NameCensus.

UK surname

Mair

Derived from the Scottish and northern English topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary.

In the 1881 census there were 2,783 people recorded with the Mair surname, ranking it #1,605 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,718, ranked #1,445, up from #1,605 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Rathven. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock, Buckie West and Mains of Buckie and Buckie Central East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mair is 4,725 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 69.5%.

1881 census count

2,783

Ranked #1,605

Modern count

4,718

2016, ranked #1,445

Peak year

2014

4,725 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mair had 2,783 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,605 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,718 in 2016, ranked #1,445.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,507 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mair surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mair surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mair 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 1,797 #1,609
1861 historical 2,063 #1,404
1881 historical 2,783 #1,605
1891 historical 2,982 #1,578
1901 historical 3,507 #1,589
1911 historical 626 #6,620
1997 modern 4,402 #1,489
1998 modern 4,531 #1,491
1999 modern 4,555 #1,499
2000 modern 4,572 #1,488
2001 modern 4,430 #1,501
2002 modern 4,577 #1,490
2003 modern 4,474 #1,484
2004 modern 4,418 #1,503
2005 modern 4,436 #1,478
2006 modern 4,463 #1,471
2007 modern 4,493 #1,470
2008 modern 4,532 #1,468
2009 modern 4,665 #1,464
2010 modern 4,721 #1,482
2011 modern 4,594 #1,497
2012 modern 4,580 #1,473
2013 modern 4,667 #1,474
2014 modern 4,725 #1,462
2015 modern 4,697 #1,453
2016 modern 4,718 #1,445

Geography

Back to top

Where Mairs are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock, Buckie West and Mains of Buckie, Buckie Central East, Portsoy, Fordyce and Cornhill and Macduff. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Rathven Banff
4 Boyndie Banff
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock Moray
2 Buckie West and Mains of Buckie Moray
3 Buckie Central East Moray
4 Portsoy, Fordyce and Cornhill Aberdeenshire
5 Macduff Aberdeenshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mair

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mair

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

Mair 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mair

The surname Mair originated in Scotland, with roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "mair," which means "mayor" or "chief official." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone who held a position of authority within their community or clan.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Mair surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England after the Scottish Wars of Independence. Among the names listed is Thome Mair, a resident of Berwickshire.

During the 16th century, the Mair name gained prominence in the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the town of Kelso. Historical records from this era mention notable individuals such as John Mair (1469-1550), a Scottish philosopher and historian who studied and taught at the University of Paris, and Alexander Mair (c. 1510-1585), a Scottish clergyman and writer.

In the 17th century, the spelling of the name evolved to include variations like Mayer and Mayor, possibly due to its association with the term "mayor." One prominent figure from this time was John Mair (1597-1668), a Scottish Presbyterian minister who served as a chaplain in the Scottish Army during the English Civil War.

As the Mair family spread across Scotland and beyond, the name appeared in various regions and historical accounts. In the 18th century, William Mair (1718-1783), a Scottish painter and engraver, gained recognition for his works depicting landscapes and scenes from Scottish life.

Throughout the 19th century, the Mair surname was well-established in Scottish communities, and several individuals made notable contributions. Robert Mair (1803-1886) was a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as the Lord President of the Court of Session, the highest civil court in Scotland. Another prominent figure was John Mair (1824-1904), a Scottish mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to the study of optics and dynamics.

It is worth noting that the Mair surname has also been associated with place names in Scotland, such as Mairfield and Mairholme, which may have influenced the evolution and distribution of the name over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mair families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mair 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 553 Mairs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.33x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 553 6.33x
Ayrshire 511 25.29x
Banffshire 439 78.38x
Aberdeenshire 292 11.68x
Middlesex 84 0.31x
Angus 75 3.00x
Renfrewshire 72 3.44x
Fife 70 4.38x
Midlothian 70 1.94x
Lancashire 50 0.16x
Dunbartonshire 49 6.75x
Devon 47 0.84x
Yorkshire 39 0.15x
Wigtownshire 32 8.93x
West Lothian 31 7.62x
Hampshire 28 0.51x
Cheshire 25 0.42x
Kent 24 0.26x
Ross-shire 22 2.97x
Durham 20 0.25x
Morayshire 20 4.77x
Stirlingshire 20 2.01x
Northumberland 18 0.45x
Perthshire 18 1.49x
Inverness-shire 14 1.74x
Roxburghshire 12 2.45x
Clackmannanshire 11 4.93x
Buteshire 10 6.11x
Dumfriesshire 10 1.68x
Surrey 10 0.08x
Berkshire 9 0.44x
Northamptonshire 8 0.32x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 1.79x
Argyllshire 6 0.80x
Berwickshire 6 1.84x
Selkirkshire 6 2.46x
East Lothian 5 1.40x
Staffordshire 5 0.05x
Somerset 4 0.09x
Dorset 3 0.17x
Merionethshire 3 0.61x
Orkney 3 1.01x
Royal Navy 3 0.93x
Sutherland 3 1.44x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.12x
Cumberland 2 0.09x
Glamorgan 2 0.04x
Gloucestershire 2 0.04x
Oxfordshire 2 0.12x
Shetland 2 0.73x
Shropshire 2 0.09x
Essex 1 0.02x
Hertfordshire 1 0.05x
Peeblesshire 1 0.79x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.12x
Suffolk 1 0.03x
Sussex 1 0.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rathven in Banffshire leads with 246 Mairs recorded in 1881 and an index of 233.82x.

