NameCensus.

UK surname

Culbertson

Scottish and northern Irish habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Cuthbert's town."

In the 1881 census there were 84 people recorded with the Culbertson surname, ranking it #21,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 164, ranked #22,314, down from #21,690 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kelso, Selkirk and Monkwearmouth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Skye South, Cardiff and Peebles North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Culbertson is 164 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 95.2%.

1881 census count

84

Ranked #21,690

Modern count

164

2016, ranked #22,314

Peak year

2016

164 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Culbertson had 84 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,690 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016, ranked #22,314.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 100 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Culbertson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Culbertson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Culbertson 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 80 #19,558
1861 historical 61 #26,170
1881 historical 84 #21,690
1891 historical 80 #26,785
1901 historical 100 #22,863
1911 historical 35 #29,478
1997 modern 133 #22,705
1998 modern 127 #23,940
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 133 #23,462
2001 modern 128 #23,665
2002 modern 132 #23,680
2003 modern 133 #23,359
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 133 #23,711
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 136 #24,004
2009 modern 146 #23,352
2010 modern 154 #23,082
2011 modern 154 #22,886
2012 modern 151 #23,166
2013 modern 150 #23,653
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 160 #22,701
2016 modern 164 #22,314

Geography

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Where Culbertsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kelso, Selkirk, Monkwearmouth, Edinburgh and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Skye South, Cardiff, Peebles North and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Kelso Roxburgh
2 Selkirk Selkirk
3 Monkwearmouth Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Skye South Highland
2 Cardiff 043 Cardiff
3 Peebles North Scottish Borders
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 003 Vale of Glamorgan
5 Cardiff 004 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Culbertson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Culbertson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Culbertson, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Culbertson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Culbertson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Culbertson is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Culbertson is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Culbertson falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Culbertson

The surname Culbertson has its origins in Scotland, originating in the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the lands of Culbertson in the parish of Closeburn, Nithsdale, Dumfriesshire. The name is thought to come from the Old English words "col" meaning "cool" or "cold" and "burna" meaning "stream" or "brook", referring to a cool stream near the lands.

Early records show the name spelled in various ways, including Culbertson, Culberson, Culbairn, and Culbairston. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists John deCulbertson as swearing fealty to King Edward I of England.

In the 16th century, the Culbertson family was prominent in the Scottish Borders region. John Culbertson of Holmends is mentioned in the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland in 1589. Another notable figure was Sir Robert Culbertson, who was knighted by King James VI of Scotland in 1617.

The name also made its way to Ireland, where it appeared as Culberson. In 1659, a John Culberson is recorded as being granted lands in County Donegal.

Among the early Culbertsons who emigrated to the American colonies was Robert Culbertson, born in Scotland around 1655. He settled in Chester County, Pennsylvania in the late 17th century. Another early American bearer of the name was Samuel Culbertson, born in Ireland in 1720, who settled in Pennsylvania and served in the French and Indian War.

Other notable individuals with the surname include:

1. William Culbertson (1768-1848), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania. 2. John Culbertson (1793-1879), an American Baptist minister and educator who founded Masonic College, now Culver-Stockton College, in Missouri. 3. Alexander Culbertson (1815-1890), a prominent American fur trader and explorer who worked for the American Fur Company in the Pacific Northwest. 4. William Culbertson (1825-1906), a Scottish-born Australian businessman and politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. 5. John Culbertson (1861-1934), an American lawyer and Republican politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Texas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Culbertson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Culbertson 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. Roxburghshire leads with 35 Culbertsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 247.70x.

County Total Index
Roxburghshire 35 247.70x
Selkirkshire 12 169.97x
Durham 7 3.02x
Northumberland 7 6.03x
Midlothian 5 4.78x
Argyllshire 4 18.42x
Somerset 4 3.18x
Fife 3 6.49x
Gloucestershire 2 1.31x
Renfrewshire 1 1.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kelso in Roxburghshire leads with 17 Culbertsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1205.67x.

Place Total Index
Kelso 17 1205.67x
Selkirk 11 552.76x
Westoe 7 53.19x
Hawick 6 189.87x
Oxnam 6 3333.33x
Bedminster 4 33.90x
Campbeltown 4 152.67x
Doddington 4 5000.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 9.51x
Morebattle 4 1481.48x
Inverkeithing 2 285.71x
Westgate 2 27.82x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 6.94x
Duddingston 1 47.62x
Dunfermline 1 14.08x
East Chevington 1 256.41x
Jedburgh 1 71.94x
Melrose 1 56.18x
Paisley High Church 1 20.79x
Southdean 1 526.32x
Stapleton 1 34.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 2
Jane 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Kate 1
Martha 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Andrew 2
George 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
William 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 Culbertson households.

FAQ

Culbertson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Culbertson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 84 people were recorded with the Culbertson surname. That placed it at #21,690 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Culbertson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016. That gives Culbertson a modern rank of #22,314.

What does the Culbertson surname mean?

Scottish and northern Irish habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Cuthbert's town."

What does the Culbertson map show?

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