NameCensus.

UK surname

Cushnie

A surname derived from a Scottish place name, possibly meaning "foot of the hill" or "green place."

In the 1881 census there were 111 people recorded with the Cushnie surname, ranking it #18,597 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 262, ranked #16,256, up from #18,597 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Dingwall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ross and Cromarty South West, Dingwall and Hilltown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cushnie is 269 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 136.0%.

1881 census count

111

Ranked #18,597

Modern count

262

2016, ranked #16,256

Peak year

2013

269 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cushnie had 111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,597 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016, ranked #16,256.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 134 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Cushnie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cushnie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cushnie 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 93 #17,946
1861 historical 74 #24,370
1881 historical 111 #18,597
1891 historical 118 #21,540
1901 historical 134 #19,288
1911 historical 42 #28,691
1997 modern 222 #16,508
1998 modern 236 #16,304
1999 modern 233 #16,554
2000 modern 254 #15,578
2001 modern 235 #16,147
2002 modern 238 #16,378
2003 modern 236 #16,236
2004 modern 239 #16,193
2005 modern 235 #16,335
2006 modern 228 #16,789
2007 modern 229 #16,941
2008 modern 236 #16,736
2009 modern 249 #16,466
2010 modern 255 #16,563
2011 modern 252 #16,543
2012 modern 254 #16,328
2013 modern 269 #15,963
2014 modern 260 #16,470
2015 modern 263 #16,224
2016 modern 262 #16,256

Geography

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Where Cushnies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Dingwall and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ross and Cromarty South West, Dingwall, Hilltown, Linlathen and Midcraigie and Tain. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 3
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Dingwall Ross And Cromarty
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ross and Cromarty South West Highland
2 Dingwall Highland
3 Hilltown Dundee City
4 Linlathen and Midcraigie Dundee City
5 Tain Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cushnie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cushnie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cushnie, 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 Cushnie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Cushnie 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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Cushnie is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Cushnie 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

Cushnie falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cushnie

The surname CUSHNIE has its origins in Scotland, specifically in the Aberdeenshire region. It is believed to have emerged in the 12th or 13th century, derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "cushan" meaning "foot" and "innis" meaning "island" or "meadow." This suggests that the name likely referred to a geographic location or settlement situated on a meadow or island near a river or stream.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname CUSHNIE can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1359, where it appears as "Cusny." This document, maintained by the Scottish government, recorded financial transactions and land grants, indicating that the CUSHNIE family held lands or properties during that time period.

In the 16th century, the name CUSHNIE appeared in various spellings, such as "Cushnie," "Cushnye," and "Cusnie," in legal documents and charters related to land ownership and transactions in Aberdeenshire. This region was home to several branches of the CUSHNIE family, who were likely part of the local gentry or landowners.

One notable individual bearing the CUSHNIE surname was Sir Alexander Cushnie (1564-1638), a Scottish landowner and merchant who served as a Burgess of Aberdeen. He held significant influence and wealth in the region and was involved in various civic and commercial endeavors.

Another prominent figure was Reverend Robert Cushnie (1716-1792), a Scottish Presbyterian minister who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1785. He was known for his theological writings and sermons, and his contributions to the church during a period of religious and social change in Scotland.

In the 19th century, the CUSHNIE name gained recognition with John Cushnie (1815-1892), a Scottish engineer and inventor who developed improvements to agricultural machinery and implements. His innovations contributed to the advancement of farming practices and helped increase productivity in the agricultural sector.

Other notable individuals with the CUSHNIE surname include Sir Thomas Cushnie (1866-1934), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to education and social welfare initiatives in Aberdeen, and Mary Cushnie (1876-1952), a Scottish author and poet known for her works celebrating the culture and heritage of Aberdeenshire.

While the CUSHNIE surname is not among the most common in Scotland, it maintains a strong connection to its Aberdeenshire roots and has left a lasting legacy through the achievements and contributions of various individuals bearing this name throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cushnie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cushnie 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 38 Cushnies recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.90x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 38 37.90x
Angus 15 14.96x
Kincardineshire 14 106.22x
Midlothian 8 5.52x
Perthshire 8 16.46x
Durham 7 2.17x
Ross-shire 7 23.55x
Banffshire 5 22.26x
Middlesex 5 0.46x
Lanarkshire 2 0.57x
Fife 1 1.56x
Hampshire 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen St Nicholas in Aberdeenshire leads with 21 Cushnies recorded in 1881 and an index of 111.94x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen St Nicholas 21 111.94x
Fetteresso 12 579.71x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 43.00x
Dingwall 7 833.33x
Drumoak 7 2000.00x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 50.18x
Lasswade 7 210.84x
Dundee 6 16.03x
Little Dunkeld 6 731.71x
Farnell 5 2173.91x
Rothiemay 4 784.31x
Shoreditch London 4 8.52x
Govan 2 2.31x
Logierait 2 232.56x
Aldershot 1 13.46x
Alford 1 181.82x
Bervie 1 128.21x
Brechin 1 25.38x
Dysart 1 23.15x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 33.22x
Gamrie 1 39.84x
Hampstead London 1 5.93x
Kinnel 1 384.62x
Liff Benvie 1 6.57x
Maryculter 1 250.00x
Montrose 1 16.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Barbara 1
Jane 1
Margret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alex 2
John 2
Wm. 2
Edwd. 1
George 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 Cushnie households.

FAQ

Cushnie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cushnie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 111 people were recorded with the Cushnie surname. That placed it at #18,597 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cushnie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016. That gives Cushnie a modern rank of #16,256.

What does the Cushnie surname mean?

A surname derived from a Scottish place name, possibly meaning "foot of the hill" or "green place."

What does the Cushnie map show?

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