NameCensus.

UK surname

Maitland

From the Scottish place name, likely derived from a combination of Gaelic words meaning "good" and "stream."

In the 1881 census there were 1,953 people recorded with the Maitland surname, ranking it #2,242 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,591, ranked #2,565, down from #2,242 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Glenwood South, Fraserburgh Central-Academy and Fraserburgh Smiddyhill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maitland is 2,591 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.7%.

1881 census count

1,953

Ranked #2,242

Modern count

2,591

2016, ranked #2,565

Peak year

2016

2,591 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maitland had 1,953 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,242 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,591 in 2016, ranked #2,565.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,176 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Maitland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maitland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Maitland 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 1,293 #2,218
1861 historical 1,364 #2,103
1881 historical 1,953 #2,242
1891 historical 2,003 #2,299
1901 historical 2,176 #2,475
1911 historical 935 #4,803
1997 modern 2,273 #2,732
1998 modern 2,377 #2,728
1999 modern 2,421 #2,705
2000 modern 2,443 #2,674
2001 modern 2,392 #2,667
2002 modern 2,484 #2,633
2003 modern 2,394 #2,670
2004 modern 2,406 #2,650
2005 modern 2,395 #2,637
2006 modern 2,420 #2,616
2007 modern 2,451 #2,609
2008 modern 2,472 #2,617
2009 modern 2,517 #2,630
2010 modern 2,572 #2,634
2011 modern 2,527 #2,652
2012 modern 2,483 #2,637
2013 modern 2,547 #2,624
2014 modern 2,577 #2,609
2015 modern 2,564 #2,595
2016 modern 2,591 #2,565

Geography

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Where Maitlands are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Glenwood South, Fraserburgh Central-Academy, Fraserburgh Smiddyhill, County Durham and Rosehearty and Strathbeg. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Glenwood South Glasgow City
2 Fraserburgh Central-Academy Aberdeenshire
3 Fraserburgh Smiddyhill Aberdeenshire
4 County Durham 032 County Durham
5 Rosehearty and Strathbeg Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Maitland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Maitland

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

Maitland is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Maitland

The surname Maitland originates from Scotland and dates back to the 12th century. It is a territorial name derived from the lands of Maitland in Berwickshire, near the border with England. The name itself comes from the Old English words "mæht" meaning "might" or "power" and "land" meaning "land" or "estate".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Maitland name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a collection of acts of homage rendered to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners. The name is also found in various charters and records from the 13th and 14th centuries.

The Maitlands were a prominent noble family in Scotland during the Middle Ages and held significant influence and power. Sir Richard Maitland (1496-1586) was a Scottish poet and lawyer who served as a Lord of Session and is considered one of the most important Scottish writers of the 16th century.

Another notable figure was John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane (1537-1595), who was a Scottish statesman and Lord Chancellor of Scotland. He played a crucial role in the Scottish Reformation and was a trusted advisor to Mary, Queen of Scots, and her son, King James VI.

In the 17th century, Charles Maitland (1628-1691) was a Scottish lawyer and politician who served as Lord Treasurer of Scotland and was instrumental in the Union of the Crowns of Scotland and England.

During the 18th century, James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale (1759-1839), was a prominent Scottish politician and author who held various governmental positions, including Lord President of the Council and First Lord of the Admiralty.

One of the most famous bearers of the Maitland name in more recent times was Frederic William Maitland (1850-1906), an English historian and jurist who is widely regarded as one of the most influential legal scholars of his time and a pioneer in the study of English legal history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Maitland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maitland 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 398 Maitlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.67x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 398 22.67x
Lanarkshire 269 4.39x
Middlesex 182 0.96x
Lancashire 134 0.60x
Midlothian 90 3.54x
Renfrewshire 81 5.51x
Ayrshire 63 4.44x
Dunbartonshire 63 12.37x
Surrey 52 0.56x
Kent 45 0.70x
Staffordshire 39 0.61x
Hampshire 38 0.98x
Durham 36 0.64x
Banffshire 33 8.39x
Angus 28 1.59x
Argyllshire 25 4.74x
Essex 23 0.61x
Kincardineshire 23 9.96x
Buteshire 22 19.16x
Stirlingshire 22 3.15x
Perthshire 17 2.00x
Devon 16 0.41x
Fife 15 1.34x
Inverness-shire 14 2.47x
Northumberland 13 0.46x
Somerset 12 0.39x
Ross-shire 11 2.11x
Yorkshire 11 0.06x
Worcestershire 10 0.40x
Bedfordshire 9 0.92x
Berkshire 9 0.63x
Morayshire 9 3.06x
Hertfordshire 8 0.61x
Nairnshire 8 13.83x
Sussex 8 0.25x
Carmarthenshire 7 0.88x
Cornwall 7 0.33x
Cumberland 7 0.43x
Dumfriesshire 7 1.67x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 2.55x
Clackmannanshire 6 3.83x
Gloucestershire 6 0.16x
Shropshire 6 0.37x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.65x
Cheshire 5 0.12x
Dorset 5 0.40x
East Lothian 5 1.99x
Norfolk 5 0.17x
Berwickshire 4 1.74x
Glamorgan 4 0.12x
Leicestershire 4 0.19x
Merionethshire 4 1.15x
Caithness 3 1.16x
Orkney 3 1.44x
Flintshire 2 0.39x
Isle of Man 2 0.57x
Denbighshire 1 0.14x
Derbyshire 1 0.03x
Monmouthshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 109 Maitlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.03x.

