NameCensus.

UK surname

Edmiston

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place name meaning "Eadmund's town" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 285 people recorded with the Edmiston surname, ranking it #10,070 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 443, ranked #10,921, down from #10,070 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rutherglen, Govan Combination and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Kirkcaldy Chapel and Pollok North and East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Edmiston is 449 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.4%.

1881 census count

285

Ranked #10,070

Modern count

443

2016, ranked #10,921

Peak year

2009

449 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Edmiston had 285 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,070 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 443 in 2016, ranked #10,921.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 418 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Edmiston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Edmiston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Edmiston 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 193 #10,704
1861 historical 227 #10,749
1881 historical 285 #10,070
1891 historical 295 #11,255
1901 historical 418 #9,200
1911 historical 51 #27,708
1997 modern 395 #11,106
1998 modern 401 #11,319
1999 modern 407 #11,305
2000 modern 410 #11,204
2001 modern 409 #11,032
2002 modern 439 #10,656
2003 modern 421 #10,844
2004 modern 422 #10,838
2005 modern 411 #10,956
2006 modern 420 #10,816
2007 modern 413 #11,100
2008 modern 424 #10,952
2009 modern 449 #10,690
2010 modern 449 #10,931
2011 modern 433 #11,116
2012 modern 413 #11,451
2013 modern 433 #11,184
2014 modern 449 #10,926
2015 modern 439 #11,035
2016 modern 443 #10,921

Geography

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Where Edmistons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rutherglen, Govan Combination, Glasgow, Paisley Abbey and Renfrew. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, Kirkcaldy Chapel, Pollok North and East, Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central and Kippen and Fintry. 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 Rutherglen Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Paisley Abbey Renfrew
5 Renfrew Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 006 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Kirkcaldy Chapel Fife
3 Pollok North and East Glasgow City
4 Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central Inverclyde
5 Kippen and Fintry Stirling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Edmiston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Edmiston

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Edmiston, 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 Edmiston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Edmiston 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Edmiston is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Edmiston 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

Edmiston falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Edmiston

The surname Edmiston has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the lands of Edminstone, a small village near Edinburgh. The name itself likely comes from the Old English personal name "Eadmund" combined with "tun," meaning an enclosure or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a crucial historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. The entry "William de Edmundestone" suggests that the name was already well-established in the region at that time.

In the 15th century, a branch of the Edmiston family settled in the village of Ednam, located in the Scottish Borders region. This is evidenced by the appearance of the name "John Edmistoun of Ednam" in various local records from that period.

During the 16th century, the Edmistons played a notable role in the Scottish Reformation. John Edmiston (c. 1510-1583), a Protestant minister and reformer, was a prominent figure in the movement and a close associate of John Knox.

In the late 17th century, the name Edmiston gained further recognition through the exploits of Captain William Edmiston (c. 1660-1712), a Scottish naval officer and explorer. He is credited with being one of the first Europeans to chart the western coast of Australia, naming several landmarks in the process.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir James Edmiston (1791-1876), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the textile industry and was a significant contributor to various charitable causes in Glasgow and beyond.

Other prominent individuals with the surname Edmiston include:

1. James Edmiston (1835-1920), a Scottish-American architect known for his work in Washington, D.C., including the design of the Scottish Rite Temple. 2. Robert Edmiston (born 1946), a British businessman and founder of the IM Group, a leading distribution and logistics company. 3. Lindsay Edmiston (born 1990), an Australian rugby league player who has represented both Queensland and Australia. 4. Jill Edmiston (born 1975), an American actress and writer, best known for her work on the television series "The Office" and "Community."

Throughout its long history, the surname Edmiston has maintained a strong association with its Scottish roots, while also spreading to various parts of the world through migration and exploration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Edmiston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Edmiston 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. Lanarkshire leads with 149 Edmistons recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.87x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 149 16.87x
Renfrewshire 44 20.79x
Fife 19 11.75x
Dunbartonshire 16 21.80x
Angus 9 3.56x
Hampshire 7 1.25x
West Lothian 7 17.02x
Surrey 6 0.45x
Lancashire 5 0.15x
Middlesex 5 0.18x
Stirlingshire 5 4.96x
Midlothian 4 1.09x
Ayrshire 2 0.98x
Clackmannanshire 1 4.43x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 32 Edmistons recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.40x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 32 20.40x
Barony 31 13.87x
Govan 17 7.78x
Shettleston 16 202.28x
Rutherglen 13 100.31x
Renfrew 11 157.37x
Abbey 10 30.96x
Cadder 10 153.37x
Dundee 9 9.53x
Kettle 9 463.92x
Paisley High Church 9 53.41x
Alverstoke 7 34.55x
Cambuslang 7 78.65x
Kirkintilloch 7 70.21x
New Kilpatrick 7 100.29x
Old Monkland 7 19.97x
Whitburn 7 117.85x
Cathcart 6 52.40x
Bothwell 5 20.88x
East Kilbride 5 132.28x
Falkirk 5 21.20x
Richmond 5 26.81x
Ardwick 4 13.68x
Port Glasgow 4 39.10x
Blantyre 3 32.61x
Cupar 3 42.67x
Hampstead London 3 7.05x
Strathmiglo 3 155.44x
Abdie 2 217.39x
Eastwood 2 15.34x
Edinburgh St Marys 2 28.13x
Kilbirnie 2 40.73x
Old Kilpatrick 2 23.07x
Carluke 1 12.47x
Carstairs 1 54.64x
Dollar 1 42.74x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.68x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 1 46.95x
Gate Fulford 1 15.82x
Hamilton 1 4.06x
Kensington London 1 0.66x
Kilconquhar 1 52.08x
Leslie 1 24.45x
Liverpool 1 0.51x
Paisley Middle Church 1 8.12x
Penge 1 5.73x
St Marylebone London 1 0.69x
West Greenock 1 2.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 3
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 2
James 2
John 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Harry 1
Samuel 1
Walter 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 Edmiston households.

FAQ

Edmiston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Edmiston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 285 people were recorded with the Edmiston surname. That placed it at #10,070 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Edmiston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 443 in 2016. That gives Edmiston a modern rank of #10,921.

What does the Edmiston surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place name meaning "Eadmund's town" in Old English.

What does the Edmiston map show?

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