NameCensus.

UK surname

Lambie

A Scottish surname derived from a pet form of the name "Lamb".

In the 1881 census there were 980 people recorded with the Lambie surname, ranking it #3,969 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,330, ranked #4,520, down from #3,969 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Glasgow and Dalserf. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lindsey, Whitburn Central and Armadale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lambie is 1,354 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.7%.

1881 census count

980

Ranked #3,969

Modern count

1,330

2016, ranked #4,520

Peak year

2000

1,354 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lambie had 980 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,969 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,330 in 2016, ranked #4,520.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,308 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lambie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lambie surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lambie 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 554 #4,574
1861 historical 664 #4,033
1881 historical 980 #3,969
1891 historical 1,191 #3,601
1901 historical 1,308 #3,820
1911 historical 120 #20,447
1997 modern 1,241 #4,580
1998 modern 1,299 #4,570
1999 modern 1,301 #4,597
2000 modern 1,354 #4,419
2001 modern 1,307 #4,463
2002 modern 1,312 #4,537
2003 modern 1,275 #4,556
2004 modern 1,259 #4,616
2005 modern 1,254 #4,589
2006 modern 1,255 #4,588
2007 modern 1,284 #4,537
2008 modern 1,276 #4,583
2009 modern 1,313 #4,563
2010 modern 1,310 #4,674
2011 modern 1,290 #4,677
2012 modern 1,276 #4,651
2013 modern 1,296 #4,669
2014 modern 1,314 #4,627
2015 modern 1,320 #4,570
2016 modern 1,330 #4,520

Geography

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Where Lambies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Glasgow, Dalserf, Stevenston and Kilmarnock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lindsey, Whitburn Central, Armadale, Carrick South and Armadale South. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Glasgow Lanark
3 Dalserf Lanark
4 Stevenston Ayr
5 Kilmarnock Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lindsey 003 West Lindsey
2 Whitburn Central West Lothian
3 Armadale West Lothian
4 Carrick South South Ayrshire
5 Armadale South West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lambie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lambie

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Lambie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Lambie 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

Lambie falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lambie

The surname Lambie is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English word "lamb" or the Scots Gaelic "lann," meaning "an enclosure" or "a house." It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century in the Lowlands region of Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lambie can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Lambyn" in this record.

In the 15th century, the name Lambie was associated with a family from the village of Lambie, located near Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire, Scotland. This village likely derives its name from the Old English or Scots Gaelic word for "lamb" or "enclosure."

Notable individuals with the surname Lambie include Sir William Lambie (1615-1672), a Scottish merchant and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1663 to 1665. Another prominent figure was Thomas Lambie (1756-1810), a Scottish-born American businessman and politician who served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate.

In the 18th century, the name Lambie appeared in various spellings, such as Lamby, Lammie, and Lammey, reflecting regional variations and the lack of standardized spelling at the time. One example is James Lammey (1744-1817), a Scottish-born merchant and landowner in Virginia, United States.

Another notable individual was Sir Charles Lambie (1848-1926), a Scottish civil engineer and contractor who was involved in major construction projects in the British Empire, including the construction of the Zambezi Bridge in present-day Zambia.

The Lambie surname has been found in various regions of Scotland, particularly in the counties of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire, where it has longstanding roots and historical connections.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lambie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lambie 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 426 Lambies recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.82x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 426 13.82x
Ayrshire 278 38.98x
Renfrewshire 120 16.25x
Stirlingshire 28 7.97x
Lancashire 22 0.19x
Midlothian 20 1.57x
Perthshire 19 4.44x
Surrey 12 0.26x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 5.07x
Warwickshire 7 0.29x
Dumfriesshire 6 2.85x
Argyllshire 5 1.88x
Dunbartonshire 5 1.95x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.45x
Buteshire 4 6.93x
Middlesex 4 0.04x
Cumberland 2 0.24x
Northumberland 2 0.14x
West Lothian 2 1.39x
Channel Islands 1 0.35x
Cornwall 1 0.09x
Glamorgan 1 0.06x
Hampshire 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. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 105 Lambies recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.77x.

Place Total Index
Govan 105 13.77x
Barony 94 12.05x
Kilmarnock 58 68.32x
Dalserf 50 162.55x
Stevenston 34 182.89x
Cambusnethan 32 46.74x
Mauchline 29 353.66x
Avondale 28 155.38x
Eastwood 25 54.96x
Glasgow 23 4.20x
Bothwell 22 26.32x
Galston 21 107.64x
East Kilbride 14 106.06x
Lesmahagow 14 42.94x
Muirkirk 14 83.58x
Paisley Middle Church 14 32.56x
Dundonald 13 49.43x
Mearns 13 100.46x
Ayr 12 35.65x
Eaglesham 12 265.49x
Loudoun 12 69.97x
Port Glasgow 12 33.60x
New Monkland 11 12.07x
Coylton 10 98.81x
Maybole 10 46.04x
Slamannan 10 51.95x
Barr 9 459.18x
Douglas 9 101.24x
Dreghorn 9 69.71x
Paisley High Church 9 15.31x
Perth East Church 9 22.32x
Barrow In Furness 8 5.20x
Cathcart 8 20.02x
East Greenock 8 11.47x
Killin 8 191.39x
Lambeth 8 0.96x
Hamilton 7 8.14x
Newton On Ayr 7 32.77x
Polmont 7 53.93x
Stair 7 230.26x
Aston 6 0.91x
Beith 6 28.20x
Glassford 6 126.32x
Lanark 6 24.19x
Moss Side 6 10.08x
Abbey 5 4.44x
Campbeltown 5 15.63x
Colinton 5 35.11x
Kippen 5 105.71x
Middle Greenock 5 24.81x
Neilston 5 13.48x
Sorn 5 35.69x
West Calder 5 19.86x
Aberdeen Old Machar 4 2.17x
Colmonell 4 55.79x
Currie 4 51.15x
Erskine 4 74.49x
Islington London 4 0.43x
Newabbey 4 135.59x
Newington 4 1.14x
Rothesay 4 14.31x
Withington 4 10.98x
Cardross 3 9.76x
Carsphairn 3 189.87x
Cummertrees 3 84.03x
Edinburgh Greenside S 3 64.79x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 0.58x
Falkirk 3 3.65x
Habergham Eaves 3 2.90x
New Cumnock 3 24.25x
Riccarton 3 27.88x
Ardrossan 2 8.10x
Kilwinning 2 8.68x
New Kilpatrick 2 8.21x
Stewarton 2 14.17x
Stirling 2 4.51x
Alyth 1 8.69x
Birmingham 1 0.12x
Irvine 1 5.05x
Skelton 1 42.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Helen 3
Mary 3
Janet 2
Kate 2
Annie 1
Barbara 1
Elizabeth 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
M.E. 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Nancy 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
John 6
Robert 6
William 6
George 2
Alex 1
Alexander 1
Gavin 1
Geo. 1
Loudon 1
W.H. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lambie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lambie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 980 people were recorded with the Lambie surname. That placed it at #3,969 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lambie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,330 in 2016. That gives Lambie a modern rank of #4,520.

What does the Lambie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a pet form of the name "Lamb".

What does the Lambie map show?

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