NameCensus.

UK surname

Lockhart

A Scottish habitational surname referring to someone from Lockhart, meaning "enclosure near a hart's leap" in Scots.

In the 1881 census there were 2,089 people recorded with the Lockhart surname, ranking it #2,117 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,564, ranked #1,903, up from #2,117 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanark, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Annandale East, Larkhall Central, Raploch, Millheugh and Burnhead and Auchtermuchty and Gateside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lockhart is 3,608 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.6%.

1881 census count

2,089

Ranked #2,117

Modern count

3,564

2016, ranked #1,903

Peak year

2010

3,608 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lockhart had 2,089 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,117 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,564 in 2016, ranked #1,903.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,588 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lockhart surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lockhart surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lockhart 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 1,277 #2,237
1861 historical 1,418 #2,005
1881 historical 2,089 #2,117
1891 historical 2,365 #1,983
1901 historical 2,588 #2,124
1911 historical 1,118 #4,155
1997 modern 3,282 #1,962
1998 modern 3,400 #1,968
1999 modern 3,445 #1,968
2000 modern 3,424 #1,973
2001 modern 3,334 #1,978
2002 modern 3,418 #1,984
2003 modern 3,354 #1,972
2004 modern 3,350 #1,975
2005 modern 3,405 #1,908
2006 modern 3,377 #1,926
2007 modern 3,401 #1,933
2008 modern 3,462 #1,919
2009 modern 3,552 #1,921
2010 modern 3,608 #1,930
2011 modern 3,554 #1,936
2012 modern 3,491 #1,933
2013 modern 3,554 #1,933
2014 modern 3,565 #1,940
2015 modern 3,555 #1,920
2016 modern 3,564 #1,903

Geography

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Where Lockharts are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Annandale East, Larkhall Central, Raploch, Millheugh and Burnhead, Auchtermuchty and Gateside, Dalbeattie and Hareleeshill. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lanark Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Annandale East Dumfries and Galloway
2 Larkhall Central, Raploch, Millheugh and Burnhead South Lanarkshire
3 Auchtermuchty and Gateside Fife
4 Dalbeattie Dumfries and Galloway
5 Hareleeshill South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lockhart

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lockhart

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lockhart 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

Lockhart 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

Lockhart falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lockhart

The surname Lockhart has its origins in the Lanarkshire region of Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "loc" meaning lock or enclosure, and "hart" meaning a deer park or forest. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a deer park or enclosed woodland area.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which listed those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England after his invasion of Scotland. One entry reads "William de Lochert" from the county of Ayr. This suggests the name was originally spelled "Lochert" or "Lochhart" before evolving into its modern form.

In the 14th century, the Lockharts were established as a prominent Scottish family, with lands and castles in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire. One notable member was Sir Stephen Lockhart (c.1340-1412), who fought alongside Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

The name also appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in the 15th century, where a "John Lokhert" is recorded as a tenant farmer in Renfrewshire in 1456. This suggests the name had spread beyond its original Lanarkshire base by this time.

In the 16th century, the Lockharts were involved in the turbulent politics and power struggles of the Scottish Reformation. George Lockhart (1546-1612) was a staunch Protestant and supporter of John Knox, while his son Sir James Lockhart (1594-1670) was a royalist and fought for King Charles I during the English Civil War.

Other notable Lockharts throughout history include John Gibson Lockhart (1794-1854), a Scottish writer and biographer who wrote the Life of Sir Walter Scott, and John Lockhart-Ross (1721-1790), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War.

Overall, the surname Lockhart has a rich history spanning over 800 years, with its origins firmly rooted in the medieval Scotland of the 12th and 13th centuries. It has been borne by soldiers, writers, landowners, and farmers throughout the centuries, reflecting the diverse experiences of those who carry this distinctive Scottish name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lockhart families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lockhart 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 435 Lockharts recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.61x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 435 6.61x
Midlothian 210 7.70x
Middlesex 122 0.60x
Lancashire 118 0.49x
Stirlingshire 113 15.06x
Ayrshire 92 6.04x
Dumfriesshire 78 17.35x
Fife 73 6.06x
Renfrewshire 69 4.38x
Northumberland 60 1.98x
East Lothian 57 21.15x
Hampshire 56 1.34x
Cumberland 43 2.45x
Kent 37 0.53x
Durham 36 0.59x
Wigtownshire 36 13.32x
Yorkshire 36 0.18x
Angus 34 1.80x
Perthshire 34 3.72x
Surrey 33 0.33x
Gloucestershire 25 0.63x
Hertfordshire 25 1.78x
Dunbartonshire 22 4.02x
Staffordshire 18 0.26x
Bedfordshire 16 1.52x
Sussex 16 0.47x
Aberdeenshire 15 0.80x
Cheshire 12 0.27x
Inverness-shire 12 1.97x
Roxburghshire 12 3.26x
Somerset 10 0.31x
Kirkcudbrightshire 9 3.06x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.33x
Shropshire 9 0.51x
Clackmannanshire 7 4.17x
Essex 7 0.17x
Warwickshire 7 0.14x
West Lothian 7 2.28x
Dorset 6 0.45x
Morayshire 6 1.90x
Nairnshire 6 9.66x
Berwickshire 5 2.03x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.39x
Selkirkshire 5 2.72x
Buteshire 4 3.24x
Glamorgan 4 0.11x
Isle of Man 4 1.06x
Norfolk 4 0.13x
Royal Navy 4 1.65x
Westmorland 4 0.89x
Argyllshire 3 0.53x
Suffolk 3 0.12x
Kincardineshire 2 0.81x
Oxfordshire 2 0.16x
Berkshire 1 0.07x
Devon 1 0.02x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.25x
Kinross-shire 1 1.94x
Monmouthshire 1 0.07x
Peeblesshire 1 1.04x
Ross-shire 1 0.18x
Sutherland 1 0.64x
Wiltshire 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. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 106 Lockharts recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.51x.

