NameCensus.

UK surname

Erskine

From the Scottish place name meaning "green rising ground" or "green pasture," derived from Gaelic ard "high" and sgain "cleft."

In the 1881 census there were 1,853 people recorded with the Erskine surname, ranking it #2,354 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,570, ranked #2,574, down from #2,354 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Aberdeen and Old Machar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Biggar, Symington, Thankerton and Dolphinton, Moredun and Craigour and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Erskine is 2,599 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.7%.

1881 census count

1,853

Ranked #2,354

Modern count

2,570

2016, ranked #2,574

Peak year

2010

2,599 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Erskine had 1,853 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,354 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,570 in 2016, ranked #2,574.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,250 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Erskine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Erskine surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Erskine 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 1,324 #2,169
1861 historical 1,417 #2,009
1881 historical 1,853 #2,354
1891 historical 1,947 #2,365
1901 historical 2,250 #2,407
1911 historical 433 #8,762
1997 modern 2,460 #2,551
1998 modern 2,536 #2,577
1999 modern 2,551 #2,578
2000 modern 2,513 #2,603
2001 modern 2,417 #2,642
2002 modern 2,495 #2,621
2003 modern 2,476 #2,586
2004 modern 2,480 #2,586
2005 modern 2,442 #2,593
2006 modern 2,463 #2,576
2007 modern 2,462 #2,600
2008 modern 2,474 #2,613
2009 modern 2,554 #2,597
2010 modern 2,599 #2,610
2011 modern 2,544 #2,629
2012 modern 2,471 #2,653
2013 modern 2,543 #2,628
2014 modern 2,568 #2,621
2015 modern 2,550 #2,607
2016 modern 2,570 #2,574

Geography

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Where Erskines are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Biggar, Symington, Thankerton and Dolphinton, Moredun and Craigour, Northumberland, Lochgelly East and County Durham. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Biggar, Symington, Thankerton and Dolphinton South Lanarkshire
2 Moredun and Craigour City of Edinburgh
3 Northumberland 030 Northumberland
4 Lochgelly East Fife
5 County Durham 039 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Erskine

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Erskine

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

Erskine 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

Erskine falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Erskine

The surname Erskine is of Scottish origin, derived from the lands of the same name located in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The name is believed to have originated from the Gaelic words "iar" meaning "west" and "sgiath" meaning "wing," referring to the western part of the county.

The earliest recorded mention of the Erskine name dates back to the 12th century, with the first notable bearer being Henricus de Erskine, who witnessed a charter granted by King Malcolm IV of Scotland in 1162. The Erskine family held significant power and influence in Scotland, serving as hereditary lords of the barony of Erskine.

In the 13th century, Sir Robert de Erskine accompanied King Alexander II on his expedition to the Western Isles in 1249. His son, also named Robert, played a crucial role in the Wars of Scottish Independence, fighting alongside Sir William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.

The name Erskine appears in several historical records, including the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented the submission of Scottish nobles to Edward I of England. John de Erskine, the Earl of Mar, was one of the signatories of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, a letter asserting Scottish independence.

Notable individuals with the surname Erskine include:

1. John Erskine (1508-1591), a Scottish author and theologian, and one of the leading figures of the Scottish Reformation. 2. John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar (1675-1732), a Scottish soldier and Jacobite supporter who led the failed Jacobite Rising of 1715. 3. Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine (1750-1823), a British lawyer and politician, known for his advocacy of civil liberties and legal reform. 4. Ebenezer Erskine (1680-1754), a Scottish minister and one of the founders of the Secession Church in Scotland. 5. Ralph Erskine (1685-1752), a Scottish minister and poet, best known for his work "Gospel Sonnets."

The Erskine name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Erskine Bridge, Erskine Ferry, and the town of Erskine, reflecting the family's historical ties to the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Erskine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Erskine 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 264 Erskines recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.67x.

County Total Index
Fife 264 24.67x
Lanarkshire 222 3.80x
Renfrewshire 177 12.64x
Midlothian 163 6.73x
Wigtownshire 109 45.41x
Stirlingshire 107 16.05x
Ayrshire 74 5.47x
Lancashire 73 0.34x
Middlesex 72 0.40x
Angus 64 3.82x
West Lothian 59 21.67x
Perthshire 47 5.79x
Aberdeenshire 44 2.63x
Durham 44 0.82x
Northumberland 39 1.45x
Clackmannanshire 25 16.75x
Kent 23 0.37x
Kirkcudbrightshire 23 8.79x
Gloucestershire 19 0.54x
Yorkshire 16 0.09x
Cheshire 15 0.38x
Sussex 15 0.49x
East Lothian 14 5.85x
Devon 12 0.32x
Dunbartonshire 12 2.47x
Hampshire 11 0.30x
Surrey 10 0.11x
Berwickshire 9 4.11x
Glamorgan 9 0.29x
Warwickshire 9 0.20x
Flintshire 8 1.65x
Roxburghshire 6 1.83x
Caithness 5 2.02x
Derbyshire 5 0.18x
Kincardineshire 5 2.27x
Kinross-shire 5 10.94x
Berkshire 4 0.29x
Cumberland 4 0.26x
Argyllshire 3 0.60x
Essex 3 0.08x
Selkirkshire 3 1.83x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.18x
Buteshire 2 1.83x
Channel Islands 2 0.37x
Dorset 2 0.17x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.50x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.35x
Royal Navy 2 0.93x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.09x
Herefordshire 1 0.13x
Hertfordshire 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.06x
Somerset 1 0.03x
Westmorland 1 0.25x
Worcestershire 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. Dunfermline in Fife leads with 102 Erskines recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.99x.

