NameCensus.

UK surname

Esslemont

In the 1881 census there were 142 people recorded with the Esslemont surname, ranking it #16,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 417, ranked #11,504, up from #16,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rathen, St. Fergus and Forgue. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dunecht, Durris and Drumoak, Northumberland and Aberchirder and Whitehills.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Esslemont is 433 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 193.7%.

1881 census count

142

Ranked #16,012

Modern count

417

2016, ranked #11,504

Peak year

2010

433 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Esslemont had 142 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 417 in 2016, ranked #11,504.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Esslemont surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Esslemont surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Esslemont 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 36 #26,838
1861 historical 46 #28,170
1881 historical 142 #16,012
1891 historical 212 #14,318
1901 historical 274 #12,370
1911 historical 25 #30,654
1997 modern 358 #11,977
1998 modern 373 #11,991
1999 modern 374 #12,026
2000 modern 380 #11,837
2001 modern 371 #11,881
2002 modern 376 #11,989
2003 modern 377 #11,762
2004 modern 382 #11,672
2005 modern 379 #11,662
2006 modern 400 #11,257
2007 modern 394 #11,508
2008 modern 399 #11,494
2009 modern 414 #11,407
2010 modern 433 #11,242
2011 modern 419 #11,422
2012 modern 389 #11,963
2013 modern 388 #12,204
2014 modern 406 #11,865
2015 modern 410 #11,686
2016 modern 417 #11,504

Geography

Back to top

Where Esslemonts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rathen, St. Fergus, Forgue, Strichen and Peterculter. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dunecht, Durris and Drumoak, Northumberland, Aberchirder and Whitehills, Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness and Corby. 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 Rathen Aberdeen
2 St. Fergus Aberdeen
3 Forgue Aberdeen
4 Strichen Aberdeen
5 Peterculter Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dunecht, Durris and Drumoak Aberdeenshire
2 Northumberland 022 Northumberland
3 Aberchirder and Whitehills Aberdeenshire
4 Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness Orkney Islands
5 Corby 006 Corby

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Esslemont

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Esslemont

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Esslemont 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

Esslemont 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

Esslemont falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Esslemont families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Esslemont 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 116 Esslemonts recorded in 1881 and an index of 91.07x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 116 91.07x
Banffshire 12 42.06x
Stirlingshire 5 9.86x
Orkney 3 19.83x
Leicestershire 2 1.31x
Midlothian 2 1.09x
Kincardineshire 1 5.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen St Nicholas in Aberdeenshire leads with 19 Esslemonts recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.73x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen St Nicholas 19 79.73x
Fraserburgh 15 417.83x
Strichen 12 1081.08x
Culsalmond 10 2564.10x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 33.85x
Forgue 9 789.47x
Rathen 8 601.50x
Rhynie 7 1320.75x
St Fergus 7 972.22x
Auchterless 6 594.06x
Tarves 6 500.00x
Stirling 5 78.13x
Auchindoir Kearn 3 416.67x
Firth Stenness 3 461.54x
Forglen 3 857.14x
Peterhead 3 44.51x
Pitsligo 3 245.90x
Aberdour 2 200.00x
Croft 2 740.74x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 2.70x
Aberlour 1 111.11x
Alford 1 144.93x
Cruden 1 60.98x
Durris 1 208.33x
Ellon 1 57.14x
Fyvie 1 48.08x
Marnoch 1 65.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
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 Esslemont households.

Occupation Count
Scholar 2

FAQ

Esslemont surname: questions and answers

How common was the Esslemont surname in 1881?

In 1881, 142 people were recorded with the Esslemont surname. That placed it at #16,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Esslemont surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 417 in 2016. That gives Esslemont a modern rank of #11,504.

What does the Esslemont map show?

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