NameCensus.

UK surname

Imrie

An anglicized version of the Gaelic surname Ó'nIomaire, meaning "descendent of the ridge dweller".

In the 1881 census there were 1,178 people recorded with the Imrie surname, ranking it #3,418 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,666, ranked #3,745, down from #3,418 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Markinch, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields, Thornton and Kinglassie and Stevenston Ardeer.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Imrie is 1,666 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.4%.

1881 census count

1,178

Ranked #3,418

Modern count

1,666

2016, ranked #3,745

Peak year

2016

1,666 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Imrie had 1,178 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,418 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,666 in 2016, ranked #3,745.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,395 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Imrie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Imrie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Imrie 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 786 #3,393
1861 historical 835 #3,303
1881 historical 1,178 #3,418
1891 historical 1,242 #3,477
1901 historical 1,395 #3,606
1911 historical 215 #14,290
1997 modern 1,526 #3,853
1998 modern 1,597 #3,849
1999 modern 1,631 #3,801
2000 modern 1,656 #3,727
2001 modern 1,593 #3,790
2002 modern 1,621 #3,799
2003 modern 1,608 #3,747
2004 modern 1,569 #3,845
2005 modern 1,560 #3,821
2006 modern 1,564 #3,803
2007 modern 1,587 #3,795
2008 modern 1,570 #3,853
2009 modern 1,620 #3,840
2010 modern 1,665 #3,828
2011 modern 1,630 #3,851
2012 modern 1,586 #3,880
2013 modern 1,624 #3,865
2014 modern 1,644 #3,847
2015 modern 1,656 #3,777
2016 modern 1,666 #3,745

Geography

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Where Imries are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields, Thornton and Kinglassie, Stevenston Ardeer, IZ14 and Langholm and Eskdale. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Markinch Fife
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields South Ayrshire
2 Thornton and Kinglassie Fife
3 Stevenston Ardeer North Ayrshire
4 IZ14 East Lothian
5 Langholm and Eskdale Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Imrie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Imrie

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Imrie is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Imrie 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

Imrie falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Imrie

The surname IMRIE has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Iomhair" or "Iomhar," which means "a bear" or "a bear warrior." The name likely originated from the Clan MacIver, a branch of the Clan Donald, one of the largest Scottish clans in the Western Isles and mainland Argyll.

The earliest recorded instance of the IMRIE name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1538, where a certain "Johne Imry" is mentioned. The name also appears in the records of the Burgh of Rothesay on the Isle of Bute in 1622, referring to a "John Imrie."

One of the earliest documented individuals with the IMRIE surname was Alexander Imrie (1679-1743), a Scottish merchant and shipowner from Greenock, who was involved in the transatlantic trade and owned several vessels engaged in the West Indies trade.

In the 18th century, the name appeared in various records from the Scottish Highlands and Islands. For instance, the parish records of Campbeltown, Argyll, mention a Donald Imrie in 1748, and the Old Parish Registers of Kilchoman, Islay, record the baptism of a child named Imrie in 1761.

A notable bearer of the IMRIE name was John Imrie (1794-1859), a Scottish architect who designed several prominent buildings in Edinburgh, including the Royal Scottish Academy and the National Gallery of Scotland.

Another famous IMRIE was William Imrie (1826-1890), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of Manitoba from 1870 to 1876.

In the 19th century, the IMRIE surname spread beyond Scotland, with individuals bearing the name found in various parts of the British Empire. For example, John Imrie (1823-1900) was a Scottish-born surveyor and civil engineer who worked in South Africa and is credited with designing the first railway line in the Cape Colony.

The IMRIE name also has a connection to the Scottish Enlightenment, with John Imrie (1758-1846), a Scottish philosopher and writer who published works on ethics and philosophy of mind.

While the IMRIE surname is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history rooted in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, with bearers of the name leaving their mark in various fields, from architecture and engineering to philosophy and politics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Imrie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Imrie 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. Fife leads with 225 Imries recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.27x.

