NameCensus.

UK surname

Muir

A Scottish topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a moor or heath.

In the 1881 census there were 11,554 people recorded with the Muir surname, ranking it #369 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 14,929, ranked #426, down from #369 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Paisley Gallowhill and Hillington, West Kirkwall and Cumnock Rural.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Muir is 14,929 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.2%.

1881 census count

11,554

Ranked #369

Modern count

14,929

2016, ranked #426

Peak year

2016

14,929 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Muir had 11,554 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #369 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 14,929 in 2016, ranked #426.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 13,863 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Muir surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Muir surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Muir 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 8,556 #312
1861 historical 8,882 #308
1881 historical 11,554 #369
1891 historical 12,191 #366
1901 historical 13,863 #380
1911 historical 2,549 #2,006
1997 modern 13,889 #439
1998 modern 14,290 #441
1999 modern 14,363 #445
2000 modern 14,390 #439
2001 modern 13,933 #442
2002 modern 14,271 #440
2003 modern 14,062 #436
2004 modern 14,070 #434
2005 modern 14,107 #427
2006 modern 14,095 #429
2007 modern 14,266 #430
2008 modern 14,426 #427
2009 modern 14,675 #428
2010 modern 14,892 #433
2011 modern 14,635 #432
2012 modern 14,445 #428
2013 modern 14,623 #435
2014 modern 14,837 #431
2015 modern 14,876 #426
2016 modern 14,929 #426

Geography

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Where Muirs are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Paisley Gallowhill and Hillington, West Kirkwall, Cumnock Rural, East Mainland and Isles. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Paisley Gallowhill and Hillington Renfrewshire
2 West Kirkwall Orkney Islands
3 Cumnock Rural East Ayrshire
4 East Mainland Orkney Islands
5 Isles Orkney Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Muir

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Muir

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

Muir 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

Muir 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 Muir is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Muir, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Muir

The surname Muir is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English word "mor" or the Old Norse word "mur," both meaning "moor" or "heath." It was initially used as a topographic name for someone who lived near a moorland or heathland area.

The name can be traced back to the 12th century in Scotland, with early records showing variations such as Mure, Muir, and Moor. One of the earliest references to the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists several individuals with the surname Muir swearing fealty to King Edward I of England.

In the 14th century, the Muirs were a prominent family in the counties of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire, with several members holding positions of authority and power. Sir Reginald Muir, born around 1350, was a noted Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

The surname Muir is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Muirkirk in East Ayrshire and Muiravonside in Stirlingshire. These place names likely originated from the same root word as the surname, indicating areas of moorland or heathland.

Notable individuals with the surname Muir throughout history include:

1. John Muir (1838-1914), a Scottish-American naturalist, author, and environmental philosopher, known as the "Father of the National Parks." He played a crucial role in the establishment of Yosemite National Park and the creation of the Sierra Club.

2. Sir William Muir (1819-1905), a Scottish scholar and civil servant in British India. He was a prominent orientalist and authored several works on Islamic history and literature.

3. Edwin Muir (1887-1959), a Scottish poet, novelist, and translator, known for his contributions to modern English literature. He was awarded the Founders’ Medal of the Royal Society of Literature in 1955.

4. Ramsay Muir (1872-1941), a British historian and political scientist, best known for his work on the history of British government and politics.

5. Matthew Muir (1807-1888), a Scottish-born American pioneer and rancher, who co-founded the city of Los Angeles, California, and was instrumental in establishing the region's cattle industry.

