NameCensus.

UK surname

Moncrieff

A Scottish territorial surname derived from lands in West Lothian.

In the 1881 census there were 761 people recorded with the Moncrieff surname, ranking it #4,855 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 856, ranked #6,542, down from #4,855 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Walls and Sandness, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Shetland, East and West Mainland and IZ16.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moncrieff is 1,030 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.5%.

1881 census count

761

Ranked #4,855

Modern count

856

2016, ranked #6,542

Peak year

1901

1,030 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moncrieff had 761 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,855 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 856 in 2016, ranked #6,542.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,030 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Moncrieff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moncrieff surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Moncrieff 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 510 #4,903
1861 historical 590 #4,480
1881 historical 761 #4,855
1891 historical 889 #4,632
1901 historical 1,030 #4,640
1911 historical 262 #12,501
1997 modern 793 #6,584
1998 modern 841 #6,491
1999 modern 844 #6,523
2000 modern 861 #6,385
2001 modern 833 #6,445
2002 modern 847 #6,475
2003 modern 822 #6,506
2004 modern 809 #6,609
2005 modern 818 #6,492
2006 modern 804 #6,601
2007 modern 802 #6,667
2008 modern 810 #6,676
2009 modern 833 #6,667
2010 modern 835 #6,787
2011 modern 844 #6,651
2012 modern 837 #6,608
2013 modern 854 #6,607
2014 modern 860 #6,608
2015 modern 857 #6,559
2016 modern 856 #6,542

Geography

Back to top

Where Moncrieffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Walls and Sandness, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Kilrenny and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Shetland, East and West Mainland, IZ16, Lerwick North and Lerwick South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Walls and Sandness Shetland
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Kilrenny Fife
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Shetland Shetland Islands
2 East and West Mainland Shetland Islands
3 IZ16 East Lothian
4 Lerwick North Shetland Islands
5 Lerwick South Shetland Islands

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Moncrieff

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Moncrieff

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Moncrieff surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Moncrieff household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Moncrieff is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Moncrieff 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

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

Meaning and origin of Moncrieff

The surname Moncrieff originated in Scotland during the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French phrase "mont creyé," meaning "mound of belief" or "hill of faith." This name was likely bestowed upon someone who lived near a prominent hill or mound associated with religious significance.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where it is listed as "Moncrefe." This document recorded the names of Scottish landowners and nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Scottish Wars of Independence.

In the 14th century, the Moncrieffs were prominent landowners in the county of Perthshire, Scotland. Their ancestral seat was the estate of Moncreiffe Hill, located near the town of Perth. This location likely influenced the development of the surname's spelling and pronunciation.

One notable figure bearing the Moncrieff name was Sir John Moncrieff (1516-1591), a Scottish clergyman and reformer. He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation in Scotland and served as the moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1570.

Another distinguished individual was Sir Thomas Moncrieff (1788-1879), a Scottish engineer and inventor. He is best known for designing and overseeing the construction of the Forth Bridge, a famous railway bridge spanning the Firth of Forth in Scotland, completed in 1890.

In the literary world, William Thomas Moncrieff (1794-1857) was a prolific Scottish playwright and novelist. He is credited with introducing the modern form of melodrama to the British stage and adapting numerous works for the theater.

The Moncrieff name also gained prominence in the military. Sir Colin Moncrieff (1836-1913) was a British Army officer who served in the Crimean War and the Second Boer War. He is particularly renowned for his contributions to the development of modern artillery techniques.

Lastly, Sir Archibald Moncrieff (1841-1924) was a Scottish civil engineer and inventor. He is best known for designing and patenting the Moncrieff Disappearing Carriage, a revolutionary gun mounting system used in coastal defenses in the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Moncrieff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moncrieff 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. Shetland leads with 135 Moncrieffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 179.71x.

County Total Index
Shetland 135 179.71x
Perthshire 94 28.47x
Fife 83 19.06x
Midlothian 81 8.22x
Lanarkshire 54 2.27x
Angus 52 7.63x
Middlesex 34 0.46x
Surrey 33 0.92x
Lancashire 25 0.29x
Cumberland 21 3.32x
East Lothian 16 16.42x
Northumberland 12 1.10x
Ayrshire 10 1.82x
Peeblesshire 8 23.12x
Renfrewshire 8 1.40x
Derbyshire 7 0.61x
Staffordshire 7 0.28x
Argyllshire 6 2.93x
Caithness 6 5.96x
Durham 6 0.27x
Shropshire 6 0.94x
Worcestershire 6 0.62x
Kent 5 0.20x
Warwickshire 5 0.27x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.59x
Kincardineshire 4 4.47x
Dunbartonshire 3 1.52x
Gloucestershire 3 0.21x
Hampshire 3 0.20x
Stirlingshire 3 1.11x
Cheshire 2 0.12x
Sussex 2 0.16x
Banffshire 1 0.66x
Bedfordshire 1 0.26x
Berwickshire 1 1.12x
Clackmannanshire 1 1.65x
Devon 1 0.07x
Essex 1 0.07x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.94x
Orkney 1 1.24x
Roxburghshire 1 0.75x
Yorkshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sandsting Aitsting in Shetland leads with 60 Moncrieffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 881.06x.