Place Total Index
Rathven 246 233.82x
Barony 161 7.29x
Loudoun 142 292.18x
Govan 106 4.91x
Banff 79 162.42x
Galston 79 142.96x
Glasgow 60 3.87x
Fordyce 52 129.03x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 47 10.05x
Kilmarnock 46 19.13x
Dundee 37 3.96x
Bothwell 32 13.51x
Old Monkland 32 9.23x
Dalserf 28 32.13x
Mauchline 27 116.23x
Stair 27 313.59x
Liff Benvie 23 6.06x
Aberdeen Old Machar 22 4.21x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 1.44x
Dumbarton 20 19.80x
Gamrie 20 31.98x
Inverurie 20 70.72x
Dreghorn 19 51.94x
Muirkirk 19 40.04x
Neilston 18 17.14x
Abbey 17 5.32x
Belhelvie 16 93.57x
South Leith 16 3.93x
Altrincham 15 14.40x
Southampton St Mary 15 4.31x
Cambusnethan 14 7.22x
North Leith 14 8.36x
Auckinleck 13 20.78x
Ayr 13 13.63x
Hamilton 13 5.34x
Kirkinner 13 87.78x
Maryhill 13 7.61x
New Deer 13 28.72x
Stonehouse 13 43.89x
Tain 13 46.28x
Tarbolton 13 39.09x
Torphichen 13 91.81x
Cardross 12 13.77x
Cullen 12 57.80x
Dalziel 12 12.77x
Monquhitter 12 46.35x
Rutherglen 12 9.37x
St Martin In Fields 12 7.42x
Udny 12 79.16x
Bishopwearmouth 11 1.60x
Ellon 11 31.99x
Kirkhill 11 80.35x
Leuchars 11 54.43x
Pitsligo 11 46.03x
Shotts 11 10.53x
St George Bloomsbury 11 7.10x
Elswick 10 3.12x
Falkirk 10 4.29x
Grange 10 60.98x
Islington London 10 0.38x
Leslie 10 207.04x
Shettleston 10 12.79x
Tinwald 10 125.63x
Withycombe Rawleigh 10 34.15x
Dalrymple 9 71.09x
Drainie 9 24.22x
Droylsden 9 8.61x
Lonmay 9 39.65x
Newhills 9 17.58x
Peterhead 9 6.81x
Riccarton 9 29.53x
Row 9 9.59x
Sorbie 9 57.40x
Symington 9 138.67x
Turriff 9 22.30x
Uphall 9 20.13x
West Greenock 9 2.40x
Cadder 8 12.40x
Dundonald 8 10.74x
Toxteth Park 8 0.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Sarah 12
Elizabeth 10
Annie 8
Ellen 8
Emily 8
Margaret 8
Ann 6
Jane 6
Alice 5
Agnes 4
Eliza 4
Emma 4
Jessie 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Bessie 3
Louisa 3
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Isabella 2
Janet 2
Lucy 2
Margret 2
Amelia 1
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Dorothy 1
Eleanor 1
Elizah 1
Elizeabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Elspeth 1
Emilia 1
Frances 1
Georgiana 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Hariet 1
Ida 1
Jeanie 1
Jesse 1
Joan 1
Zoe 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 29
William 24
John 22
George 14
Thomas 12
Alexander 8
Robert 8
Henry 7
Charles 6
Joseph 6
Samuel 6
Alfred 5
Isaac 4
David 3
Frederick 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Cuthbert 2
Hugh 2
Richard 2
Alex. 1
Allun 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Clifford 1
Dan 1
Donald 1
Duncan 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Harold 1
Hendry 1
Herbert 1
Israel 1
Lucien 1
Luciern 1
Marthew 1
Michael 1
Neil 1
Nelly 1
R.J. 1
Roland 1
Thos.J. 1
Tom 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Mair surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mair surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,783 people were recorded with the Mair surname. That placed it at #1,605 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mair surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,718 in 2016. That gives Mair a modern rank of #1,445.

What does the Mair surname mean?

Derived from the Scottish and northern English topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary.

What does the Mair map show?

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