NameCensus.

UK surname

Meldrum

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Fyvie in Aberdeenshire, likely meaning "hill of the ridge."

In the 1881 census there were 1,894 people recorded with the Meldrum surname, ranking it #2,300 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,632, ranked #2,534, down from #2,300 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Aberdeen and Old Machar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Glens, Kennoway and Bonnybank and Mearns North and Inverbervie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Meldrum is 2,652 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.0%.

1881 census count

1,894

Ranked #2,300

Modern count

2,632

2016, ranked #2,534

Peak year

1999

2,652 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Meldrum had 1,894 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,300 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,632 in 2016, ranked #2,534.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,335 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Meldrum surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Meldrum surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Meldrum 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 1,225 #2,330
1861 historical 1,303 #2,189
1881 historical 1,894 #2,300
1891 historical 2,064 #2,240
1901 historical 2,335 #2,325
1911 historical 598 #6,857
1997 modern 2,512 #2,506
1998 modern 2,614 #2,505
1999 modern 2,652 #2,493
2000 modern 2,633 #2,496
2001 modern 2,587 #2,494
2002 modern 2,635 #2,497
2003 modern 2,543 #2,530
2004 modern 2,540 #2,529
2005 modern 2,531 #2,520
2006 modern 2,514 #2,537
2007 modern 2,563 #2,512
2008 modern 2,564 #2,527
2009 modern 2,623 #2,535
2010 modern 2,651 #2,570
2011 modern 2,557 #2,618
2012 modern 2,536 #2,592
2013 modern 2,615 #2,566
2014 modern 2,641 #2,552
2015 modern 2,622 #2,547
2016 modern 2,632 #2,534

Geography

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Where Meldrums are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Aberdeen and Old Machar, Glasgow and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to The Glens, Kennoway and Bonnybank, Mearns North and Inverbervie, Banff and Clermiston and Drumbrae. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Edinburgh Edinburgh
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 The Glens Dundee City
2 Kennoway and Bonnybank Fife
3 Mearns North and Inverbervie Aberdeenshire
4 Banff Aberdeenshire
5 Clermiston and Drumbrae City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Meldrum

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Meldrum

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Meldrum, 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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Meldrum surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Meldrum household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Meldrum 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

Meldrum 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

Meldrum falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Meldrum

The surname Meldrum is of Scottish origin, derived from the lands of Meldrum in Aberdeenshire. The name can be traced back to the early 12th century, when the lands were granted to Philip de Meldrum by King David I of Scotland.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Chartulary of Arbroath Abbey, where it appears as "de Muledrum" in 1211. This spelling suggests that the name may have originated from the Gaelic words "maol" meaning "bare" and "druim" meaning "ridge" or "hill", referring to the geographical features of the land.

In the 13th century, the Meldrums were prominent landowners in Aberdeenshire, with Sir Philip de Meldrum serving as Sheriff of Aberdeen in 1260. Over the centuries, various branches of the family spread throughout Scotland and beyond, resulting in variations in the spelling of the name, such as Meldrum, Meldrom, and Meldrome.

One of the most notable figures associated with the name was Sir John Meldrum (1558-1645), a Scottish military commander who served in the Thirty Years' War. He played a significant role in the Battle of Wimpfen in 1622, where he led Scottish and English troops to victory against the Catholic League forces.

Another prominent Meldrum was George Meldrum (1637-1709), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made important contributions to the study of comets and the calculation of their orbits. He was a professor at the University of Aberdeen and published several works on astronomy.

In the literary world, John Meldrum (1734-1796) was a Scottish poet and playwright, known for his tragedy "Zeluco" and his contributions to the Scottish periodical "The Mirror".

The Meldrums also played a role in the exploration and settlement of North America. William Meldrum (1785-1866) was a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada.

In the 19th century, David Meldrum (1823-1890) was a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who led expeditions into the interior of Western Australia and helped map the region.

Throughout history, the surname Meldrum has been associated with various professions, from military leaders and academics to writers and explorers, highlighting the diverse contributions made by individuals bearing this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Meldrum families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Meldrum 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. Fife leads with 415 Meldrums recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.10x.

County Total Index
Fife 415 38.10x
Aberdeenshire 223 13.09x
Lanarkshire 167 2.81x
Angus 161 9.45x
Midlothian 139 5.64x
Banffshire 84 22.01x
Perthshire 80 9.69x
Middlesex 69 0.38x
Durham 57 1.04x
Stirlingshire 39 5.75x
Lancashire 38 0.17x
Inverness-shire 37 6.73x
West Lothian 37 13.35x
Kinross-shire 36 77.40x
Yorkshire 36 0.20x
Northumberland 30 1.10x
Renfrewshire 21 1.47x
Morayshire 20 7.00x
Nottinghamshire 20 0.81x
Dunbartonshire 19 3.84x
Ayrshire 17 1.23x
Argyllshire 16 3.12x
Hampshire 13 0.34x
Buteshire 11 9.87x
Surrey 11 0.12x
Sutherland 10 7.07x
East Lothian 9 3.69x
Kincardineshire 9 4.02x
Cheshire 8 0.20x
Clackmannanshire 7 4.61x
Cumberland 7 0.44x
Ross-shire 7 1.39x
Lincolnshire 6 0.20x
Westmorland 6 1.48x
Kent 3 0.05x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 1.13x
Selkirkshire 3 1.80x
Norfolk 2 0.07x
Sussex 2 0.06x
Wiltshire 2 0.12x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.25x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Gloucestershire 1 0.03x
Oxfordshire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 0.46x
Staffordshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dunfermline in Fife leads with 89 Meldrums recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.14x.

