NameCensus.

UK surname

Denholm

From a valley or hollow in Northumberland, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,269 people recorded with the Denholm surname, ranking it #3,213 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,539, ranked #4,020, down from #3,213 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dunbar, Lanark and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ21, Newmains and IZ20.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Denholm is 1,558 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.3%.

1881 census count

1,269

Ranked #3,213

Modern count

1,539

2016, ranked #4,020

Peak year

2010

1,558 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Denholm had 1,269 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,213 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,539 in 2016, ranked #4,020.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,433 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Denholm surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Denholm surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Denholm 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 786 #3,393
1861 historical 903 #3,067
1881 historical 1,269 #3,213
1891 historical 1,347 #3,230
1901 historical 1,433 #3,547
1911 historical 247 #13,016
1997 modern 1,439 #4,054
1998 modern 1,476 #4,112
1999 modern 1,514 #4,045
2000 modern 1,514 #4,029
2001 modern 1,475 #4,046
2002 modern 1,511 #4,046
2003 modern 1,462 #4,083
2004 modern 1,441 #4,131
2005 modern 1,424 #4,140
2006 modern 1,448 #4,087
2007 modern 1,475 #4,060
2008 modern 1,489 #4,063
2009 modern 1,524 #4,055
2010 modern 1,558 #4,058
2011 modern 1,533 #4,076
2012 modern 1,500 #4,084
2013 modern 1,519 #4,117
2014 modern 1,548 #4,057
2015 modern 1,541 #4,025
2016 modern 1,539 #4,020

Geography

Back to top

Where Denholms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dunbar, Lanark, Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Moffat. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ21, Newmains, IZ20, Bathgate East and Armadale. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Dunbar Haddington
2 Lanark Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Moffat Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ21 East Lothian
2 Newmains North Lanarkshire
3 IZ20 East Lothian
4 Bathgate East West Lothian
5 Armadale West Lothian

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Denholm

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Denholm

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

Denholm 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

Denholm falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Denholm is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Denholm, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Denholm

The surname Denholm is of English origin, derived from the place name Denholm, a village in Roxburghshire, Scotland. The name is believed to have been derived from the Old English words "denu" meaning "valley" and "holm" meaning "flat ground by a river."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Denholm can be traced back to the 13th century in Yorkshire, England. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of land holdings in England, there is an entry for a William de Deneholm.

The name also appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a list of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to Edward I of England. In this document, a John de Denholm is mentioned as holding lands in Roxburghshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Denholm was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Borders region. One notable bearer of the name was Robert Denholm (1530-1596), a Scottish minister and reformer who played a significant role in the establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland.

In the 18th century, the surname spread beyond Scotland and England, with some bearers of the name migrating to North America and other parts of the British Empire. One such individual was James Denholm (1742-1805), a Scottish merchant and shipowner who established a successful trading company in Glasgow.

Another notable Denholm was Michael Denholm (1820-1890), a Scottish-born businessman who founded the Denholm Line, a shipping company based in Glasgow. The company was instrumental in the development of trade routes between Scotland and Australia.

In the 19th century, the surname Denholm was also found in literary circles. Thomas Denholm (1798-1864) was a Scottish poet and journalist who wrote extensively on Scottish culture and history.

Other notable individuals with the surname Denholm include James Denholm (1886-1965), a Scottish Labour politician who served as a Member of Parliament, and Sir James Denholm (1928-2012), a British businessman and philanthropist who was knighted for his charitable work.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Denholm families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Denholm 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. Midlothian leads with 415 Denholms recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.32x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 415 25.32x
Lanarkshire 266 6.72x
East Lothian 142 87.64x
Berwickshire 59 39.83x
Northumberland 38 2.09x
Durham 34 0.93x
Ayrshire 30 3.28x
Middlesex 29 0.24x
West Lothian 29 15.74x
Dumfriesshire 26 9.62x
Fife 26 3.59x
Lancashire 26 0.18x
Stirlingshire 24 5.32x
Renfrewshire 23 2.43x
Angus 17 1.50x
Roxburghshire 17 7.67x
Peeblesshire 8 13.90x
Oxfordshire 6 0.79x
Perthshire 6 1.09x
Yorkshire 6 0.05x
Clackmannanshire 4 3.96x
Hampshire 4 0.16x
Kent 3 0.07x
Cheshire 2 0.07x
Ross-shire 2 0.60x
Selkirkshire 2 1.81x
Surrey 2 0.03x
Buteshire 1 1.35x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
Cumberland 1 0.09x
Essex 1 0.04x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x
Inverness-shire 1 0.27x
Suffolk 1 0.07x
Wigtownshire 1 0.62x

