NameCensus.

UK surname

Herbison

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "dweller near herb ground."

In the 1881 census there were 31 people recorded with the Herbison surname, ranking it #29,218 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114, ranked #28,515, up from #29,218 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pollokshaws, Kingston upon Hull and Hillhead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Herbison is 116 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 267.7%.

1881 census count

31

Ranked #29,218

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

2015

116 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Herbison had 31 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,218 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 74 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Herbison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Herbison surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Herbison 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 6 #32,278
1861 historical 6 #33,230
1881 historical 31 #29,218
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 74 #25,958
1911 historical 17 #31,675
1997 modern 110 #25,529
1998 modern 104 #26,981
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 106 #26,848
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 102 #27,689
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 103 #28,187
2008 modern 103 #28,519
2009 modern 113 #27,520
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 112 #28,117
2012 modern 110 #28,514
2013 modern 113 #28,502
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 116 #28,151
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Herbisons 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 Pollokshaws, Kingston upon Hull, Hillhead and Renfrew South. 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 Pollokshaws Glasgow City
2 Kingston upon Hull 030 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Hillhead East Dunbartonshire
4 Kingston upon Hull 031 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Renfrew South Renfrewshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Herbison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Herbison

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Herbison is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Herbison 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

Herbison 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 Herbison is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Herbison

The surname Herbison originated from Scotland in the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French words "herbe" meaning herb and "son" meaning son, likely referring to a son of an herbalist or someone involved in the cultivation of herbs. The name was initially spelled as "Herbertson" and later evolved into its current form.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Herbison name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1505, where a John Herbertson is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use in Scotland during that time period.

In the 16th century, the Herbison family was known to have resided in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the counties of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. The name appears in various records and documents from these regions, such as parish registers and land deeds.

During the 17th century, a notable figure with the Herbison surname was Robert Herbison (1619-1698), a Scottish minister and writer. He served as the minister of Dalry Parish in Ayrshire and published several religious works.

Another prominent individual with this last name was John Herbison (1744-1824), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist. He made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow, including funding the establishment of the Herbison School for the education of underprivileged children.

In the 19th century, the Herbison family continued to be well-established in Scotland, with several members holding prominent positions in various fields. One such person was William Herbison (1825-1891), a Scottish businessman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Falkirk Burghs.

In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the Scottish poet and writer, Mary Herbison (1829-1898). She was a notable figure in the literary circles of her time and published several collections of poetry and prose works.

As the Herbison family spread across Scotland and beyond, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Herbertson, Herbison, and Herbertsoune, among others. However, the current spelling of "Herbison" eventually became the most widely accepted form.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Herbison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Herbison 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 14 Herbisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.32x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 14 14.32x
Middlesex 12 3.97x
Dunbartonshire 2 24.60x
Dorset 1 5.04x
Lancashire 1 0.28x
Perthshire 1 7.37x

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 7 Herbisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.94x.

Place Total Index
Govan 7 28.94x
Shotts 7 598.29x
St George Hanover Square 7 131.33x
Fulham London 4 91.12x
Bonhill 2 153.85x
Bromley London 1 15.04x
Everton 1 8.74x
Logie 1 204.08x
Portland 1 93.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ada 1
Charlotte 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 3
John 1
William 1

FAQ

Herbison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Herbison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 31 people were recorded with the Herbison surname. That placed it at #29,218 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Herbison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Herbison a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Herbison surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "dweller near herb ground."

What does the Herbison map show?

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