NameCensus.

UK surname

Horsburgh

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "burgh" or "fort" with the Old English element "hors" meaning "horse".

In the 1881 census there were 762 people recorded with the Horsburgh surname, ranking it #4,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,345, ranked #4,479, up from #4,843 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Haddington, Manor and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St Monans and Pittenweem, Anstruther and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Horsburgh is 1,439 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.5%.

1881 census count

762

Ranked #4,843

Modern count

1,345

2016, ranked #4,479

Peak year

2010

1,439 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Horsburgh had 762 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,843 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,345 in 2016, ranked #4,479.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,041 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Horsburgh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Horsburgh surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Horsburgh 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 545 #4,633
1861 historical 529 #4,961
1881 historical 762 #4,843
1891 historical 867 #4,734
1901 historical 1,041 #4,597
1911 historical 194 #15,250
1997 modern 1,286 #4,434
1998 modern 1,341 #4,432
1999 modern 1,363 #4,411
2000 modern 1,365 #4,387
2001 modern 1,331 #4,395
2002 modern 1,372 #4,359
2003 modern 1,323 #4,417
2004 modern 1,342 #4,377
2005 modern 1,329 #4,357
2006 modern 1,328 #4,375
2007 modern 1,369 #4,308
2008 modern 1,378 #4,310
2009 modern 1,416 #4,295
2010 modern 1,439 #4,315
2011 modern 1,395 #4,368
2012 modern 1,331 #4,479
2013 modern 1,347 #4,503
2014 modern 1,370 #4,473
2015 modern 1,347 #4,494
2016 modern 1,345 #4,479

Geography

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Where Horsburghs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Haddington, Manor, 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 St Monans and Pittenweem, Anstruther, New Forest, Newtongrange and Colinton Mains and Firrhill. 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 Haddington Haddington
2 Manor Peebles
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St Monans and Pittenweem Fife
2 Anstruther Fife
3 New Forest 001 New Forest
4 Newtongrange Midlothian
5 Colinton Mains and Firrhill City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Horsburgh

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Horsburgh

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Horsburgh surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Horsburgh household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Horsburgh is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Horsburgh 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

Horsburgh falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Horsburgh

The surname Horsburgh is of Scottish origin, originating from a place name in East Lothian, Scotland. The name is believed to derive from the Old English words "hors" meaning horse and "burgh" meaning fort or fortified town. This suggests that the name likely referred to a settlement or area known for its horses or horse breeding.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Horsburgh can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. In this record, the name appears as "de Horsbroc," indicating an early spelling variation.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the Horsburgh family held lands in East Lothian and surrounding areas. A notable member of the family was Sir Alexander Horsburgh, who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the early 14th century.

In the 16th century, the Horsburgh name appears in various legal and land records in East Lothian and the Scottish Borders. One prominent individual from this time was John Horsburgh, a merchant and burgess of Edinburgh, who lived from around 1530 to 1600.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Horsburgh family continued to play a role in Scottish history and society. One notable figure was James Horsburgh, a renowned Scottish hydrographer and navigator who lived from 1762 to 1836. His work on charting the Indian Ocean and publishing sailing directions was instrumental in improving maritime navigation and safety.

Another influential figure was Thomas Horsburgh, a Scottish minister and author who lived from 1773 to 1846. He was a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland and wrote several theological works that were widely read at the time.

In the 19th century, the Horsburgh name gained international recognition through the achievements of James Horsburgh, a Scottish explorer and naturalist born in 1816. He was a pioneer in the exploration of the interior regions of Borneo and made significant contributions to the study of the island's flora and fauna.