Place Total Index
Sandsting Aitsting 60 881.06x
Kilrenny 56 695.65x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 43 10.85x
Perth East Church 37 118.89x
Tingwall 26 693.33x
Dundee 24 9.43x
Perth West Church 22 140.40x
Lambeth 21 3.27x
Glasgow 20 4.74x
Walls Sandness 17 1172.41x
Prestonkirk 14 287.47x
Toxteth Park 14 4.74x
Barony 13 2.16x
Dailly 10 178.25x
Liff Benvie 10 9.67x
Cockermouth 9 67.52x
Lerwick Gulberwick 9 77.39x
Northmavine 9 157.34x
Wallsend 9 25.93x
Edinburgh St Georges 8 39.12x
Forfar 8 21.68x
Govan 8 1.36x
Kilspindie 8 457.14x
Skirling 8 1159.42x
South Leith 8 7.22x
St George Hanover 8 8.33x
Abdie 7 282.26x
Dunrossness 7 70.78x
Eccleshall 7 74.39x
Litchurch 7 15.11x
Perth Middle Church 7 56.41x
Shoreditch London 7 2.20x
Workington 7 19.31x
Camberwell 6 1.28x
Chelsea London 6 2.71x
Clifton Upon Teme 6 530.97x
Edinburgh St Stephens 6 30.93x
Kilmore Kilbride 6 46.15x
Kinnoull 6 69.12x
Old Monkland 6 6.36x
Wick 6 18.44x
Arbroath 5 22.14x
Aston 5 0.98x
Duddingston 5 25.28x
East Kilbride 5 49.07x
Paisley High Church 5 11.02x
Shrewsbury St Chad 5 22.42x
St Andrews 5 25.24x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 3.14x
Auchterarder 4 43.43x
Blairgowrie 4 30.63x
Dunnottar 4 63.49x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 4 17.16x
Edinburgh St Andrews 4 49.14x
Newburgh 4 72.33x
Perth St Pauls 4 52.36x
Windle 4 8.15x
Deptford St Paul 3 1.55x
Gateshead 3 1.83x
Kensington London 3 0.73x
Kingsbarns 3 150.00x
Openshaw 3 7.34x
Stirling 3 8.77x
Walls 3 82.42x
Westminster St 3 11.06x
Westoe 3 2.42x
Wimbledon 3 7.46x
Abbey 2 2.30x
Abbotshall 2 12.29x
Dunfermline 2 2.99x
Haddington 2 13.91x
Kirriemuir 2 11.90x
Liverpool 2 0.38x
Longbenton 2 4.32x
Montrose 2 4.84x
Old Kilpatrick 2 8.56x
Papcastle 2 113.64x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 2 10.71x
Strathmiglo 2 38.46x
Westbury On Trym 2 4.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 8
Jane 6
Annie 5
Emily 5
Margaret 4
Janet 3
Kate 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Euphemia 2
Helen 2
Isabella 2
Sarah 2
Amy 1
Ann 1
Barbara 1
Bertha 1
Cathe. 1
Daisy 1
Eaphema 1
Edith 1
Ella 1
Ellen 1
Emelia 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Gladys 1
Hannah 1
Hope 1
Ida 1
Janit 1
Lilian 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
May 1
Mgt. 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Nora 1
Rebecca 1
Rosalina 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 10
James 7
Henry 6
John 6
William 6
Robert 5
Thomas 4
Alexander 3
Peter 3
Thos. 3
Charles 2
Christopher 2
David 2
Harry 2
Lindley 2
Robt. 2
Alfred 1
Alphy 1
Anderson 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Auther 1
Collen 1
Collin 1
Daniel 1
Elexis 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Gilmour 1
Harold 1
Herkal 1
Malcolm 1
Nathaniel 1
Thos 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Moncrieff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moncrieff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 761 people were recorded with the Moncrieff surname. That placed it at #4,855 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moncrieff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 856 in 2016. That gives Moncrieff a modern rank of #6,542.

What does the Moncrieff surname mean?

A Scottish territorial surname derived from lands in West Lothian.

What does the Moncrieff map show?

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