NameCensus.

UK surname

Ervine

A variation of the surname Irving, derived from a Scottish place name.

In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Ervine surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 155, ranked #23,197, up from #29,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carmarthenshire, Chesterfield and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ervine is 160 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 496.2%.

1881 census count

26

Ranked #29,911

Modern count

155

2016, ranked #23,197

Peak year

2015

160 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ervine had 26 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016, ranked #23,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 40 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ervine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ervine surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ervine 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 30 #27,891
1861 historical 18 #31,580
1881 historical 26 #29,911
1891 historical 40 #31,174
1901 historical 29 #30,848
1911 historical 28 #30,296
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 124 #24,316
1999 modern 135 #23,279
2000 modern 137 #23,048
2001 modern 137 #22,740
2002 modern 144 #22,501
2003 modern 131 #23,553
2004 modern 127 #24,224
2005 modern 116 #25,564
2006 modern 126 #24,493
2007 modern 129 #24,503
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 132 #24,929
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 139 #24,507
2012 modern 136 #24,830
2013 modern 149 #23,765
2014 modern 151 #23,745
2015 modern 160 #22,701
2016 modern 155 #23,197

Geography

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Where Ervines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carmarthenshire, Chesterfield, Kensington and Chelsea, Neath Port Talbot and North Norfolk. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carmarthenshire 010 Carmarthenshire
2 Chesterfield 012 Chesterfield
3 Kensington and Chelsea 013 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Neath Port Talbot 020 Neath Port Talbot
5 North Norfolk 002 North Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ervine

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ervine

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Ervine surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ervine household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Ervine is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ervine is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ervine falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ervine 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Ervine

The surname Ervine has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the 14th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "eorfa" and "wine," which together mean "heir friend" or "trusted friend." It is believed that the name was originally given as a nickname to someone who was considered a loyal and trustworthy companion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ervine can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where a John Erwyn is mentioned in 1376. The name is also found in the records of the Clan MacFarlane, a powerful Scottish clan during the Middle Ages, suggesting that early bearers of the surname may have been associated with this clan.

In the 16th century, the Ervine surname appeared in various spellings, including Ervin, Erwen, and Ervine. During this time, several notable individuals with this surname emerged, such as Andrew Erwyn, a merchant and burgess of Edinburgh, who is mentioned in records from the 1540s.

The Ervine surname has also been associated with various place names in Scotland. For example, there is an Ervine Burn, a small stream located in East Lothian, which may have been named after an early bearer of the surname who lived in the area.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the Ervine surname. One of the most famous was St. Ernan of Hinba, a 7th-century Irish monk and missionary who is said to have founded a monastery on the island of Hinba (now known as Inchcailleach) in the Scottish Inner Hebrides.

Another notable bearer of the Ervine surname was John Ervine (1883-1971), a renowned Irish playwright, novelist, and literary critic. His works, such as "Boyd's Shop" and "John Ferguson," explored themes of social and political commentary in early 20th-century Ireland.

In the 18th century, Andrew Ervine (1729-1793) was a prominent Scottish physician and writer. He published several medical treatises and was a member of the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh.

The Ervine surname has also been associated with notable individuals in the field of education. For example, William Ervine (1743-1816) was a Scottish schoolteacher and author who wrote several educational texts, including "A Grammar of the English Language."

Finally, in the 19th century, David Ervine (1842-1919) was a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the city of Glasgow.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ervine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ervine 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. Lancashire leads with 13 Ervines recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.32x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 13 4.32x
Middlesex 4 1.58x
Renfrewshire 4 20.36x
Devon 2 3.79x
Yorkshire 2 0.80x
Cheshire 1 1.79x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkdale in Lancashire leads with 12 Ervines recorded in 1881 and an index of 237.15x.

Place Total Index
Kirkdale 12 237.15x
East Greenock 4 215.05x
Kensington London 4 28.37x
Holy Trinity 2 33.11x
Stoke Damerel 2 54.20x
Birkenhead 1 22.42x
Liverpool 1 5.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Henrietta 3
Caroline 2
Ada 1
Areatt 1
Areatte 1
Can... 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Elizth. 1
Julia 1
Miriam 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 3
Charles 2
Robert 2
Henry 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 Ervine households.

FAQ

Ervine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ervine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Ervine surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ervine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016. That gives Ervine a modern rank of #23,197.

What does the Ervine surname mean?

A variation of the surname Irving, derived from a Scottish place name.

What does the Ervine map show?

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