 census count

129

Ranked #17,013

Modern count

233

2016, ranked #17,625

Peak year

2010

243 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cormie had 129 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,013 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 233 in 2016, ranked #17,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 179 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cormie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cormie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cormie 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 124 #14,792
1861 historical 137 #16,465
1881 historical 129 #17,013
1891 historical 144 #18,842
1901 historical 179 #16,227
1911 historical 31 #29,952
1997 modern 233 #15,975
1998 modern 235 #16,358
1999 modern 227 #16,834
2000 modern 225 #16,891
2001 modern 218 #17,017
2002 modern 221 #17,206
2003 modern 220 #17,033
2004 modern 224 #16,918
2005 modern 224 #16,876
2006 modern 226 #16,891
2007 modern 238 #16,505
2008 modern 231 #16,973
2009 modern 233 #17,241
2010 modern 243 #17,100
2011 modern 239 #17,138
2012 modern 229 #17,537
2013 modern 239 #17,307
2014 modern 238 #17,480
2015 modern 243 #17,141
2016 modern 233 #17,625

Geography

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Where Cormies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkcaldy Dysart and Abbotshall, Markinch, Comrie, 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 Forfar West, Burghead, Roseisle and Laich, Forfar Central, Letham and Glamis and South Cambridgeshire. 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 Kirkcaldy Dysart and Abbotshall Fife
2 Markinch Fife
3 Comrie Perth
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forfar West Angus
2 Burghead, Roseisle and Laich Moray
3 Forfar Central Angus
4 Letham and Glamis Angus
5 South Cambridgeshire 005 South Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cormie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cormie

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Cormie is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Cormie is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cormie

The surname Cormie is of Scottish origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "cormach," which means a person of sturdy or robust build. The name was initially found in the coastal regions of Aberdeenshire and Angus in Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cormie can be found in the "Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland" from the year 1548, where a certain John Cormie is mentioned. This record suggests that the name was already well-established in Scotland by the mid-16th century.

Another significant historical reference to the Cormie surname can be found in the "Exchequer Rolls of Scotland" from the late 16th century. These rolls document several individuals with the surname Cormie who were involved in various legal proceedings and transactions.

In the 17th century, the Cormie family held lands in the parish of Banchory-Ternan, Aberdeenshire. The name appears in several church records and land deeds from this region during that time period.

One notable individual bearing the Cormie surname was Sir Alexander Cormie (1620-1685), a Scottish merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the development of Aberdeen's economy during the 17th century. He was also a prominent figure in the city's civic affairs and served as a magistrate.

Another prominent Cormie was Reverend William Cormie (1730-1808), a Scottish minister who served as the parish minister of Fintray, Aberdeenshire, for over 50 years. He was known for his dedication to his congregation and his contributions to the local community.

In the 19th century, the Cormie surname spread across Scotland and beyond. One notable individual from this period was James Cormie (1820-1892), a Scottish-born entrepreneur who made his fortune in the leather trade in New Zealand. He was also involved in local politics and served as a member of the Auckland Provincial Council.

During the same era, John Cormie (1839-1925) was a prominent Scottish architect who designed numerous buildings in Aberdeen and the surrounding areas. Some of his notable works include the Aberdeen Art Gallery and the Rubislaw Terrace residential development.

Finally, William Cormie (1865-1948) was a Scottish-born artist and painter who gained recognition for his landscapes and seascapes depicting the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands and coastal regions. His works are part of several art collections in Scotland and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cormie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cormie 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. Fife leads with 50 Cormies recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.13x.

County Total Index
Fife 50 67.13x
Renfrewshire 18 18.46x
Morayshire 15 76.73x
Lanarkshire 11 2.70x
Angus 6 5.15x
Ayrshire 5 5.31x
Lancashire 5 0.33x
Midlothian 5 2.97x
Banffshire 4 15.33x
Middlesex 3 0.24x
Glamorgan 2 0.91x
Durham 1 0.27x
East Lothian 1 6.00x
Perthshire 1 1.77x
Roxburghshire 1 4.39x
Yorkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Duffus in Morayshire leads with 13 Cormies recorded in 1881 and an index of 755.81x.

Place Total Index
Duffus 13 755.81x
Dunfermline 12 104.80x
Leslie 10 529.10x
Carnwath 8 317.46x
Wemyss 8 253.97x
Markinch 6 237.15x
Port Glasgow 6 127.39x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 7.37x
West Derby 5 11.45x
Abbey 4 26.88x
East Greenock 4 43.43x
Kirkcaldy 4 108.40x
Kirkmichael 4 465.12x
Dundee 3 6.89x
Edmonton 3 29.59x
Ferry Port On Craig 3 243.90x
Leuchars 3 319.15x
Rathven 3 61.22x
Elgin 2 52.63x
Kilconquhar 2 224.72x
Liff Benvie 2 11.30x
Paisley High Church 2 25.77x
Roath 2 20.10x
Scoonie 2 124.22x
West Greenock 2 11.43x
Arbirlot 1 285.71x
Dundonald 1 28.82x
Govan 1 0.99x
Hawick 1 19.61x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 6.17x
Huddersfield 1 5.51x
Keith 1 35.97x
Lanark 1 30.58x
Lesmahagow 1 23.26x
Perth West Church 1 37.31x
Tranent 1 44.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Lucy 2
Marion 1
Mary 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Bertram 1
George 1
Isaac 1
Patrick 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Cormie households.

FAQ

Cormie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cormie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 129 people were recorded with the Cormie surname. That placed it at #17,013 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cormie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 233 in 2016. That gives Cormie a modern rank of #17,625.

What does the Cormie surname mean?

From a Scottish surname meaning "twisted" or "bent."

What does the Cormie map show?

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