NameCensus.

UK surname

Emslie

A Scottish surname derived from the place name Emslie in Angus, Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 903 people recorded with the Emslie surname, ranking it #4,223 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,122, ranked #5,252, down from #4,223 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Logie-Coldstone, Kemnay and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barrahill, Aboyne and South Deeside and Peterhead Harbour.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Emslie is 1,160 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.3%.

1881 census count

903

Ranked #4,223

Modern count

1,122

2016, ranked #5,252

Peak year

2010

1,160 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Emslie had 903 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,223 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,122 in 2016, ranked #5,252.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,121 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Emslie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Emslie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Emslie 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 606 #4,243
1861 historical 697 #3,879
1881 historical 903 #4,223
1891 historical 1,044 #4,008
1901 historical 1,121 #4,323
1911 historical 216 #14,240
1997 modern 1,041 #5,316
1998 modern 1,087 #5,313
1999 modern 1,069 #5,400
2000 modern 1,069 #5,381
2001 modern 1,049 #5,371
2002 modern 1,085 #5,331
2003 modern 1,044 #5,402
2004 modern 1,062 #5,341
2005 modern 1,076 #5,232
2006 modern 1,088 #5,181
2007 modern 1,104 #5,172
2008 modern 1,091 #5,253
2009 modern 1,117 #5,248
2010 modern 1,160 #5,197
2011 modern 1,129 #5,253
2012 modern 1,096 #5,307
2013 modern 1,100 #5,369
2014 modern 1,120 #5,318
2015 modern 1,112 #5,310
2016 modern 1,122 #5,252

Geography

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Where Emslies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Logie-Coldstone, Kemnay, Edinburgh, Rayne and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barrahill, Aboyne and South Deeside, Peterhead Harbour, East Cairngorms and Cromar and Kildrummy. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Logie-Coldstone Aberdeen
2 Kemnay Aberdeen
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Rayne Aberdeen
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barrahill Aberdeenshire
2 Aboyne and South Deeside Aberdeenshire
3 Peterhead Harbour Aberdeenshire
4 East Cairngorms Aberdeenshire
5 Cromar and Kildrummy Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Emslie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Emslie

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Emslie 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

Emslie 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

Emslie falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Emslie

The surname Emslie originates from Scotland and can be traced back to the early 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the lands of Emslie or Enderlick in the county of Banffshire. The name is believed to have evolved from the Old Norse word "enni," meaning "forehead" or "ridge," and the Old English word "leah," meaning "meadow" or "clearing."

The earliest recorded instance of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where Alexander de Enderlick is mentioned as swearing allegiance to King Edward I of England. This document provides evidence of the name's Scottish origins and its connection to the Banffshire region.

In the 16th century, records show the name spelled as Enderlick, Enderlie, and Enderly, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era. One notable bearer of the name was John Enderly, a merchant and burgess of Aberdeen, who was mentioned in the town's records in 1538.

As the name spread beyond its original geographic location, it took on various spellings, including Emslie, Emsley, and Empsley. In the 17th century, the Emslie spelling became more prevalent, as evidenced by the birth of William Emslie in Aberdeen in 1673.

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname Emslie was Sir James Emslie (1737-1808), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Aberdeen from 1791 to 1793. Another notable Emslie was James Emslie (1789-1866), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1848.

In the 19th century, the Emslie name continued to be associated with Scotland, with several individuals achieving prominence. John Emslie (1813-1875) was a Scottish architect known for his work on the Balmoral Castle estate for Queen Victoria. William Emslie (1830-1904) was a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.