Place Total Index
Dunfermline 102 61.99x
Govan 73 5.05x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 56 5.75x
Paisley High Church 53 47.52x
Auchterderran 46 171.00x
Barony 46 3.11x
Glasgow 36 3.47x
Polmont 35 142.22x
Penninghame 30 122.55x
Abbey 28 13.10x
Beath 26 76.90x
Falkirk 26 16.66x
Alloa 25 34.54x
Liberton 25 66.88x
Inverkeithing 24 148.88x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 23 7.34x
Mochrum 22 153.52x
Carnock 21 320.61x
Everton 21 3.07x
Dalmeny 19 182.52x
West Greenock 19 7.56x
Paddington London 18 2.71x
Edinburgh St Georges 17 33.83x
Linlithgow 17 48.70x
East Greenock 16 12.10x
Denny 15 42.30x
Houston Killallan 15 110.62x
Kilmarnock 15 9.32x
Bishopwearmouth 14 3.03x
New Monkland 14 8.10x
Cambusnethan 13 10.01x
Dundee 13 2.08x
Moss Side 13 11.52x
North Leith 13 11.60x
Bathgate 12 20.30x
Kilbarchan 12 28.20x
Liff Benvie 12 4.72x
Old Luce 11 72.61x
Westminster St Margaret 11 12.62x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 10 30.97x
Elswick 10 4.66x
Glasserton 10 134.41x
Kilsyth 10 23.52x
Perth Middle Church 10 32.78x
Portsea 10 1.38x
Tottenham 10 3.47x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 2.58x
Cardiff St John 9 8.75x
Inch 9 38.46x
Loudoun 9 27.67x
Meldrum 9 63.83x
Minnigaff 9 91.56x
Newton On Ayr 9 22.21x
Port Glasgow 9 13.29x
Saline 9 152.03x
St Vigeans 9 9.96x
Aston 8 0.64x
Bromley London 8 2.01x
East Rainton 8 76.85x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 8 13.97x
Edinburgh St Stephens 8 16.78x
Hawarden Saltney 8 117.82x
Paisley Low Church 8 18.04x
St Ninians 8 12.11x
Toxteth Park 8 1.10x
West Kilbride 8 62.06x
Coupar Angus 7 44.16x
Edinburgh Greenside S 7 79.73x
Heworth 7 6.61x
Kirkcolm 7 60.87x
Little Dunkeld 7 50.84x
Newbattle 7 33.82x
Rattray 7 37.08x
Urr 7 20.56x
Ballingry 6 90.91x
Bristol St George 6 3.66x
Ecclesmachan 6 348.84x
Largs 6 18.83x
Lochwinnoch 6 28.74x
Sorbie 6 57.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 14
Jane 11
Sarah 9
Margaret 8
Annie 6
Eliza 6
Janet 6
Alice 5
Emily 5
Emma 5
Frances 5
Hannah 4
Jessie 4
Lydia 4
Agnes 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Isabella 3
Christiana 2
Christina 2
Christine 2
Eleanor 2
Florence 2
Julia 2
Maria 2
Millicent 2
Rose 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Barle 1
Blanche 1
Charlotte 1
Chathrine 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Eliz.Egbertha 1
Emmiline 1
Esme 1
Esther 1
Gladys 1
Grace 1
Hariet 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Hellen 1
Hilda 1
Horatia 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
William 19
Robert 15
James 14
George 13
Thomas 9
Charles 7
Henry 7
Francis 5
Adam 4
Andrew 4
Archibald 4
Walter 4
Frederick 3
Nicholson 3
Peter 3
Samuel 3
Alfred 2
Augustus 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Donald 2
Edwin 2
Hugh 2
Joseph 2
La 2
Richard 2
Stewart 2
Alexander 1
Alfd. 1
Alick 1
Baylis 1
Benjamin 1
Charley 1
Daniel 1
Ebenezer 1
Ffolliot 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
H.V. 1
Hay 1
J. 1
Jas. 1
Keith 1
Lestoig 1
Maloulm 1
Michael 1
Nicholas 1
Oswald 1
Wm.G. 1

FAQ

Erskine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Erskine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,853 people were recorded with the Erskine surname. That placed it at #2,354 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Erskine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,570 in 2016. That gives Erskine a modern rank of #2,574.

What does the Erskine surname mean?

From the Scottish place name meaning "green rising ground" or "green pasture," derived from Gaelic ard "high" and sgain "cleft."

What does the Erskine map show?

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