NameCensus.

UK surname

Imlach

A Scottish surname derived from a place name referring to a small valley or hollow.

In the 1881 census there were 168 people recorded with the Imlach surname, ranking it #14,380 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 257, ranked #16,485, down from #14,380 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Old Machar and Rathven. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Buckie West and Mains of Buckie, Buckie Central East and Thurso West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Imlach is 268 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.0%.

1881 census count

168

Ranked #14,380

Modern count

257

2016, ranked #16,485

Peak year

2009

268 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Imlach had 168 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,380 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 257 in 2016, ranked #16,485.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 180 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Imlach surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Imlach surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Imlach 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 108 #16,308
1861 historical 124 #17,797
1881 historical 168 #14,380
1891 historical 148 #18,506
1901 historical 180 #16,171
1911 historical 31 #29,952
1997 modern 231 #16,049
1998 modern 241 #16,065
1999 modern 245 #16,012
2000 modern 240 #16,186
2001 modern 235 #16,147
2002 modern 240 #16,291
2003 modern 226 #16,766
2004 modern 245 #15,894
2005 modern 249 #15,679
2006 modern 253 #15,602
2007 modern 257 #15,606
2008 modern 250 #16,065
2009 modern 268 #15,620
2010 modern 258 #16,432
2011 modern 242 #17,001
2012 modern 240 #16,979
2013 modern 240 #17,251
2014 modern 244 #17,189
2015 modern 247 #16,941
2016 modern 257 #16,485

Geography

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Where Imlachs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Old Machar, Rathven, Huntly and Latheron. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Buckie West and Mains of Buckie, Buckie Central East, Thurso West, Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock and Aberchirder and Whitehills. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Edinburgh Edinburgh
2 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
3 Rathven Banff
4 Huntly Aberdeen
5 Latheron Caithness

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Buckie West and Mains of Buckie Moray
2 Buckie Central East Moray
3 Thurso West Highland
4 Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock Moray
5 Aberchirder and Whitehills Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Imlach

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Imlach

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Imlach, 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 Imlach surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Imlach 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Imlach is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Imlach 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

Imlach falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Imlach

The surname Imlach is of Scottish origin, with roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "iomallach," meaning "remote" or "outlying," and "loch," referring to a lake or inlet. This suggests that the name may have originated from a location near a remote loch or body of water.

The name Imlach is closely linked to the Scottish Highlands, particularly the region of Perthshire. It is believed to have been associated with a clan or family that resided near a remote loch in this area. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in ancient Scottish charters and land records from the 13th and 14th centuries.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Imlach dates back to 1296, when William de Imlach was listed as a landowner in the Ragman Rolls, a record of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

In the 15th century, the name Imlach appeared in the Book of Pluscarden, a historical chronicle written by a Scottish monk. This record mentions a clan or family bearing the name Imlach residing in the vicinity of Loch Earn in Perthshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Imlach include:

1. John Imlach (1799-1846), a Scottish minister and author who served as the minister of Dunfermline Abbey. 2. Niel Imlach (1875-1935), a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 3. Punch Imlach (1918-1987), a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach, best known for his tenure as the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1958 to 1969. 4. Ian Imlach (1919-1993), a Scottish novelist and poet, known for his works set in the Scottish Highlands. 5. Alistair Imlach (born 1942), a Scottish actor and playwright, known for his roles in television series such as "Monarch of the Glen" and "Taggart."

Over the centuries, variations in the spelling of the name have emerged, including Imlache, Imlaich, and Imlich. Additionally, the name has been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Imlachie and Imlaichie, which are derived from the same Gaelic roots as the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Imlach families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Imlach 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. Banffshire leads with 84 Imlachs recorded in 1881 and an index of 254.70x.

County Total Index
Banffshire 84 254.70x
Aberdeenshire 43 29.20x
Morayshire 16 64.78x
Kincardineshire 6 30.99x
Lancashire 6 0.32x
Midlothian 6 2.82x
Durham 2 0.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rathven in Banffshire leads with 52 Imlachs recorded in 1881 and an index of 840.06x.

Place Total Index
Rathven 52 840.06x
Drainie 16 730.59x
Huntly 14 583.33x
Fordyce 11 464.14x
Kemnay 10 1123.60x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 6 21.78x
Boyndie 6 550.46x
Edinburgh St Georges 6 135.75x
Nigg 6 375.00x
Turriff 6 252.10x
Keith 5 142.05x
Peterhead 4 51.35x
Inveravon 3 212.77x
Liverpool 3 2.62x
Toxteth Park 3 4.70x
Grange 2 206.19x
Heworth 2 21.46x
Marnoch 2 112.99x
Banff 1 34.97x
Forglen 1 250.00x
Gartly 1 208.33x
King Edward 1 58.82x
Ordiquhill 1 256.41x
Strichen 1 78.13x

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 Imlach households.

FAQ

Imlach surname: questions and answers

How common was the Imlach surname in 1881?

In 1881, 168 people were recorded with the Imlach surname. That placed it at #14,380 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Imlach surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 257 in 2016. That gives Imlach a modern rank of #16,485.

What does the Imlach surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name referring to a small valley or hollow.

What does the Imlach map show?

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