NameCensus.

UK surname

Dalrymple

From the Scottish place name meaning "valley of the crooked pool" in Gaelic.

In the 1881 census there were 1,305 people recorded with the Dalrymple surname, ranking it #3,137 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,478, ranked #4,166, down from #3,137 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkintilloch, Mochrum and Markinch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ14, Newton Stewart and Kettle and Ladybank.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dalrymple is 1,533 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.3%.

1881 census count

1,305

Ranked #3,137

Modern count

1,478

2016, ranked #4,166

Peak year

2000

1,533 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dalrymple had 1,305 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,137 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,478 in 2016, ranked #4,166.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,530 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Dalrymple surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dalrymple surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dalrymple 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 884 #3,093
1861 historical 924 #3,003
1881 historical 1,305 #3,137
1891 historical 1,372 #3,164
1901 historical 1,530 #3,366
1911 historical 409 #9,140
1997 modern 1,387 #4,165
1998 modern 1,462 #4,139
1999 modern 1,476 #4,142
2000 modern 1,533 #3,990
2001 modern 1,513 #3,956
2002 modern 1,527 #4,008
2003 modern 1,463 #4,081
2004 modern 1,438 #4,134
2005 modern 1,421 #4,143
2006 modern 1,413 #4,165
2007 modern 1,406 #4,217
2008 modern 1,428 #4,197
2009 modern 1,452 #4,223
2010 modern 1,495 #4,194
2011 modern 1,465 #4,215
2012 modern 1,446 #4,204
2013 modern 1,457 #4,233
2014 modern 1,473 #4,227
2015 modern 1,473 #4,200
2016 modern 1,478 #4,166

Geography

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Where Dalrymples are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkintilloch, Mochrum, Markinch, Edinburgh and Annan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ14, Newton Stewart, Kettle and Ladybank, Pathhead and Rural East Midlothian and Carrick South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kirkintilloch Dunbarton
2 Mochrum Wigtown
3 Markinch Fife
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Annan Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ14 East Lothian
2 Newton Stewart Dumfries and Galloway
3 Kettle and Ladybank Fife
4 Pathhead and Rural East Midlothian Midlothian
5 Carrick South South Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dalrymple

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dalrymple

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Dalrymple is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dalrymple 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

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

Meaning and origin of Dalrymple

The surname Dalrymple is of Scottish origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the lands of Dalrymple, near Ayr, in the county of Ayrshire. The name is believed to come from the Gaelic "dail" meaning "meadow" or "haugh" and the Scots word "rympill" meaning a small stream or rivulet.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name was in the year 1240, when John de Dalrymple was granted lands in the parish of Dalrymple. By the 13th century, the Dalrymples had established themselves as a prominent landowning family in Ayrshire.

The Dalrymple name appears in various historical records, including the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list several individuals with the surname who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. In the 14th century, the Dalrymples were involved in the Wars of Scottish Independence, supporting the cause of Robert the Bruce.

One of the earliest notable members of the Dalrymple family was Sir John Dalrymple (1448-1512), who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh and played a key role in the construction of the city's famous Royal Mile.

Another famous Dalrymple was James Dalrymple (1619-1695), who rose to become the 1st Viscount of Stair and served as Lord President of the Court of Session, Scotland's highest civil court. His son, John Dalrymple (1673-1747), was also a prominent figure, known as the 2nd Earl of Stair and serving as a distinguished military commander during the War of the Spanish Succession.

In the 18th century, Sir David Dalrymple (1726-1792) made significant contributions to Scottish history and antiquities as a lawyer, judge, and author. He was also a notable figure in the Scottish Enlightenment.

The Dalrymple surname has been associated with various place names throughout Scotland, such as Dalrymple Castle in Ayrshire and the town of Dalrymple, which was once the family's ancestral seat.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dalrymple families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dalrymple 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 219 Dalrymples recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.08x.

