NameCensus.

UK surname

Kinnear

A Scottish locational surname derived from the lands of Kinnear in Fife, likely meaning "head of the sea."

In the 1881 census there were 1,446 people recorded with the Kinnear surname, ranking it #2,880 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,768, ranked #3,555, down from #2,880 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Auchtermuchty and Gateside, Wirral and Balmullo and Gauldry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kinnear is 1,768 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.3%.

1881 census count

1,446

Ranked #2,880

Modern count

1,768

2016, ranked #3,555

Peak year

2016

1,768 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kinnear had 1,446 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,880 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,768 in 2016, ranked #3,555.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,702 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Kinnear surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kinnear surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kinnear 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 945 #2,937
1861 historical 1,027 #2,728
1881 historical 1,446 #2,880
1891 historical 1,512 #2,921
1901 historical 1,702 #3,030
1911 historical 375 #9,747
1997 modern 1,679 #3,547
1998 modern 1,711 #3,619
1999 modern 1,723 #3,618
2000 modern 1,700 #3,641
2001 modern 1,672 #3,627
2002 modern 1,734 #3,594
2003 modern 1,665 #3,648
2004 modern 1,638 #3,694
2005 modern 1,650 #3,638
2006 modern 1,645 #3,650
2007 modern 1,673 #3,623
2008 modern 1,699 #3,603
2009 modern 1,741 #3,596
2010 modern 1,752 #3,643
2011 modern 1,743 #3,617
2012 modern 1,746 #3,559
2013 modern 1,759 #3,594
2014 modern 1,757 #3,609
2015 modern 1,763 #3,575
2016 modern 1,768 #3,555

Geography

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Where Kinnears are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Brechin. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Auchtermuchty and Gateside, Wirral, Balmullo and Gauldry, Newington and Dalkeith Road and Friockheim. 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 Forfar Forfar
2 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Brechin Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Auchtermuchty and Gateside Fife
2 Wirral 004 Wirral
3 Balmullo and Gauldry Fife
4 Newington and Dalkeith Road City of Edinburgh
5 Friockheim Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kinnear

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kinnear

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Kinnear surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kinnear household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kinnear 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

Kinnear is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kinnear 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 Kinnear 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 Kinnear, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kinnear

The surname Kinnear has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "cionn" meaning "head" and "fhear" meaning "man," suggesting that it may have originally referred to a clan chief or leader.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various Scottish historical documents and manuscripts. One notable example is a charter from the reign of King William the Lion (1165-1214), which mentions a "Gillebride Kinnear" as a witness to a land grant.

In the 13th century, the Kinnears were a prominent family in the county of Fife, with several members holding positions of importance in the local government and church. The name is also found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from this period, indicating that members of the family were involved in financial and administrative matters.

One of the earliest notable individuals bearing the Kinnear name was Sir John Kinnear (c. 1370-1456), a Scottish nobleman and military commander who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence against England. He was rewarded for his service with lands in Fife and was appointed as the Sheriff of Kinross-shire.

Another prominent Kinnear was George Kinnear (1670-1738), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made his fortune in the West Indies trade. He donated a significant sum of money to establish the Kinnear Free School in Edinburgh, which provided education to underprivileged children.

In the 19th century, the Kinnears spread beyond Scotland, with members of the family settling in various parts of the British Empire. One such individual was Sir John George Kinnear (1801-1874), a British civil servant who served as the Chief Justice of Madras Presidency in India.

Other notable Kinnears include:

1. George Kinnear (1775-1830), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the prestigious Order of the Bath. 2. Thomas Kinnear (1828-1895), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman who served as the Premier of South Australia from 1881 to 1884. 3. Boyd Kinnear (1832-1888), a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who played a key role in mapping the interior of Western Australia. 4. Alfred Kinnear (1882-1970), an English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club and the English national team in the early 20th century. 5. Euphemia Kinnear (1887-1977), a Scottish suffragette and campaigner for women's rights, who was imprisoned for her activism during the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kinnear families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kinnear 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. Angus leads with 431 Kinnears recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.82x.