County Total Index
Fife 225 33.27x
Lanarkshire 183 4.95x
Midlothian 151 9.87x
Perthshire 109 21.26x
Angus 97 9.17x
Renfrewshire 47 5.31x
Ayrshire 38 4.45x
Stirlingshire 31 7.36x
Lancashire 30 0.22x
Dumfriesshire 27 10.70x
Kirkcudbrightshire 23 13.91x
East Lothian 22 14.54x
Northumberland 21 1.24x
Selkirkshire 20 19.35x
Kent 19 0.49x
Hampshire 16 0.68x
Durham 13 0.38x
Middlesex 12 0.11x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.85x
Dunbartonshire 9 2.93x
Kinross-shire 9 31.16x
Surrey 9 0.16x
Cheshire 8 0.32x
Kincardineshire 7 5.03x
Yorkshire 7 0.06x
Argyllshire 6 1.89x
Roxburghshire 5 2.42x
Peeblesshire 4 7.44x
Berwickshire 3 2.17x
Caithness 2 1.28x
Northamptonshire 2 0.19x
Warwickshire 2 0.07x
Derbyshire 1 0.06x
Devon 1 0.04x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x
Lincolnshire 1 0.05x
Suffolk 1 0.07x

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 87 Imries recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.13x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 87 14.13x
Govan 65 7.11x
Barony 40 4.28x
Dundee 40 10.13x
Markinch 36 156.79x
Cupar 20 68.00x
Dunfermline 19 18.27x
Logie 19 103.32x
Bothwell 18 17.97x
Liff Benvie 18 11.20x
Crossmichael 17 325.05x
Plumstead 17 13.09x
Portsea 15 3.27x
Bootle Cum Linacre 13 12.08x
Carnbee 13 314.77x
Glasgow 13 1.98x
South Leith 13 7.55x
St Ninians 13 31.13x
Tarbolton 13 92.40x
West Greenock 12 7.55x
Duddingston 11 35.81x
Closeburn 10 170.07x
Neilston 10 22.50x
Bendochy 9 322.58x
Kemback 9 269.46x
Kilrenny 9 71.94x
Largo 9 102.51x
North Leith 9 12.71x
Perth Middle Church 9 46.68x
Perth St Pauls 9 75.82x
Shettleston 9 27.21x
St Martins 9 309.28x
Backworth 8 177.78x
Blantyre 8 20.80x
Cathcart 8 16.70x
Collessie 8 102.70x
Kinross 8 80.81x
Kirkcaldy 8 23.85x
Liberton 8 33.87x
Lochmaben 8 72.33x
Polmont 8 51.45x
Sandbach 8 37.19x
Anstruther Easter 7 143.44x
Auchterarder 7 48.92x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 3.25x
Craig 7 68.49x
Dysart 7 15.37x
Eastwood 7 12.84x
Falkirk 7 7.10x
Galashiels 7 18.32x
Kilwinning 7 25.35x
Maryhill 7 9.68x
Newcastle On Tyne St 7 7.95x
Perth East Church 7 14.48x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 6 3.03x
Beath 6 28.08x
Crossgate 6 40.38x
Cults 6 217.39x
Forgandenny 6 244.90x
Irvine 6 25.26x
Kennoway 6 97.56x
Kinglassie 6 116.50x
Old Monkland 6 4.09x
Port Glasgow 6 14.02x
Rhynd 6 512.82x
Tranent 6 29.35x
Whitekirk Tynninghame 6 144.93x
Yester 6 164.84x
Arngask 5 233.64x
Cadder 5 18.33x
Dairsie 5 182.48x
Glassary 5 29.19x
Glenisla 5 161.29x
Kilconquhar 5 62.11x
Kinnoull 5 37.09x
Kirkintilloch 5 11.99x
Monifieth 5 13.38x
Parton 5 178.57x
Selkirk 5 17.18x
Westoe 5 2.60x

FAQ

Imrie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Imrie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,178 people were recorded with the Imrie surname. That placed it at #3,418 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Imrie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,666 in 2016. That gives Imrie a modern rank of #3,745.

What does the Imrie surname mean?

An anglicized version of the Gaelic surname Ó'nIomaire, meaning "descendent of the ridge dweller".

What does the Imrie map show?

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