County Total Index
Fife 219 29.08x
Lanarkshire 152 3.69x
Midlothian 106 6.22x
Dumfriesshire 86 30.61x
Wigtownshire 85 50.33x
Middlesex 67 0.53x
Lancashire 53 0.35x
Northumberland 52 2.75x
Dunbartonshire 50 14.63x
Renfrewshire 49 4.97x
West Lothian 40 20.88x
Ayrshire 30 3.15x
Stirlingshire 30 6.39x
Durham 28 0.74x
Cumberland 27 2.47x
Surrey 24 0.39x
Kirkcudbrightshire 22 11.95x
Angus 19 1.61x
Kent 17 0.39x
Cheshire 15 0.53x
Leicestershire 15 1.06x
Clackmannanshire 13 12.38x
Hampshire 10 0.38x
Perthshire 10 1.75x
Roxburghshire 10 4.34x
Dorset 8 0.96x
Glamorgan 8 0.36x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.35x
Staffordshire 6 0.14x
Lincolnshire 5 0.25x
Yorkshire 5 0.04x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.34x
Berwickshire 4 2.60x
East Lothian 4 2.37x
Kinross-shire 4 12.44x
Warwickshire 4 0.12x
Essex 3 0.12x
Isle of Man 2 0.85x
Selkirkshire 2 1.74x
Buteshire 1 1.30x
Denbighshire 1 0.21x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Morayshire 1 0.51x
Oxfordshire 1 0.13x
Peeblesshire 1 1.67x
Royal Navy 1 0.66x
Sussex 1 0.05x
Wiltshire 1 0.09x
Worcestershire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 64 Dalrymples recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.34x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 64 9.34x
Barony 53 5.09x
Kirkintilloch 48 103.36x
Markinch 32 125.20x
Govan 30 2.95x
Wemyss 25 78.47x
Annan 22 91.14x
Glasgow 21 2.87x
Dunfermline 20 17.27x
Linlithgow 20 81.40x
Islington London 19 1.54x
Cummertrees 17 357.14x
Dunino 17 1297.71x
East Greenock 17 18.26x
Ceres 16 176.80x
Falkirk 16 14.57x
Paisley Middle Church 16 27.88x
South Leith 15 7.82x
Carriden 14 161.29x
Penninghame 14 81.25x
Cupar 13 39.69x
Mochrum 13 128.97x
New Luce 13 416.67x
St Andrews 13 37.95x
Alloa 12 23.56x
Cambuslang 12 28.94x
Gateshead 12 4.24x
Burntisland 11 52.26x
Collessie 11 126.87x
Cowpen 11 25.24x
Hackney London 11 1.54x
Keir 11 338.46x
Girthon 10 161.55x
Moffat 10 78.00x
North Leith 10 12.68x
St Leonards 10 296.74x
Toxteth Park 10 1.96x
Kirkcowan 9 158.17x
Mile End Old Town London 9 3.32x
Blandford St Mary 8 506.33x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 3.34x
Heworth 8 10.73x
Kilrenny 8 57.43x
Liff Benvie 8 4.47x
Longforgan 8 99.13x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 7.08x
Newcastle On Tyne St 8 8.15x
Rutherglen 8 13.26x
Whitehaven 8 13.71x
Whithorn 8 62.16x
Abbotshall 7 24.88x
Bow London 7 4.32x
Carlaverock 7 152.84x
Crosscanonby 7 19.33x
Dundee 7 1.59x
Hoddam 7 103.40x
Kilconquhar 7 78.13x
Kirkdale 7 2.76x
Leicester St Margaret 7 2.04x
Liverpool 7 0.76x
Paddington London 7 1.50x
Preston Quarter 7 22.81x
Shettleston 7 19.01x
Shotts 7 14.22x
West Greenock 7 3.96x
Arngask 6 252.10x
Auckinleck 6 20.36x
Cadder 6 19.75x
Campsie 6 23.30x
Congleton 6 12.37x
Harborne 6 4.36x
Haslingden 6 9.60x
Kirkinner 6 85.96x
Newton On Ayr 6 21.05x
Old Luce 6 56.29x
Oxnam 6 202.02x
Stranraer 6 38.84x
Wimbledon 6 8.62x
Glenfield 5 183.15x
New Monkland 5 4.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 29
John 21
James 18
George 11
Joseph 11
Charles 8
Thomas 8
Alexander 7
David 5
Robert 5
Andrew 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Henry 2
Hugh 2
Peter 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Alan 1
Alexr. 1
Amelia 1
Arthur 1
Birtie 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Gleyn 1
Gordon 1
Hamilton 1
Harry 1
Hewson 1
Huw 1
Joshua 1
Kew 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Ponsonby 1
Quentin 1
Richard 1
Stour 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Wm.C. 1
Wm.Hugh 1

FAQ

Dalrymple surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dalrymple surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,305 people were recorded with the Dalrymple surname. That placed it at #3,137 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dalrymple surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,478 in 2016. That gives Dalrymple a modern rank of #4,166.

What does the Dalrymple surname mean?

From the Scottish place name meaning "valley of the crooked pool" in Gaelic.

What does the Dalrymple map show?

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