Place Total Index
Dunfermline 89 53.14x
Barony 71 4.72x
Dundee 65 10.22x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 60 6.05x
Forfar 41 44.43x
Crail 34 305.76x
Kirkmichael 34 502.22x
Kinghorn 33 142.73x
South Leith 33 11.90x
Glasgow 32 3.03x
Govan 32 2.17x
Kinross 32 200.63x
Carriden 29 230.89x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 27 8.47x
Insch 25 258.00x
Newhills 25 71.65x
St Ninians 25 37.17x
Ferry Port On Craig 22 122.77x
Kirkcaldy 21 38.88x
Aberdeen Old Machar 19 5.34x
Abernethy Kincardine 19 196.08x
Monkwearmouth Shore 18 16.85x
Dairsie 16 362.81x
St Andrews 16 32.28x
Burntisland 15 49.26x
Dysart 15 20.45x
Hackney London 15 1.45x
Kennethmont 15 236.97x
Cromdale 14 60.87x
Perth St Pauls 14 73.22x
Anstruther Easter 13 165.39x
Cupar 13 27.45x
Headingley Cum Burley 13 11.08x
St Monance 13 100.00x
Hartlepool 12 15.43x
Bute North 11 145.89x
Cargill 11 127.91x
Drumblade 11 182.42x
Forgue 11 71.90x
Liff Benvie 11 4.25x
Lismore Appin 11 64.55x
New Kilpatrick 11 23.39x
Scoonie 11 46.65x
St Andrew Holborn 11 17.64x
Bishopwearmouth 10 2.13x
Forgan 10 47.94x
Mortlach 10 53.68x
Nottingham St Peter 10 36.17x
Edinburgh New 9 47.02x
Grange 9 80.57x
Haddington 9 25.02x
Inverness 9 6.51x
Islington London 9 0.50x
Kennoway 9 90.82x
Leuchars 9 65.36x
Nottingham St Mary 9 1.40x
Perth East Church 9 11.56x
Stirling 9 10.52x
Strathmiglo 9 69.12x
Auchterderran 8 29.22x
Brechin 8 11.94x
Colinton 8 29.11x
Creich 8 56.78x
Dalry 8 12.35x
Muthill 8 74.21x
Templenewsam 8 60.61x
Airlie 7 127.97x
Ceres 7 53.48x
Gamrie 7 16.43x
Gartly 7 124.78x
Huntly 7 25.25x
Kilrenny 7 34.74x
Leslie 7 212.77x
Leslie 7 25.38x
Monifieth 7 11.63x
New Monkland 7 3.98x
Premnay 7 119.45x
Turriff 7 25.45x
Tynemouth 7 4.77x
West Greenock 7 2.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Sarah 12
Elizabeth 11
Margaret 10
Jane 7
Alice 6
Ellen 5
Anne 4
Emma 3
Florence 3
Isabella 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Christina 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Ethel 2
Gertrude 2
Helen 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Kezia 2
Marian 2
Martha 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Usilla 2
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Clementina 1
Elizth. 1
Eva 1
Francis 1
Fredrica 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
J.E 1
Jean 1
Jeannede 1
Jessy 1
Julia 1
Lucy 1
M.Jeffrey 1
Maria 1
Marid 1
Zoe 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 27
John 15
Thomas 11
William 11
Robert 9
George 7
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Charles 4
David 4
Henry 4
Alexander 3
Walter 3
Alexr. 2
Andrew 2
Chas. 2
Edwin 2
Geo. 2
Harrison 2
Herbert 2
Richard 2
Stanley 2
Albert 1
Allen 1
Austin 1
Burlinson 1
Christr. 1
Donald 1
Edward 1
Edwd.Richd. 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geo.E. 1
Geo.R. 1
Halkerston 1
Harvey 1
Jane 1
Joseph 1
Laurence 1
Leo. 1
Pearson 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Reginald 1
Samuel 1
Simon 1
Snowdon 1
Stephan 1

FAQ

Meldrum surname: questions and answers

How common was the Meldrum surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,894 people were recorded with the Meldrum surname. That placed it at #2,300 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Meldrum surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,632 in 2016. That gives Meldrum a modern rank of #2,534.

What does the Meldrum surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Fyvie in Aberdeenshire, likely meaning "hill of the ridge."

What does the Meldrum map show?

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