County Total Index
Angus 431 32.82x
Fife 264 31.46x
Midlothian 202 10.64x
Lanarkshire 90 1.96x
Perthshire 51 8.02x
Aberdeenshire 39 2.97x
Surrey 35 0.51x
Kent 27 0.56x
Middlesex 27 0.19x
Cumberland 24 1.97x
Durham 23 0.55x
Northumberland 23 1.09x
Hampshire 20 0.69x
Lancashire 19 0.11x
Yorkshire 18 0.13x
Wigtownshire 17 9.03x
Essex 16 0.57x
Sussex 15 0.63x
Kincardineshire 14 8.11x
Roxburghshire 11 4.28x
Cheshire 10 0.32x
Ayrshire 9 0.85x
Dumfriesshire 9 2.87x
Isle of Man 8 3.04x
Stirlingshire 8 1.53x
Dunbartonshire 7 1.84x
Clackmannanshire 5 4.27x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.35x
Devon 3 0.10x
Lincolnshire 3 0.13x
Renfrewshire 3 0.27x
Warwickshire 3 0.08x
West Lothian 2 0.94x
Argyllshire 1 0.25x
Banffshire 1 0.34x
Berwickshire 1 0.58x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.11x
Channel Islands 1 0.24x
East Lothian 1 0.53x
Flintshire 1 0.26x
Hertfordshire 1 0.10x
Inverness-shire 1 0.24x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.49x
Morayshire 1 0.45x
Peeblesshire 1 1.50x
Royal Navy 1 0.59x
Worcestershire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 84 Kinnears recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.14x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 84 17.14x
Wemyss 83 233.80x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 82 10.73x
Forfar 52 73.14x
Liff Benvie 50 25.08x
Brechin 45 87.21x
Barony 44 3.79x
Monifieth 33 71.15x
Montrose 29 36.44x
South Leith 25 11.70x
Glasgow 24 2.95x
St Vigeans 23 32.45x
Largo 22 201.83x
Abbotshall 20 63.80x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 20 8.14x
Leslie 19 89.41x
Dalkeith 17 45.38x
Kirriemuir 16 49.38x
Walthamstow 16 15.89x
Greenwich 14 6.20x
Ferry Port On Craig 13 94.20x
Camberwell 12 1.33x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 12 26.71x
Elswick 11 6.54x
Falkland 11 83.33x
Inverarity 11 260.66x
Leuchars 11 103.68x
Edinburgh St Georges 10 25.37x
Kildale 10 735.29x
St Martins 10 277.01x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 3.28x
Dunnichen 9 130.06x
Kilrenny 9 57.99x
Sorbie 9 109.36x
Abroath St Vigeans 8 148.15x
Airlie 8 190.02x
Aldershot 8 8.22x
Corstorphine 8 76.34x
Currie 8 68.85x
Govan 8 0.71x
Malew 8 34.80x
Newbattle 8 49.29x
Arbroath 7 16.08x
Basingstoke 7 20.95x
Cupar 7 19.18x
Dunfermline 7 5.43x
Hauxley 7 148.62x
Inverkeillor 7 86.00x
Kinloch 7 564.52x
Newton 7 109.72x
Preston 7 16.77x
Ardrossan 6 16.34x
Auchterhouse 6 185.76x
Battersea 6 1.15x
Bonhill 6 9.81x
Carnbee 6 116.96x
Edzell 6 149.63x
Falkirk 6 4.90x
Farnham 6 11.17x
Framwellgate 6 24.02x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 3.29x
Kelso 6 23.46x
Liverpool 6 0.59x
Lochee 6 51.24x
Maryton 6 317.46x
Monikie 6 87.21x
Monkwearmouth 6 14.87x
St Andrews 6 15.72x
Streatham 6 5.71x
Woolwich 6 3.36x
Aspatria 5 42.63x
Burton Pidsea 5 292.40x
Castle Sowerby 5 184.50x
Dumfries 5 16.19x
Edinburgh St Stephens 5 13.38x
Laurencekirk 5 50.00x
Lazonby 5 158.73x
Maryhill 5 5.57x
Perth St Pauls 5 33.94x
Workington 5 7.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 18
John 15
David 12
Thomas 10
Alexander 7
James 7
George 6
Andrew 4
Charles 4
Alfred 3
Francis 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Arthur 2
Douglas 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Adolphus 1
Allan 1
Angus 1
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Chas.F. 1
Conrad 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Jno.Gardner 1
Leonard 1
Marmaduke 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Valentine 1
Wemyss 1
Willm 1

FAQ

Kinnear surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kinnear surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,446 people were recorded with the Kinnear surname. That placed it at #2,880 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kinnear surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,768 in 2016. That gives Kinnear a modern rank of #3,555.

What does the Kinnear surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from the lands of Kinnear in Fife, likely meaning "head of the sea."

What does the Kinnear map show?

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