Moving into the 20th century, one notable bearer of the Emslie name was John Emslie (1903-1989), a Scottish-born Australian cricketer who played for the Australian national team in the 1930s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Emslie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Emslie 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 529 Emslies recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.06x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 529 65.06x
Kincardineshire 80 74.83x
Midlothian 67 5.70x
Angus 44 5.41x
Lanarkshire 33 1.16x
Middlesex 29 0.33x
Perthshire 24 6.09x
Yorkshire 11 0.13x
Northumberland 9 0.69x
Surrey 9 0.21x
Renfrewshire 6 0.88x
Argyllshire 5 2.05x
Banffshire 5 2.75x
Durham 5 0.19x
Fife 5 0.96x
Hampshire 5 0.28x
West Lothian 5 3.78x
Cumberland 4 0.53x
Worcestershire 4 0.35x
Stirlingshire 3 0.93x
Ayrshire 2 0.30x
Berwickshire 2 1.88x
Kent 2 0.07x
Lancashire 2 0.02x
Wigtownshire 2 1.72x
Cheshire 1 0.05x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.52x
Essex 1 0.06x
Orkney 1 1.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.96x
Shetland 1 1.12x
Suffolk 1 0.09x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 92 Emslies recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.19x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 92 54.19x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 71 46.67x
Kintore 25 353.61x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 24 5.07x
Kemnay 23 466.53x
Dundee 19 6.26x
Banchory Devenick 18 180.18x
Banchory Ternan 17 183.98x
Monquhitter 17 201.90x
Lumphanan 16 467.84x
Chapel Of Garioch 15 259.07x
Leochel Cushnie 15 409.84x
Logie Coldstone 15 549.45x
Nigg 15 169.68x
Glasgow 14 2.78x
Barony 13 1.81x
Inverurie 13 141.30x
Montrose 13 26.37x
Monymusk 12 344.83x
Ratho 12 218.98x
Rayne 12 310.88x
Tarves 12 156.05x
Alford 11 248.31x
Drumoak 11 392.86x
Brechin 10 31.29x
Echt 10 255.10x
Fordoun 10 166.94x
Belhelvie 9 161.87x
Edinburgh St Stephens 9 38.88x
Peterhead 9 20.93x
Turriff 9 68.60x
Mile End Old Town London 8 4.28x
Newhills 8 48.05x
Skene 8 148.42x
Strathdon 8 202.53x
Daviot 7 451.61x
Glengairn 7 1666.67x
Glenmuick Tullich 7 119.45x
Oyne 7 242.21x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 3.96x
Cluny 6 153.45x
Crathie Braemar 6 123.46x
Dyce 6 171.43x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 6 21.57x
Kilspindie 6 287.08x
Marykirk 6 136.05x
Cruden 5 47.76x
Ellon 5 44.72x
Keig 5 214.59x
Monk Bretton 5 56.75x
Perth East Church 5 13.46x
Premnay 5 179.21x
Scone 5 71.43x
Shoreditch London 5 1.31x
Soberton 5 151.06x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 13.15x
Tarland 5 141.64x
Benwell 4 28.01x
Berwick Upon Tweed 4 14.45x
Caldewgate 4 9.66x
Clatt 4 294.12x
Edinburgh Greenside S 4 93.90x
Govan 4 0.57x
Kilmore Kilbride 4 25.79x
Kings Norton 4 3.89x
Kirknewton East 4 81.30x
Linlithgow 4 23.58x
Maryculter 4 124.22x
Perth West Church 4 21.39x
West Greenock 4 3.28x
Alyth 3 28.28x
Auchtermuchty 3 42.98x
Glenbervie 3 102.39x
Glenmuich Tullich 3 4285.71x
Heworth 3 5.83x
Kennethmont 3 99.34x
Kinneff Catterline 3 99.67x
South Leith 3 2.27x
Tullynessle Forbes 3 100.67x
Willesden 3 3.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Emily 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Ellen 2
Isabella 2
Katherine 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Cathrine 1
Clara 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Jessie 1
Mable 1
Martha 1
Sophia 1
Suanna 1
Susan 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
John 5
William 5
Francis 3
Alexander 2
Arthur 2
David 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Alex 1
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Chas.T. 1
Christopher 1
E.William 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Stanley 1
Thomas 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Emslie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Emslie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 903 people were recorded with the Emslie surname. That placed it at #4,223 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Emslie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,122 in 2016. That gives Emslie a modern rank of #5,252.

What does the Emslie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the place name Emslie in Angus, Scotland.

What does the Emslie map show?

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