UK surname
Family from Guthrie, Angus, Scotland, a place name derived from the Gaelic "goath-rì" meaning "windy nook."
In the 1881 census there were 98 people recorded with the Gutherie surname, ranking it #19,999 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 23, ranked #36,457, down from #19,999 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Peterhead, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gutherie is 126 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 76.5%.
1881 census count
98
Ranked #19,999
Modern count
23
2016, ranked #36,457
Peak year
1891
126 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Gutherie surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Gutherie surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 61 | #22,412 |
| 1861 | historical | 118 | #18,512 |
| 1881 | historical | 98 | #19,999 |
| 1891 | historical | 126 | #20,604 |
| 1901 | historical | 74 | #25,958 |
| 1911 | historical | 23 | #30,923 |
| 1997 | modern | 30 | #34,701 |
| 1998 | modern | 25 | #35,365 |
| 1999 | modern | 25 | #35,413 |
| 2000 | modern | 29 | #34,976 |
| 2001 | modern | 29 | #34,839 |
| 2002 | modern | 29 | #35,030 |
| 2003 | modern | 26 | #35,371 |
| 2004 | modern | 28 | #35,354 |
| 2005 | modern | 31 | #35,260 |
| 2006 | modern | 29 | #35,605 |
| 2007 | modern | 28 | #35,801 |
| 2008 | modern | 28 | #35,875 |
| 2009 | modern | 23 | #36,313 |
| 2010 | modern | 29 | #36,024 |
| 2011 | modern | 24 | #36,306 |
| 2012 | modern | 23 | #36,366 |
| 2013 | modern | 27 | #36,150 |
| 2014 | modern | 24 | #36,358 |
| 2015 | modern | 24 | #36,364 |
| 2016 | modern | 23 | #36,457 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Peterhead, Govan Combination, Gateshead, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and St George the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peterhead | Aberdeen |
| 2 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 3 | Gateshead | Durham |
| 4 | Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry | Forfar |
| 5 | St George the Martyr | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Gutherie surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gutherie, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Gutherie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Gutherie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Gutherie is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gutherie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Gutherie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Guthrie is of Scottish origin, with its roots traced back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "gūð" or "gūth," meaning battle or war, combined with the word "rīce," meaning powerful or rich. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was a powerful warrior or a wealthy landowner.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Guthrie can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of documents containing the names of Scottish nobility who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. In these rolls, the name appears as "Guthry" and is associated with individuals from the county of Angus in eastern Scotland.
The Guthries were a prominent Scottish family with a long history in the region of Angus. One notable figure was Sir David Guthrie (c. 1500-1560), who was the Lord Treasurer of Scotland during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots. He played a crucial role in the Scottish Reformation and was instrumental in establishing Protestantism as the official religion of Scotland.
Another notable individual bearing this surname was James Guthrie (1612-1661), a Scottish minister and one of the leading figures in the Covenanter movement. He was executed for his opposition to the restoration of episcopacy in Scotland and is regarded as a martyr by Presbyterian churches.
In the literary realm, William Guthrie (1620-1665) was a Scottish minister and author, best known for his work "The Christian's Great Interest," which became a highly influential Puritan devotional work in Scotland and beyond.
The Guthrie surname also gained prominence in other parts of the world due to Scottish migration. One such individual was Samuel Guthrie (1782-1848), who was born in Brimfield, Massachusetts, and became a noted inventor and chemist. He is credited with the discovery of chloroform and its use as an anesthetic.
While the name Guthrie has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including England, Ireland, and North America, where it continues to be a prominent surname with a rich historical legacy.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gutherie surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 15 Gutheries recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.85x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lanarkshire | 15 | 4.85x |
| Aberdeenshire | 13 | 14.68x |
| Yorkshire | 11 | 1.16x |
| Northumberland | 10 | 7.03x |
| Dunbartonshire | 8 | 31.14x |
| Lancashire | 7 | 0.62x |
| Fife | 6 | 10.60x |
| Hampshire | 6 | 3.06x |
| Middlesex | 5 | 0.52x |
| Perthshire | 5 | 11.66x |
| Ayrshire | 4 | 5.59x |
| Selkirkshire | 2 | 23.12x |
| Shropshire | 2 | 2.42x |
| Midlothian | 1 | 0.78x |
| Morayshire | 1 | 6.73x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.31x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.62x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 10 Gutheries recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.70x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Leeds | 10 | 18.70x |
| Peterhead | 10 | 213.68x |
| Kirkintilloch | 8 | 229.23x |
| Carluke | 7 | 249.11x |
| Seaton Delaval | 7 | 560.00x |
| Southampton St Mary | 6 | 48.70x |
| Toxteth Park | 6 | 15.62x |
| Carnwath | 5 | 261.78x |
| Kinnoull | 5 | 442.48x |
| Stoke Newington London | 5 | 67.11x |
| Kilmarnock | 4 | 47.00x |
| Newburn | 4 | 3636.36x |
| Govan | 3 | 3.92x |
| Aberdeen St Nicholas | 2 | 12.08x |
| Galashiels | 2 | 62.50x |
| Shrewsbury St Julian | 2 | 98.04x |
| Wemyss | 2 | 83.68x |
| Alnwick | 1 | 40.82x |
| Cheetham | 1 | 11.82x |
| Drainie | 1 | 75.76x |
| Hastings St Leonards | 1 | 42.19x |
| Keithhall | 1 | 344.83x |
| Longbenton | 1 | 16.61x |
| Newcastle On Tyne St John | 1 | 53.48x |
| South Leith | 1 | 6.94x |
| Wath On Dearne | 1 | 52.91x |
| Whittington | 1 | 151.52x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Gutherie surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Gutherie surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Gutherie households.
FAQ
In 1881, 98 people were recorded with the Gutherie surname. That placed it at #19,999 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 23 in 2016. That gives Gutherie a modern rank of #36,457.
Family from Guthrie, Angus, Scotland, a place name derived from the Gaelic "goath-rì" meaning "windy nook."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gutherie bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.