NameCensus.

UK surname

Minto

A Scottish surname possibly derived from a placename, possibly meaning "the big meadow".

In the 1881 census there were 833 people recorded with the Minto surname, ranking it #4,520 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,548, ranked #4,000, up from #4,520 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Hawick and Wilton and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gateshead, County Durham and Moffat.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Minto is 1,583 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 85.8%.

1881 census count

833

Ranked #4,520

Modern count

1,548

2016, ranked #4,000

Peak year

2010

1,583 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Minto had 833 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,520 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,548 in 2016, ranked #4,000.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,064 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Minto surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Minto surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Minto 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 546 #4,628
1861 historical 470 #5,522
1881 historical 833 #4,520
1891 historical 837 #4,867
1901 historical 1,064 #4,535
1911 historical 574 #7,069
1997 modern 1,502 #3,905
1998 modern 1,538 #3,966
1999 modern 1,551 #3,965
2000 modern 1,570 #3,913
2001 modern 1,540 #3,899
2002 modern 1,570 #3,924
2003 modern 1,528 #3,935
2004 modern 1,547 #3,890
2005 modern 1,545 #3,855
2006 modern 1,553 #3,827
2007 modern 1,558 #3,844
2008 modern 1,542 #3,919
2009 modern 1,569 #3,944
2010 modern 1,583 #3,996
2011 modern 1,554 #4,023
2012 modern 1,530 #4,005
2013 modern 1,555 #4,015
2014 modern 1,564 #4,015
2015 modern 1,543 #4,019
2016 modern 1,548 #4,000

Geography

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Where Mintos are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Hawick and Wilton, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gateshead, County Durham, Moffat and Jedburgh. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gateshead 026 Gateshead
2 County Durham 020 County Durham
3 Gateshead 025 Gateshead
4 Moffat Dumfries and Galloway
5 Jedburgh Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Minto

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Minto

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

Minto is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Minto falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Minto

The surname Minto is of Scottish origin, deriving from the lands of Minto in Roxburghshire. The name is believed to have originated in the 12th century and is thought to be derived from the Old English word "mynyt," meaning "at the horse's height," referring to a hill or small mountain.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where Walter de Minto is mentioned as swearing fealty to King Edward I of England. The Minto family was a prominent Scottish border clan and held significant lands and power in the region.

In the 14th century, the Mintos were granted the lands of Minto by King Robert the Bruce, and the family's influence continued to grow. Sir Walter de Minto, who lived in the late 14th century, was a notable figure and served as a diplomat and ambassador for the Scottish crown.

The Minto name is also associated with the town of Minto in Roxburghshire, which was named after the family's ancestral lands. The town's name was originally spelled as "Myntow" in the 16th century, reflecting the Old English origins of the surname.

One of the most famous bearers of the Minto name was Sir Gilbert Elliot, 1st Earl of Minto (1751-1814), a British politician and diplomat who served as Governor-General of India from 1807 to 1813. He was instrumental in securing British control over the Indian subcontinent and played a significant role in the expansion of the British Empire.

Another notable figure was Sir Walter Minto (1865-1923), a British diplomat and politician who served as Viceroy of India from 1905 to 1910. He was instrumental in the partition of Bengal and played a crucial role in shaping British policies in India during a turbulent period.

The Minto name has also been associated with other notable individuals, such as Sir Hew Minto (1549-1635), a Scottish courtier and politician who served as Lord Privy Seal of Scotland, and James Minto (1810-1891), a Scottish engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early steam engines.

Overall, the surname Minto has a rich history rooted in the Scottish Borders and has been carried by numerous influential individuals throughout the centuries, reflecting the family's significant presence and impact in both Scotland and the British Empire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Minto families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Minto 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. Durham leads with 278 Mintos recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.54x.

County Total Index
Durham 278 11.54x
Roxburghshire 104 70.91x
Lanarkshire 77 2.94x
Northumberland 72 5.98x
Midlothian 47 4.33x
Middlesex 43 0.53x
Dumfriesshire 33 18.45x
Aberdeenshire 29 3.87x
Yorkshire 20 0.25x
Lancashire 17 0.18x
Angus 14 1.87x
East Lothian 14 13.05x
Renfrewshire 14 2.23x
Kent 13 0.47x
Cheshire 12 0.67x
Stirlingshire 7 2.34x
Ayrshire 6 0.99x
Isle of Man 4 2.66x
Peeblesshire 4 10.50x
Cumberland 3 0.43x
Derbyshire 2 0.16x
Devon 2 0.12x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 1.71x
Perthshire 2 0.55x
Surrey 2 0.05x
Banffshire 1 0.60x
Cornwall 1 0.11x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.46x
Gloucestershire 1 0.06x
Kincardineshire 1 1.01x
Lincolnshire 1 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 1.04x
Selkirkshire 1 1.37x
Somerset 1 0.08x

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 24 Mintos recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.62x.