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 139 Denholms recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.08x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 139 21.08x
Liberton 67 264.82x
Barony 62 6.19x
Govan 43 4.39x
Dunbar 42 184.86x
Cambusnethan 33 37.56x
Glasgow 29 4.13x
Moffat 25 202.76x
Lanark 24 75.40x
Berwick North 22 193.83x
Lasswade 20 53.38x
South Leith 20 10.85x
Newton 18 326.68x
Chirnside 17 267.72x
North Leith 16 21.10x
Bathgate 15 37.51x
Cockpen 14 73.11x
Prestonkirk 14 172.84x
Auckinleck 13 45.87x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 13 8.25x
Boness 12 47.24x
Haddington 12 50.17x
Mile End Old Town London 12 4.61x
Inveresk 11 24.79x
Kelso 11 49.82x
Pencaitland 11 238.10x
Penicuik 11 49.39x
Carmichael 10 305.81x
Channelkirk 10 393.70x
Colinton 10 54.73x
Douglas 10 87.64x
Innerwick 10 306.75x
Tranent 10 45.68x
Carluke 9 25.06x
Cults 9 305.08x
Dunse 9 64.06x
Elswick 9 6.20x
Heriot 9 500.00x
Alva 8 37.17x
Balmerino 8 287.77x
Cramond 8 64.41x
Edinburgh New 8 62.84x
Liff Benvie 8 4.65x
Muiravonside 8 69.81x
Peebles 8 47.06x
Temple 8 122.70x
Ayr 7 16.20x
Benfieldside 7 29.25x
Berwick Upon Tweed 7 18.15x
Dalkeith 7 21.65x
Falkirk 7 6.63x
Moss Side 7 9.16x
New Monkland 7 5.99x
Poplar London 7 3.03x
Shotts 7 14.79x
Styford 7 1590.91x
Wandell Lamington 7 530.30x
Abbey St Bathans 6 571.43x
Edinburgh Canongate 6 14.39x
Ensham 6 153.06x
Farnell 6 230.77x
Kilmarnock 6 5.51x
Longbenton 6 7.78x
Renfrew 6 19.17x
St George Hanover Square 6 2.78x
Whitekirk Tynninghame 6 135.44x
Bishop Auckland 5 10.24x
Cockburnspath 5 105.49x
Currie 5 49.85x
Dirleton 5 78.62x
Everton 5 1.08x
Newbattle 5 35.69x
Old Monkland 5 3.18x
Roxburgh 5 117.92x
Spott 5 206.61x
Abbotshall 4 14.78x
Cadder 4 13.69x
Coundon Grange 4 50.06x
Inverkip 4 17.91x
Swinhoe 4 655.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 12
Jane 11
Elizabeth 5
Annie 4
Mary 4
Agnes 3
Ellen 3
Isabella 3
Jessie 3
Alison 2
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Helen 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Barbrary 1
Beatrice 1
Elizbeth 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth.E. 1
Genefer 1
Gertrude 1
Hanah 1
Harriet 1
Janet 1
Jesse 1
Lavinia 1
Marion 1
Nellie 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 12
William 12
John 11
Alexander 6
David 6
George 6
Thomas 5
Hugh 2
Robert 2
(Dr) 1
Adam 1
Alex. 1
Alexandor 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Charles 1
Earnest 1
Jarvie 1
Norman 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Rob. 1
Robt.W. 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Denholm surname: questions and answers

How common was the Denholm surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,269 people were recorded with the Denholm surname. That placed it at #3,213 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Denholm surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,539 in 2016. That gives Denholm a modern rank of #4,020.

What does the Denholm surname mean?

From a valley or hollow in Northumberland, England.

What does the Denholm map show?

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