NameCensus.

UK surname

Massie

A Scottish habitational surname derived from a place meaning "bog, swamp" in Gaelic.

In the 1881 census there were 963 people recorded with the Massie surname, ranking it #4,031 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,843, ranked #3,441, up from #4,031 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Deer, Edinburgh and Ellon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ythsie, Kirriemuir and Culter.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Massie is 1,893 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 91.4%.

1881 census count

963

Ranked #4,031

Modern count

1,843

2016, ranked #3,441

Peak year

2010

1,893 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Massie had 963 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,031 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,843 in 2016, ranked #3,441.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,277 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Massie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Massie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Massie 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 579 #4,401
1861 historical 642 #4,178
1881 historical 963 #4,031
1891 historical 1,072 #3,921
1901 historical 1,277 #3,890
1911 historical 359 #10,084
1997 modern 1,760 #3,396
1998 modern 1,814 #3,429
1999 modern 1,829 #3,427
2000 modern 1,823 #3,423
2001 modern 1,772 #3,430
2002 modern 1,807 #3,437
2003 modern 1,776 #3,433
2004 modern 1,779 #3,433
2005 modern 1,794 #3,376
2006 modern 1,783 #3,401
2007 modern 1,809 #3,387
2008 modern 1,851 #3,347
2009 modern 1,871 #3,396
2010 modern 1,893 #3,432
2011 modern 1,823 #3,494
2012 modern 1,800 #3,482
2013 modern 1,828 #3,484
2014 modern 1,861 #3,457
2015 modern 1,847 #3,452
2016 modern 1,843 #3,441

Geography

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Where Massies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Deer, Edinburgh, Ellon, Fraserburgh and Tyrie. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ythsie, Kirriemuir, Culter, Deer and Mormond and Cromar and Kildrummy. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 New Deer Aberdeen
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Ellon Aberdeen
4 Fraserburgh Aberdeen
5 Tyrie Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ythsie Aberdeenshire
2 Kirriemuir Angus
3 Culter Aberdeen City
4 Deer and Mormond Aberdeenshire
5 Cromar and Kildrummy Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Massie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Massie

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Massie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Massie 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

Massie falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Massie

The surname Massie originates from France, specifically the Norman region, and dates back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old French word "masie," meaning a small dwelling or cottage. The name was likely given to someone who lived in or came from a small hamlet or village.

In the early days, the name was spelled in various ways, including Mascy, Massy, Massye, and Masseye. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, where it is listed as "Maci" and "Masci."

One notable early bearer of the name was William Mascy, a Norman nobleman who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. He was granted lands in Cheshire and became the first Baron of Dunham Massey.

Another significant figure was Sir Geoffrey Massie (1292-1345), a English knight who fought in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War. He was renowned for his bravery and was rewarded with lands in Gloucestershire.

In the 16th century, the Massie family established themselves in Ireland, with a branch settling in County Antrim. One notable member of this branch was Sir Robert Massie (1570-1637), a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for County Antrim.

The name Massie is also associated with several place names, such as Massie Mill in Cheshire and Massie's Haugh in Scotland, reflecting the family's influence and presence in these regions.

Other notable individuals with the surname Massie include:

1. Walter Massie (1692-1765), a British colonial official and landowner in Virginia. 2. Nathaniel Massie (1763-1813), an American pioneer and founder of the city of Chillicothe, Ohio. 3. Thomas Massie (1782-1864), an Irish-born American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Kentucky. 4. Robert Massie (1929-2022), an American historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, best known for his biographies of historical figures like Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. 5. Thomas Massie (born 1970), an American politician and current U.S. Representative from Kentucky.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Massie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Massie 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 528 Massies recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.75x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 528 60.75x
Banffshire 53 27.23x
Angus 48 5.52x
Shropshire 48 5.92x
Cheshire 37 1.79x
Middlesex 34 0.36x
Midlothian 34 2.70x
Kincardineshire 22 19.25x
Lanarkshire 22 0.72x
Yorkshire 19 0.20x
Kent 16 0.50x
Northumberland 14 1.00x
Lancashire 11 0.10x
Staffordshire 11 0.35x
Worcestershire 8 0.65x
Herefordshire 7 1.82x
Surrey 7 0.15x
Flintshire 6 2.38x
Hampshire 4 0.21x
Inverness-shire 4 1.43x
Perthshire 4 0.95x
Durham 3 0.11x
Leicestershire 3 0.29x
Warwickshire 3 0.13x
Essex 2 0.11x
Ross-shire 2 0.78x
Royal Navy 2 1.79x
Sussex 2 0.13x
Dorset 1 0.16x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.40x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.47x
Nairnshire 1 3.49x
Oxfordshire 1 0.17x
Peeblesshire 1 2.27x
Renfrewshire 1 0.14x
West Lothian 1 0.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 74 Massies recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.78x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 74 40.78x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 39 23.99x
Ellon 36 301.26x
Fraserburgh 32 130.83x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 31 6.13x
Gamrie 28 128.85x
Tyrie 25 229.15x
Peterhead 23 50.04x
Forfar 22 46.74x
Newhills 22 123.60x
Foveran 20 303.95x
King Edward 18 179.64x
Fyvie 17 119.89x
Aberdour 15 218.98x
Cruden 15 134.05x
Auchterless 14 202.90x
Barnsley 13 13.55x
Much Wenlock 13 173.80x
Rathen 13 142.70x
Skene 13 225.69x
Turriff 12 85.53x
Culsalmond 10 374.53x
Methlick 10 143.68x
Milton In Gravesend 10 20.83x
Fordyce 9 64.24x
Glenmuick Tullich 9 143.77x
Hinstock 9 323.74x
Kensington London 9 1.73x
Midmar 9 268.66x
Nantwich 9 37.39x
Drayton In Hales 8 47.88x
Oyne 8 258.90x
Tarves 8 97.32x
Docklow 7 1111.11x
Dundee 7 2.16x
East Denton 7 220.82x
Fintray 7 210.84x
Govan 7 0.93x
Huntly 7 49.51x
Kincardine O Neil 7 112.72x
Maryculter 7 203.49x
Old Deer 7 42.50x
Stanton Long 7 823.53x
Udny 7 132.83x
Bourtie 6 402.68x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 6 65.29x
Hawarden 6 30.27x
Laurencekirk 6 90.63x
New Deer 6 38.14x
Old Monkland 6 4.98x
Sutton In Macclesfield 6 27.91x
Tynemouth 6 8.02x
Alvah 5 114.16x
Barony 5 0.65x
Brightside Bierlow 5 2.74x
Chelsea London 5 1.77x
Dun 5 287.36x
Forgue 5 64.02x
Handsworth 5 6.40x
Monquhitter 5 55.56x
Boyndie 4 62.02x
Chester Holy Trinity 4 41.19x
Droitwich St Peter 4 144.93x
Greenwich 4 2.68x
Inverness 4 5.67x
Kirriemuir 4 18.65x
Longside 4 38.54x
Marburywith Quoisley 4 184.33x
Paddington London 4 1.16x
Ardwick 3 2.99x
Banff 3 17.74x
Craig 3 35.71x
Durris 3 91.74x
Fearn 3 294.12x
Islington London 3 0.33x
Keithhall 3 105.63x
New Machar 3 61.48x
Pulford 3 352.94x
South Leith 3 2.12x
Wrenbury Cum Frith 3 182.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 18
George 8
Samuel 8
Joseph 6
Charles 5
Richard 5
Robert 5
James 4
Thomas 4
Arthur 3
David 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Albert 1
Alex 1
Alex. 1
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Clement 1
Edwd.J. 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fredk.W. 1
Henery 1
Horace 1
Jack 1
Jacob 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Marinus 1
Mark 1
Moses 1
Ralph 1
Rion 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Watkin 1

FAQ

Massie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Massie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 963 people were recorded with the Massie surname. That placed it at #4,031 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Massie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,843 in 2016. That gives Massie a modern rank of #3,441.

What does the Massie surname mean?

A Scottish habitational surname derived from a place meaning "bog, swamp" in Gaelic.

What does the Massie map show?

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