Place Total Index
Barony 24 3.62x
Brandon Byshottles 24 79.52x
Chirton 24 88.04x
Gateshead 21 11.64x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 20 4.58x
Heworth 17 35.82x
North Leith 17 33.87x
Tanfield 17 59.36x
Tynemouth 16 24.80x
Cavers 15 408.72x
Teviothead 15 1111.11x
Carstairs 14 258.30x
St Giles 14 93.09x
Tranent 14 96.62x
Bishopwearmouth 13 6.29x
Great Lumley 13 315.53x
Whitworth 13 73.70x
Minto 12 1000.00x
West Greenock 12 10.65x
Bromley London 11 6.18x
Hawick 11 33.52x
Castleton 10 158.73x
Helmington Row 10 89.13x
Maryhill 10 19.51x
St Pancras London 10 1.53x
Dryfesdale 9 109.22x
Islington London 9 1.15x
Jedburgh 9 62.63x
Lamesley 9 69.39x
Dundee 8 2.86x
Glasgow 8 1.72x
Houghton Le Spring 8 48.05x
Usworth 8 62.55x
Aberdeen Old Machar 7 4.47x
Byers Green 7 102.94x
Byker 7 11.75x
Gretna 7 208.33x
Hobkirk 7 378.38x
Hylton 7 164.71x
Medomsley 7 62.28x
North Bedburn 7 104.01x
Willaston In Nantwich 7 126.81x
Wingate 7 42.40x
Alva 6 42.13x
Bowden 6 281.69x
Dornock 6 265.49x
Haswell 6 34.76x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 5.75x
Kilmarnock 6 8.32x
Kyo 6 52.91x
Linthorpe 6 12.53x
Liverpool 6 1.03x
Mickleton 6 324.32x
Waldridge 6 148.88x
Willington 6 43.10x
Biggar 5 84.46x
Chilton 5 66.49x
Inverurie 5 58.96x
Lochmaben 5 63.78x
Maidstone 5 6.08x
Oxnam 5 264.55x
South Leith 5 4.10x
Southdean 5 247.52x
Tranmere 5 7.61x
Tweedmouth 5 33.29x
Blantyre 4 14.67x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 2.62x
Conside Knitsley 4 21.36x
Deptford St Paul 4 1.88x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 4 63.39x
Govan 4 0.62x
Hammersmith London 4 2.01x
Hedleyhope 4 95.92x
Kirkton 4 430.11x
Leslie 4 275.86x
Lonan 4 43.91x
Longbenton 4 7.84x
Throckley 4 120.48x
Turriff 4 33.06x
Westoe 4 2.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Elizabeth 30
Jane 21
Sarah 16
Margaret 15
Isabella 12
Ann 10
Ellen 7
Annie 6
Dorothy 6
Eleanor 6
Elizth. 6
Alice 5
Hannah 4
Martha 4
Frances 2
Jessie 2
Maria 2
Rachel 2
Thomasine 2
Bell 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliz.Mary 1
Elsie 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Gardinea 1
Gertrude 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Lilly 1
Liza 1
Lydia 1
Maggie 1
Margart 1
Margret 1
Maud 1
Thomason 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 44
William 27
George 26
Thomas 19
Robert 17
James 14
Joseph 11
Andrew 4
Luke 4
Richard 4
Edward 3
Henry 3
Matthew 3
Peter 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Charles 2
Clement 2
David 2
Francis 2
Geo. 2
Tom 2
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Charlton 1
Clemont 1
Duncan 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Edwd.D. 1
Ellick 1
Ernest 1
Forster 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Harvey 1
Jas. 1
Jonathen 1
Jonathon 1
Joshua 1
Mathew 1
Michael 1
Ralph 1
Ramsay 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Snowdon 1
Tho.Longstaff 1
Vincent 1

FAQ

Minto surname: questions and answers

How common was the Minto surname in 1881?

In 1881, 833 people were recorded with the Minto surname. That placed it at #4,520 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Minto surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,548 in 2016. That gives Minto a modern rank of #4,000.

What does the Minto surname mean?

A Scottish surname possibly derived from a placename, possibly meaning "the big meadow".

What does the Minto map show?

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