NameCensus.

UK surname

Dryburgh

A locational surname derived from the town of Dryburgh in Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 711 people recorded with the Dryburgh surname, ranking it #5,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,039, ranked #5,608, down from #5,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Markinch, Beath and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wemyss, Methil Methilhill and Cardenden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dryburgh is 1,043 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.1%.

1881 census count

711

Ranked #5,114

Modern count

1,039

2016, ranked #5,608

Peak year

2010

1,043 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dryburgh had 711 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,039 in 2016, ranked #5,608.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 944 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Dryburgh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dryburgh surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dryburgh 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 371 #6,410
1861 historical 473 #5,497
1881 historical 711 #5,114
1891 historical 850 #4,811
1901 historical 944 #4,958
1911 historical 112 #21,274
1997 modern 965 #5,649
1998 modern 976 #5,788
1999 modern 979 #5,804
2000 modern 997 #5,700
2001 modern 979 #5,673
2002 modern 991 #5,738
2003 modern 964 #5,771
2004 modern 973 #5,723
2005 modern 982 #5,626
2006 modern 998 #5,576
2007 modern 1,012 #5,548
2008 modern 1,014 #5,588
2009 modern 1,028 #5,638
2010 modern 1,043 #5,679
2011 modern 1,000 #5,827
2012 modern 984 #5,818
2013 modern 1,000 #5,822
2014 modern 1,022 #5,755
2015 modern 1,028 #5,682
2016 modern 1,039 #5,608

Geography

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Where Dryburghs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Markinch, Beath, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Auchterderran. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wemyss, Methil Methilhill, Cardenden, Kirkcaldy Linktown & Seafield and Kirkcaldy Central. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Markinch Fife
2 Beath Fife
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Auchterderran Fife

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wemyss Fife
2 Methil Methilhill Fife
3 Cardenden Fife
4 Kirkcaldy Linktown & Seafield Fife
5 Kirkcaldy Central Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dryburgh

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dryburgh

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Dryburgh surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Dryburgh household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dryburgh 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

Dryburgh 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

Dryburgh falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Dryburgh

The surname Dryburgh is of Scottish origin, derived from the name of a village in the Scottish Borders region. The village's name is believed to come from the Old English words "dryge" meaning dry, and "burh" meaning a fortified town or manor.

Dryburgh Abbey, a beautiful Premonstratensian abbey founded in the 12th century, was located near this village and played a significant role in the history of the area. The earliest recorded mention of the name Dryburgh can be found in charters and records related to the abbey and its lands.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Sir John Dryburgh, a Scottish knight who lived in the 13th century. He was a prominent figure in the Scottish Wars of Independence and fought alongside William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.

In the 14th century, a family by the name of Dryburgh held lands in the village and surrounding areas. Sir William Dryburgh (c. 1320 - 1390) was a notable member of this family and served as a diplomat for King David II of Scotland.

During the 16th century, the surname Dryburgh spread beyond the Scottish Borders region. John Dryburgh (c. 1510 - 1575) was a merchant and burgess of Edinburgh who played a role in the city's trade with continental Europe.

In the literary world, Henry Dryburgh (1818 - 1899) was a Scottish poet and author known for his works celebrating the beauty of the Scottish Borders landscape and its rich history.

Another notable figure was Sir William Dryburgh (1862 - 1938), a Scottish engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early aviation and was knighted for his achievements.

While the name originated in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including England, Canada, and the United States, carried by descendants of Scottish emigrants and settlers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dryburgh families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dryburgh 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 467 Dryburghs recorded in 1881 and an index of 114.87x.

County Total Index
Fife 467 114.87x
Midlothian 113 12.28x
Lanarkshire 36 1.62x
Northumberland 20 1.96x
Lancashire 11 0.14x
Durham 9 0.44x
Perthshire 7 2.27x
Aberdeenshire 6 0.94x
Essex 6 0.44x
Berwickshire 5 6.01x
Renfrewshire 4 0.75x
Yorkshire 4 0.06x
Middlesex 3 0.04x
Dumfriesshire 2 1.32x
Warwickshire 2 0.12x
West Lothian 2 1.93x
Argyllshire 1 0.52x
Ayrshire 1 0.19x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Kinross-shire 1 5.76x
Norfolk 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 1.22x
Surrey 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wemyss in Fife leads with 128 Dryburghs recorded in 1881 and an index of 744.19x.

Place Total Index
Wemyss 128 744.19x
North Leith 50 117.45x
Beath 47 365.76x
Markinch 37 268.12x
Kirkcaldy 35 173.61x
Dysart 34 124.18x
South Leith 29 28.01x
Auchterderran 23 225.05x
Scoonie 22 250.00x
Abbotshall 21 138.25x
Dunfermline 20 31.99x
Barony 15 2.67x
Kinghorn 11 127.46x
Ceres 10 204.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 10 2.70x
Leslie 10 97.18x
Strathmiglo 10 205.76x
Cambuslang 9 40.20x
Toxteth Park 9 3.26x
Aberdour 8 195.60x
Stranton 8 11.63x
Burntisland 6 52.77x
Dalgety 6 192.93x
Dalkeith 6 33.06x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 6 112.15x
Falkland 6 93.90x
Glasgow 6 1.52x
Govan 6 1.09x
Kettle 6 122.95x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 9.83x
Tulliallan 6 114.94x
West Ham 6 2.00x
Aberdeen Old Machar 5 3.77x
Carnbee 5 201.61x
Edinburgh St Stephens 5 27.61x
Elie 5 312.50x
Ferry Port On Craig 5 74.74x
Ford 5 133.69x
Inverkeithing 4 65.25x
Longridge 4 1904.76x
Cathcart 3 10.42x
Coldstream 3 49.83x
Duddingston 3 16.24x
Kinglassie 3 96.77x
Manningham 3 3.58x
Norham 3 132.16x
St George Bloomsbury 3 7.61x
Auchtertool 2 119.05x
Barcheston 2 465.12x
Chirnside 2 56.18x
Dumfries 2 13.37x
Walton On Hill 2 4.53x
West Calder 2 11.03x
Ancroft 1 27.86x
Auchtermuchty 1 18.32x
Bathgate 1 4.45x
Colinton 1 9.75x
Cupar 1 5.66x
Goole 1 8.77x
Heigham 1 1.76x
Inverkip 1 7.97x
Kilchoman 1 16.67x
Kinross 1 16.81x
Kintore 1 18.08x
Leuchars 1 19.46x
Liscard 1 3.66x
Logie 1 9.04x
Monkwearmouth Shore 1 2.51x
Penicuik 1 8.00x
Sorn 1 9.90x
Southwark St Saviour 1 2.83x
Tynemouth 1 1.83x
Uphall 1 8.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 4
Margaret 3
Mary 3
Frances 2
Rose 2
Amelia 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizabett 1
Elsie 1
Henrietta 1
Hilda 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
M.J. 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 7
John 5
Andrew 4
William 3
Charles 2
Robert 2
A.P. 1
Alexander 1
Archabeld 1
Daniel 1
David 1
George 1
Justin 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 Dryburgh households.

FAQ

Dryburgh surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dryburgh surname in 1881?

In 1881, 711 people were recorded with the Dryburgh surname. That placed it at #5,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dryburgh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,039 in 2016. That gives Dryburgh a modern rank of #5,608.

What does the Dryburgh surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the town of Dryburgh in Scotland.

What does the Dryburgh map show?

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