NameCensus.

UK surname

Ferrie

A surname likely derived from the Old French word "ferrier" meaning a maker or worker of iron.

In the 1881 census there were 542 people recorded with the Ferrie surname, ranking it #6,362 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,315, ranked #4,564, up from #6,362 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkintilloch, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hilltown, Craigneuk Wishaw and Whitfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ferrie is 1,320 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 142.6%.

1881 census count

542

Ranked #6,362

Modern count

1,315

2016, ranked #4,564

Peak year

2010

1,320 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ferrie had 542 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,362 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,315 in 2016, ranked #4,564.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 817 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Ferrie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ferrie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ferrie 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 266 #8,373
1861 historical 379 #6,739
1881 historical 542 #6,362
1891 historical 603 #6,360
1901 historical 817 #5,523
1911 historical 145 #18,255
1997 modern 1,182 #4,774
1998 modern 1,297 #4,577
1999 modern 1,286 #4,644
2000 modern 1,249 #4,743
2001 modern 1,204 #4,789
2002 modern 1,242 #4,751
2003 modern 1,233 #4,704
2004 modern 1,235 #4,689
2005 modern 1,246 #4,612
2006 modern 1,276 #4,517
2007 modern 1,267 #4,585
2008 modern 1,293 #4,533
2009 modern 1,308 #4,581
2010 modern 1,320 #4,638
2011 modern 1,297 #4,652
2012 modern 1,258 #4,705
2013 modern 1,275 #4,737
2014 modern 1,310 #4,644
2015 modern 1,309 #4,600
2016 modern 1,315 #4,564

Geography

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Where Ferries are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkintilloch, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hilltown, Craigneuk Wishaw, Whitfield, Logie and Blackness and Charleston. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kirkintilloch Dunbarton
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hilltown Dundee City
2 Craigneuk Wishaw North Lanarkshire
3 Whitfield Dundee City
4 Logie and Blackness Dundee City
5 Charleston Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ferrie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ferrie

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Ferrie is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Ferrie 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

Ferrie falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ferrie

The surname FERRIE has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Old Scots word "ferie," meaning a stretch of land or a small farm. The name is believed to have originated in the Scottish Borders region, an area near the English-Scottish border.

FERRIE is thought to be an anglicized version of the Scottish Gaelic surname "Fearaidh," which itself stems from the Gaelic word "fearann," meaning land or territory. In some early records, the name was also spelled as "Ferrey" or "Ferrie."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the FERRIE surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Ferie" in these rolls, indicating its presence in Scotland during that time period.

In the 16th century, a prominent bearer of the FERRIE surname was John Ferrie (c. 1520-1589), a Scottish clergyman who served as the Protestant minister of Anstruther Wester in Fife. He played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation and was a supporter of John Knox.

Another notable figure was William Ferrie (1615-1696), a Scottish minister and author from Ayrshire. He wrote several religious works, including "The Repenting Sinner's Vade Mecum" and "The Case of the Afflicted."

In the 18th century, James Ferrie (1712-1789) was a Scottish merchant and banker from Montrose. He founded the banking firm of James Ferrie & Co., which later became part of the Union Bank of Scotland.

During the 19th century, Sir David Ferrie (1843-1924) was a Scottish architect and designer. He is best known for his work on the Caledonian Railway Company's hotels and stations, including the iconic Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire.

The name FERRIE has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Ferrieside, a small village in Fife, and Ferrie Hill, a location near Cupar in Fife.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ferrie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ferrie 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 241 Ferries recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.09x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 241 14.09x
Renfrewshire 88 21.48x
Dunbartonshire 49 34.49x
Midlothian 45 6.35x
Lancashire 20 0.32x
Fife 18 5.75x
Angus 14 2.86x
Perthshire 13 5.48x
Stirlingshire 11 5.64x
Middlesex 9 0.17x
Inverness-shire 8 5.07x
Buteshire 6 18.73x
Staffordshire 4 0.22x
Ayrshire 3 0.76x
Kent 3 0.17x
West Lothian 3 3.77x
Argyllshire 2 1.36x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.20x
Essex 1 0.10x
Glamorgan 1 0.11x
Northumberland 1 0.13x
Surrey 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. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 72 Ferries recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.03x.

Place Total Index
Govan 72 17.03x
Glasgow 66 21.74x
Barony 59 13.63x
Abbey 30 47.98x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 23 8.07x
New Kilpatrick 21 155.33x
Kirkintilloch 14 72.54x
Paisley High Church 12 36.79x
Perth Middle Church 12 134.53x
Hamilton 11 23.07x
Bonhill 10 43.84x
Moston 9 143.08x
Cambusnethan 8 21.06x
Campsie 8 74.77x
Dundee 8 4.37x
Inverness 8 20.15x
New Monkland 8 15.83x
Paisley Middle Church 8 33.54x
Edinburgh St Johns 7 156.60x
Inverkip 7 72.46x
Liverpool 7 1.84x
Newburgh 7 175.88x
West Greenock 7 9.52x
East Greenock 6 15.51x
Eastwood 6 23.78x
Neilston 6 29.17x
Rothesay 6 38.68x
Eaglesham 5 199.20x
Kinghorn 5 75.30x
Montrose 5 16.85x
Shadwell London 5 33.78x
Bothwell 4 8.63x
Dalkeith 4 28.63x
Forgan 4 66.67x
Gorbals 4 39.41x
Shettleston 4 26.13x
Stafford St Mary 4 15.84x
Dalserf 3 17.59x
Edinburgh New 3 54.55x
Old Kilpatrick 3 17.87x
Over Darwen 3 5.99x
Ealing 2 4.23x
Kilcalmonell 2 60.06x
Kirkliston 2 43.10x
St Andrews 2 14.04x
Stirling 2 8.13x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 0.98x
Beith 1 8.47x
Bermondsey 1 0.64x
Blantyre 1 5.62x
Boness 1 9.11x
Dumbarton 1 5.06x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 7.26x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 1 24.27x
Edinburgh Tron Church 1 30.12x
Elton 1 4.61x
Gillingham 1 2.69x
Inveresk 1 5.21x
Kensington London 1 0.34x
Kilmarnock 1 2.12x
Kilsyth 1 8.05x
Kirkden 1 32.68x
Lasswade 1 6.18x
Lewisham 1 1.04x
Maryhill 1 2.99x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 1.13x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 2.13x
North Leith 1 3.05x
Paisley Low Church 1 7.71x
Perth East Church 1 4.47x
Ramsgate 1 3.40x
Riccarton Hurlford 1 14.41x
South Leith 1 1.25x
St Lawrence Jewry London 1 666.67x
West Calder 1 7.16x
Wivenhoe 1 24.15x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

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 Ferrie households.

FAQ

Ferrie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ferrie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 542 people were recorded with the Ferrie surname. That placed it at #6,362 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ferrie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,315 in 2016. That gives Ferrie a modern rank of #4,564.

What does the Ferrie surname mean?

A surname likely derived from the Old French word "ferrier" meaning a maker or worker of iron.

What does the Ferrie map show?

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