NameCensus.

UK surname

Lockerbie

A surname locative for someone from Lockerbie, a town in Dumfriesshire, Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 169 people recorded with the Lockerbie surname, ranking it #14,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 268, ranked #16,003, down from #14,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dumfries. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Abbey, Darlington and Lochmaben.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lockerbie is 272 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.6%.

1881 census count

169

Ranked #14,324

Modern count

268

2016, ranked #16,003

Peak year

2014

272 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lockerbie had 169 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 268 in 2016, ranked #16,003.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 267 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lockerbie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lockerbie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lockerbie 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 71 #20,875
1861 historical 129 #17,271
1881 historical 169 #14,324
1891 historical 245 #12,950
1901 historical 267 #12,587
1911 historical 93 #23,492
1997 modern 224 #16,392
1998 modern 244 #15,947
1999 modern 249 #15,844
2000 modern 247 #15,864
2001 modern 240 #15,912
2002 modern 236 #16,455
2003 modern 234 #16,343
2004 modern 225 #16,882
2005 modern 231 #16,529
2006 modern 238 #16,288
2007 modern 243 #16,243
2008 modern 258 #15,732
2009 modern 252 #16,323
2010 modern 257 #16,476
2011 modern 249 #16,684
2012 modern 257 #16,212
2013 modern 265 #16,138
2014 modern 272 #15,949
2015 modern 265 #16,139
2016 modern 268 #16,003

Geography

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Where Lockerbies are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to New Abbey, Darlington, Lochmaben, Upper Nithsdale and Annandale West. 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 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dumfries Dumfries
4 Brancepeth Durham
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Abbey Dumfries and Galloway
2 Darlington 009 Darlington
3 Lochmaben Dumfries and Galloway
4 Upper Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
5 Annandale West Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lockerbie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lockerbie

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Lockerbie is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lockerbie 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

Lockerbie falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lockerbie

The surname Lockerbie originated in Scotland, likely during the 12th or 13th century. It is a locational name derived from a town in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, formerly called "Loker" or "Locker," with the suffix "bie" meaning a farm or settlement. This suggests the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked on a farm or estate in the area of Lockerbie.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Lockerbie can be found in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland from 1455, where a John de Lochirby is listed as a witness to a charter. This spelling variation, "Lochirby," provides insight into the name's evolution over time.

Another historical reference to the name appears in the Records of the Parliaments of Scotland from 1641, which mentions a Robert Lockherby. This spelling, "Lockherby," further illustrates the name's transformation throughout the centuries.

In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the surname was Robert Lockerbie, a Scottish minister who served as the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1658 to 1661.

During the 18th century, a prominent figure with the Lockerbie surname was John Lockerbie (1725-1799), a Scottish mathematician and author who published works on arithmetic and algebra.

In the 19th century, George Lockerbie (1810-1888) was a Scottish poet and author known for his works "Rhymes and Sketches" and "Echoes from the Heather."

Another noteworthy individual from this period was William Lockerbie (1832-1901), a Scottish engineer and inventor who patented several improvements to agricultural machinery and tools.

During the 20th century, one prominent bearer of the Lockerbie name was James Lockerbie (1920-2002), a Scottish politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party from 1964 to 1987.

The surname Lockerbie has a rich history deeply rooted in Scotland, with its origins tracing back to a specific location and evolving through various spellings over the centuries. Despite its locational beginnings, the name has been carried by notable individuals in fields such as academia, literature, engineering, and politics throughout the years.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lockerbie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lockerbie 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. Dumfriesshire leads with 67 Lockerbies recorded in 1881 and an index of 185.08x.

County Total Index
Dumfriesshire 67 185.08x
Kirkcudbrightshire 34 143.34x
Midlothian 25 11.39x
Lanarkshire 22 4.15x
Durham 9 1.85x
Glamorgan 2 0.70x
Lancashire 2 0.10x
Perthshire 2 2.72x
Ayrshire 1 0.82x
Middlesex 1 0.06x
Renfrewshire 1 0.79x
Selkirkshire 1 6.75x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

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 15 Lockerbies recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.98x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 15 16.98x
Lochmaben 13 817.61x
Irongray 11 2500.00x
Old Monkland 11 52.31x
Johnstone 10 1785.71x
Cramond 9 542.17x
Dumfries 9 252.10x
Kirkpatrick Durham 8 1081.08x
Govan 7 5.34x
Holywood 7 1166.67x
Lochrutton 6 1714.29x
Penpont 5 746.27x
Troqueer 5 160.77x
Barony 4 2.98x
Dryfesdale 4 239.52x
Elvet 4 113.64x
Glencairn 4 412.37x
Kirkmichael 4 833.33x
St Giles 4 131.58x
Kirkpatrick Juxta 3 508.47x
Torthorwald 3 535.71x
Closeburn 2 238.10x
Durrisdeer 2 322.58x
Methven 2 185.19x
Swansea Town 2 8.55x
West Derby 2 3.52x
Bishopwearmouth 1 2.39x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.59x
Colinton 1 40.82x
Dundonald 1 22.12x
Ettrick 1 454.55x
Kelton 1 51.28x
Newabbey 1 196.08x
Rerrick 1 98.04x
Sanquhar 1 78.74x
Tongland 1 217.39x
West Greenock 1 4.39x
Withernwick 1 400.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Agnes 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
William 3
Ernest 1
J. 1
Shafto 1
Wlter 1

FAQ

Lockerbie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lockerbie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 169 people were recorded with the Lockerbie surname. That placed it at #14,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lockerbie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 268 in 2016. That gives Lockerbie a modern rank of #16,003.

What does the Lockerbie surname mean?

A surname locative for someone from Lockerbie, a town in Dumfriesshire, Scotland.

What does the Lockerbie map show?

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