Place Total Index
Govan 106 6.51x
Barony 104 6.24x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 77 7.02x
Glasgow 64 5.48x
Newbattle 47 201.72x
Kilsyth 33 68.97x
Lanark 28 52.88x
Liverpool 27 1.84x
Old Monkland 27 10.34x
Abbotshall 26 57.76x
Gateshead 26 5.74x
St Ninians 26 34.95x
Carisbrooke 25 43.18x
Dundee 24 3.41x
Hornsey 21 8.16x
Lesmahagow 21 30.17x
Paisley High Church 21 16.73x
Dunipace 17 129.38x
Durrisdeer 17 220.49x
North Leith 17 13.48x
Windle 17 12.51x
Annan 15 38.85x
Eastwood 15 15.44x
Berwick North 14 74.15x
Hackney London 14 1.23x
New Monkland 14 7.20x
Stirling 14 14.80x
Ayr 13 18.09x
Caldewgate 13 13.54x
Cardross 13 19.80x
Dalkeith 13 24.17x
South Leith 13 4.24x
St Pancras London 13 0.79x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 12 3.40x
Bracadale 12 181.82x
Camberwell 12 0.92x
Eccleston In Prescot 12 9.90x
Edinburgh Greenside 12 33.31x
Kirkcaldy 12 20.09x
Paddington London 12 1.60x
Perth East Church 12 13.94x
Brightside Bierlow 11 2.78x
Cupar 11 21.00x
Dunstable 11 33.97x
Kyloe 11 157.59x
Neilston 11 13.90x
Beith 10 22.01x
Byker 10 6.68x
Cathcart 10 11.72x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.87x
Dundonald 10 17.81x
Kilwinning 10 20.33x
Newport 10 44.21x
Penninghame 10 36.28x
Tewkesbury 10 28.08x
Anwoth 9 177.51x
Cambusnethan 9 6.16x
Crawford 9 73.29x
Falkirk 9 5.12x
Gladsmuir 9 74.88x
Hamilton 9 4.90x
Kensington London 9 0.80x
Kirkcolm 9 69.50x
Nottingham St Mary 9 1.27x
Tottenham 9 2.78x
Wigan 9 2.67x
Wilton 9 22.26x
Balfron 8 86.39x
Battersea 8 1.07x
Brighton 8 1.16x
Burton Upon Trent 8 4.98x
Culmington 8 206.72x
Elswick 8 3.31x
Everton 8 1.04x
Hitchin 8 12.64x
Mile End Old Town London 8 1.85x
Whippingham 8 25.33x
King Moor 7 209.58x
Kirkmaiden 7 40.94x
Portishead 7 28.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 40
Sarah 22
Elizabeth 21
Margaret 18
Eliza 16
Jane 16
Annie 15
Ann 12
Isabella 11
Catherine 9
Agnes 8
Alice 7
Charlotte 6
Florence 6
Hannah 6
Jessie 6
Emily 5
Emma 5
Fanny 5
Kate 5
Ada 4
Amy 4
Ellen 4
Gertrude 4
Lucy 4
Anne 3
Janet 3
Laura 3
Martha 3
Minnie 3
Rose 3
Barbara 2
Beatrice 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Elshth. 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Julia 2
Lilian 2
Lillie 2
Mabel 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Myra 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 41
William 38
James 30
Thomas 21
George 18
Charles 16
David 16
Robert 14
Joseph 10
Henry 9
Samuel 9
Alfred 8
Alexander 7
Edward 7
Arthur 6
Adam 5
Andrew 5
Francis 5
Frederick 5
Walter 5
Herbert 4
Edgar 3
Fredk. 3
Leslie 3
Allan 2
Edwin 2
Frederic 2
Hugh 2
Humphrey 2
Owen 2
Theodore 2
Tom 2
Willm. 2
Algernon 1
Augustus 1
Bainbridge 1
Batavus 1
Bernard 1
Clement 1
Cuthert 1
D. 1
Danl. 1
Douro 1
Ernest 1
Eugene 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Hy.A. 1
John. 1
Wm.P. 1

FAQ

Lockhart surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lockhart surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,089 people were recorded with the Lockhart surname. That placed it at #2,117 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lockhart surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,564 in 2016. That gives Lockhart a modern rank of #1,903.

What does the Lockhart surname mean?

A Scottish habitational surname referring to someone from Lockhart, meaning "enclosure near a hart's leap" in Scots.

What does the Lockhart map show?

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