NameCensus.

UK surname

Jarvie

A Scottish surname derived from the personal name Gervaise or Jarvaise.

In the 1881 census there were 796 people recorded with the Jarvie surname, ranking it #4,675 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,274, ranked #4,696, down from #4,675 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkintilloch, New Monkland and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kilsyth East and Croy, Machars North and Grangemouth - Newlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jarvie is 1,275 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.1%.

1881 census count

796

Ranked #4,675

Modern count

1,274

2016, ranked #4,696

Peak year

2010

1,275 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jarvie had 796 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,675 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,274 in 2016, ranked #4,696.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,198 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Jarvie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jarvie surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Jarvie 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 531 #4,730
1861 historical 593 #4,467
1881 historical 796 #4,675
1891 historical 973 #4,250
1901 historical 1,198 #4,112
1911 historical 83 #24,531
1997 modern 1,169 #4,822
1998 modern 1,221 #4,817
1999 modern 1,235 #4,797
2000 modern 1,189 #4,945
2001 modern 1,168 #4,932
2002 modern 1,175 #4,985
2003 modern 1,161 #4,942
2004 modern 1,208 #4,789
2005 modern 1,217 #4,701
2006 modern 1,223 #4,703
2007 modern 1,228 #4,731
2008 modern 1,224 #4,771
2009 modern 1,263 #4,737
2010 modern 1,275 #4,793
2011 modern 1,259 #4,790
2012 modern 1,239 #4,785
2013 modern 1,239 #4,860
2014 modern 1,261 #4,817
2015 modern 1,266 #4,750
2016 modern 1,274 #4,696

Geography

Back to top

Where Jarvies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkintilloch, New Monkland, Govan Combination, Cadder and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kilsyth East and Croy, Machars North, Grangemouth - Newlands, Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn and Airdrie North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kirkintilloch Dunbarton
2 New Monkland Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Cadder Lanark
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kilsyth East and Croy North Lanarkshire
2 Machars North Dumfries and Galloway
3 Grangemouth - Newlands Falkirk
4 Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn Fife
5 Airdrie North North Lanarkshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Jarvie

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Jarvie

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Jarvie is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Jarvie 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

Jarvie falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Jarvie

The surname Jarvie is of Scottish origin, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic personal name "Cerbaill," which means "having a rough or gambled appearance." The name may have also evolved from the Scottish word "jarvie," meaning a driver or coachman.

The earliest recorded instance of the Jarvie surname can be found in the parish records of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the late 1500s. One notable entry is the birth record of John Jarvie in 1597 in the town of Inverurie.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various historical documents, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1691, which listed several Jarvie families in the counties of Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.

The Jarvie surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded was Robert Jarvie (1615-1678), a Scottish clergyman who served as the minister of Boyndie in Banffshire.

Another prominent figure was James Jarvie (1730-1804), a Scottish merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the development of the city of Glasgow. He served as a magistrate and was instrumental in the construction of several public buildings and infrastructure projects.

In the 19th century, John Jarvie (1809-1882) was a successful businessman and philanthropist in Glasgow. He founded the Jarvie Bursary, which provided financial assistance to students attending the University of Glasgow.

The name Jarvie also gained literary recognition through the character of Bailie Nicol Jarvie in Sir Walter Scott's novel "Rob Roy," published in 1817. The character, a Glasgow magistrate, became a memorable figure in Scottish literature.

Another notable Jarvie was James Jarvie (1871-1942), a Scottish architect responsible for designing several iconic buildings in Glasgow, including the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

While the Jarvie surname has its origins in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, primarily due to migration and immigration. However, its roots remain firmly embedded in the rich history and culture of Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Jarvie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jarvie 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 449 Jarvies recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.11x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 449 18.11x
Stirlingshire 178 62.95x
Dunbartonshire 62 30.09x
Midlothian 39 3.80x
Renfrewshire 26 4.38x
Lancashire 9 0.10x
Perthshire 9 2.62x
Cheshire 4 0.24x
Sussex 3 0.23x
West Lothian 3 2.60x
Angus 1 0.14x
Ayrshire 1 0.17x
Roxburghshire 1 0.72x
Wigtownshire 1 0.98x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 115 Jarvies recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.33x.

Place Total Index
Barony 115 18.33x
Glasgow 79 17.94x
Kilsyth 72 399.33x
Old Monkland 49 49.80x
Falkirk 43 64.95x
Bothkennar 37 438.39x
Kirkintilloch 37 132.19x
Cadder 34 185.69x
Cambuslang 34 136.00x
Govan 32 5.22x
North Leith 24 50.49x
New Monkland 21 28.65x
Cambusnethan 16 29.05x
East Kilbride 15 141.24x
Cumbernauld 14 124.00x
Carluke 12 53.29x
Bonhill 9 27.22x
Bothwell 9 13.38x
Hamilton 9 13.01x
Campsie 8 51.55x
Cathcart 8 24.88x
Barrow In Furness 7 5.66x
Blantyre 7 27.12x
Abbey 6 6.62x
Dalserf 6 24.25x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 6 100.33x
Larbert 6 35.50x
Lasswade 5 21.29x
Perth East Church 5 15.41x
Birkenhead 4 2.96x
Denny 4 26.60x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 0.97x
Maryhill 4 8.24x
West Greenock 4 3.75x
Boness 3 18.84x
Dalziel 3 11.24x
Mearns 3 28.82x
Paisley High Church 3 6.34x
Slamannan 3 19.38x
Alva 2 14.83x
Eastbourne 2 3.36x
Gorton 2 2.34x
Neilston 2 6.70x
Perth West Church 2 12.25x
Shettleston 2 9.01x
Stirling 2 5.61x
Dumbarton 1 3.49x
Dunipace 1 20.20x
Gorbals 1 6.79x
Kelso 1 7.23x
Kirkmaiden 1 15.53x
Liff Benvie 1 0.93x
Logie 1 8.10x
New Kilpatrick 1 5.10x
Newhaven 1 9.52x
Port Of Monteith 1 32.36x
Shotts 1 3.37x
Symington 1 54.35x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Geo. 1
James 1
Jas. 1

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 Jarvie households.

FAQ

Jarvie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jarvie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 796 people were recorded with the Jarvie surname. That placed it at #4,675 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jarvie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,274 in 2016. That gives Jarvie a modern rank of #4,696.

What does the Jarvie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the personal name Gervaise or Jarvaise.

What does the Jarvie map show?

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