Place Total Index
Barony 109 7.03x
Aberdeen Old Machar 102 27.83x
Govan 84 5.54x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 58 17.66x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 51 4.99x
Glasgow 49 4.50x
Peterhead 38 40.94x
Mearns 23 89.39x
Kensington London 22 2.09x
Stoke Upon Trent 21 3.10x
East Greenock 19 13.70x
Inveraray 19 278.59x
Rothesay 19 34.17x
West Greenock 19 7.21x
Islington London 18 0.98x
New Kilpatrick 18 37.15x
Inverurie 17 85.64x
St Marylebone London 17 1.68x
Cardross 16 26.17x
Old Deer 15 45.10x
Fetteresso 14 38.71x
Lambeth 14 0.85x
Paddington London 14 2.01x
South Leith 14 4.90x
St Pancras London 14 0.92x
Hulme 13 2.77x
Portsea 13 1.71x
Ayr 12 17.92x
Kinellar 12 319.15x
Loughton 12 64.86x
New Deer 12 37.76x
Newhills 12 33.39x
Fraserburgh 11 22.26x
Logie 11 36.04x
St George Hanover 11 4.45x
Toxteth Park 11 1.44x
Willesden 11 6.16x
Camberwell 10 0.83x
Dumbarton 10 14.11x
Dunfermline 10 5.80x
Hampstead London 10 3.39x
Inverness 10 7.02x
Sorn 10 35.88x
Tain 10 50.71x
Wolstanton 10 5.15x
Chapel Of Garioch 9 72.06x
Croydon 9 1.76x
Duddingston 9 17.66x
Gamrie 9 20.51x
Kintore 9 59.02x
New Machar 9 91.28x
Pittington 9 56.75x
Row 9 13.66x
St Fergus 9 90.63x
Bedford St Paul 8 11.89x
Blackburn 8 1.34x
Cawdor 8 113.64x
Ealing 8 4.72x
Keig 8 159.05x
Liverpool 8 0.59x
Meldrum 8 54.09x
New Monkland 8 4.42x
Pitsligo 8 47.68x
Walton On Hill 8 6.57x
West Derby 8 1.22x
Auckland St Andrew 7 47.01x
Campsie 7 18.25x
Castleton 7 3.12x
Dundee 7 1.07x
Girvan 7 19.66x
Goudhurst 7 39.11x
Hammersmith London 7 1.50x
Liff Benvie 7 2.63x
Llandingat 7 38.57x
Newcastle On Tyne St 7 4.79x
Parr 7 8.70x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 2.30x
Rutherglen 7 7.78x
Wargrave 7 57.28x
Preston 6 1.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 46
John 40
James 23
George 19
Charles 15
Robert 14
Frederick 11
Thomas 11
Arthur 9
Alexander 8
Henry 8
Andrew 7
Edward 6
Frank 6
David 5
Harry 5
Joseph 5
Richard 5
Alfred 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Herbert 3
Hugh 3
Pelham 3
Robt. 3
Samuel 3
Wm.Hy. 3
Adam 2
Archbald 2
Edwin 2
Elijah 2
Florance 2
Fredk. 2
Gilbert 2
Louis 2
Philip 2
Thos. 2
W.H. 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Alexr. 1
Alfd.A. 1
Edwd. 1
Ellis 1
Elphinstone 1
Isaac 1
Jas.S. 1
Jeff 1

FAQ

Maitland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maitland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,953 people were recorded with the Maitland surname. That placed it at #2,242 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maitland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,591 in 2016. That gives Maitland a modern rank of #2,565.

What does the Maitland surname mean?

From the Scottish place name, likely derived from a combination of Gaelic words meaning "good" and "stream."

What does the Maitland map show?

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