Throughout its history, the Horsburgh name has been spelled in various ways, including Horsbroc, Horsburgh, Horsbrugh, and Horsbrughe. These variations reflect the evolution of the name over time and its adaptation to different regional dialects and spelling conventions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Horsburgh families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Horsburgh 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. Midlothian leads with 241 Horsburghs recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.96x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 241 24.96x
Fife 86 20.15x
Lanarkshire 86 3.69x
East Lothian 48 50.27x
Peeblesshire 29 85.52x
Lancashire 27 0.32x
Angus 24 3.59x
Selkirkshire 21 32.20x
Durham 19 0.89x
Berwickshire 16 18.33x
Roxburghshire 16 12.25x
Middlesex 15 0.21x
Kent 12 0.49x
West Lothian 10 9.21x
Renfrewshire 9 1.61x
Staffordshire 9 0.37x
Stirlingshire 8 3.01x
Hampshire 7 0.47x
Yorkshire 7 0.10x
Northumberland 6 0.56x
Perthshire 6 1.85x
Berkshire 4 0.74x
Channel Islands 4 1.87x
Cheshire 4 0.25x
Royal Navy 4 4.66x
Surrey 4 0.11x
Cornwall 3 0.37x
Essex 3 0.21x
Flintshire 2 1.03x
Somerset 2 0.17x
Argyllshire 1 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.23x
Dorset 1 0.21x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.63x
Shropshire 1 0.16x
Suffolk 1 0.11x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 115 Horsburghs recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.60x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 115 29.60x
Pittenweem 29 551.33x
Dundee 23 9.23x
South Leith 23 21.17x
Govan 21 3.64x
Glasgow 19 4.59x
Maryhill 17 37.25x
Cockpen 15 132.86x
Manor 15 2205.88x
Carluke 13 61.41x
Duddingston 13 67.04x
Dalkeith 12 62.99x
Forgan 12 146.70x
Haddington 12 85.17x
Lasswade 12 54.35x
St Andrews 12 61.79x
Barony 11 1.86x
Liberton 11 73.78x
Melrose 11 67.03x
Westoe 11 9.05x
Carnbee 10 383.14x
North Leith 10 22.38x
Sutton At Hone 10 196.08x
Berwick North 9 134.53x
Burton Extra 9 64.52x
Kilbarchan 8 47.14x
Drumelzier 7 1372.55x
Selkirk 7 38.11x
Ayton 6 118.58x
Barmston 6 375.00x
Berwick Upon Tweed 6 26.40x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 8.83x
Cupar 6 32.33x
Currie 6 101.52x
Glencorse 6 161.73x
Inveresk 6 22.94x
Lilliesleaf 6 338.98x
Longforgan 6 131.29x
Peebles 6 59.88x
St Ninians 6 22.77x
Swinton 6 251.05x
Aughton 5 59.03x
Dalmeny 5 120.48x
Dirleton 5 133.33x
Fordingbridge 5 62.27x
Kirkton 5 609.76x
Wentworth 5 113.12x
Athelstaneford 4 212.77x
Barrow In Furness 4 3.44x
Bolton 4 481.93x
Colinton 4 37.14x
Crail 4 91.74x
Fulwood 4 43.29x
Hackney London 4 0.99x
Pownall Fee 4 56.18x
Rishton 4 39.88x
Rutherglen 4 11.70x
St Helier 4 5.75x
Whittinghame 4 253.16x
Anstruther Easter 3 97.40x
Dunino 3 400.00x
Galashiels 3 12.44x
Innerwick 3 156.25x
Kilrenny 3 38.02x
Lauder 3 62.24x
Linlithgow 3 21.55x
Paddington London 3 1.13x
Walton On Hill 3 6.47x
West Ham 3 0.95x
Aberlady 2 80.65x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.64x
Edinburgh High Church 2 33.00x
Edinburgh St Georges 2 9.98x
Gateshead 2 1.25x
Leuchars 2 37.04x
Lewisham 2 1.52x
Melrose 2 17.71x
St Marylebone London 2 0.52x
Yester 2 87.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Agnes 5
Annie 5
Jane 5
Margaret 5
Grace 4
Ann 3
Sarah 3
Catherine 2
Eleanor 2
Elizabeth 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Maggie 2
Phillis 2
Agness 1
Alice 1
Angeline 1
Cristine 1
Ermine 1
Euphinnia 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Jannet 1
Jemima 1
Margaretta 1
Martha 1
Robert 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 8
James 7
John 7
William 7
Alexander 5
George 5
Thomas 5
Adam 3
David 2
Gordon 2
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Balfour 1
Bertram 1
Bethune 1
E.L.S. 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Harry 1
Joseph 1
Peter 1
Stewart 1
Weston 1

FAQ

Horsburgh surname: questions and answers

How common was the Horsburgh surname in 1881?

In 1881, 762 people were recorded with the Horsburgh surname. That placed it at #4,843 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Horsburgh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,345 in 2016. That gives Horsburgh a modern rank of #4,479.

What does the Horsburgh surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "burgh" or "fort" with the Old English element "hors" meaning "horse".

What does the Horsburgh map show?

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