The surname Muir has a long and distinguished history, with roots dating back to the medieval period in Scotland. Its origins are closely tied to the landscape and geography of the country, reflecting the lives and occupations of those who bore the name in earlier times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Muir families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Muir 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. Lanarkshire leads with 3,547 Muirs recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.81x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 3,547 9.81x
Ayrshire 1,435 17.15x
Midlothian 1,001 6.68x
Renfrewshire 890 10.27x
Orkney 545 44.31x
Fife 474 7.16x
Lancashire 412 0.31x
Middlesex 291 0.26x
Wigtownshire 246 16.57x
Kirkcudbrightshire 203 12.54x
Dunbartonshire 185 6.16x
Stirlingshire 182 4.41x
Dumfriesshire 179 7.25x
Angus 163 1.57x
Argyllshire 147 4.72x
West Lothian 145 8.61x
Yorkshire 141 0.13x
Northumberland 131 0.79x
Durham 126 0.38x
Surrey 95 0.17x
Kent 87 0.23x
Cheshire 71 0.29x
Cumberland 70 0.73x
Perthshire 64 1.28x
Peeblesshire 57 10.84x
East Lothian 53 3.58x
Buteshire 47 6.94x
Roxburghshire 42 2.07x
Selkirkshire 42 4.15x
Aberdeenshire 31 0.30x
Derbyshire 28 0.16x
Essex 27 0.12x
Hampshire 25 0.11x
Staffordshire 25 0.07x
Clackmannanshire 16 1.73x
Ross-shire 16 0.52x
Shetland 16 1.40x
Devon 15 0.06x
Leicestershire 12 0.10x
Westmorland 12 0.49x
Inverness-shire 10 0.30x
Sussex 10 0.05x
Glamorgan 9 0.05x
Oxfordshire 9 0.13x
Royal Navy 9 0.68x
Suffolk 9 0.07x
Worcestershire 9 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.05x
Caithness 7 0.46x
Berwickshire 6 0.44x
Gloucestershire 6 0.03x
Shropshire 6 0.06x
Warwickshire 6 0.02x
Banffshire 5 0.22x
Kincardineshire 5 0.37x
Kinross-shire 5 1.77x
Anglesey 4 0.20x
Bedfordshire 4 0.07x
Berkshire 4 0.05x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.06x
Denbighshire 4 0.09x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.16x
Northamptonshire 3 0.03x
Somerset 3 0.02x
Channel Islands 2 0.06x
Cornwall 2 0.02x
Monmouthshire 2 0.02x
Nairnshire 2 0.59x
Rutland 2 0.24x
Wiltshire 2 0.02x
Hertfordshire 1 0.01x
Lincolnshire 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. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 791 Muirs recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.64x.

Place Total Index
Barony 791 8.64x
Govan 648 7.25x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 439 7.29x
Glasgow 434 6.76x
Cambusnethan 215 26.77x
Cross Burness N 182 283.40x
West Greenock 171 11.00x
Kilmarnock 140 14.06x
Bothwell 139 14.18x
South Leith 137 8.13x
New Monkland 133 12.44x
Hamilton 123 12.20x
Dunfermline 121 11.89x
Lady 114 312.93x
Lesmahagow 109 28.50x
Kirkwall St Ola 108 58.62x
Abbey 107 8.09x
Kilwinning 100 37.01x
Paisley High Church 99 14.35x
Dalserf 92 25.50x
Rutherglen 89 16.78x
Dalry 88 22.35x
Dundee 85 2.20x
Old Monkland 85 5.92x
Eastwood 83 15.55x
Cambuslang 82 22.50x
Beith 75 30.04x
Irvine 73 31.41x
Kilbarchan 73 27.74x
Paisley Middle Church 73 14.47x
Carluke 71 21.63x
Lanark 68 23.37x
Blantyre 62 16.47x
Campbeltown 61 16.25x
Cathcart 61 13.01x
Kilrenny 61 49.82x
Auckinleck 60 23.17x
Dalziel 59 15.17x
Dundonald 58 18.80x
Whitburn 58 23.84x
East Greenock 55 6.72x
Islington London 55 0.51x
Maybole 52 20.41x
Shotts 52 12.02x
Dreghorn 51 33.67x
Falkirk 51 5.28x
Neilston 49 11.27x
Kirkintilloch 48 11.76x
Galston 47 20.54x
Kirkdale 43 1.93x
Ayr 42 10.64x
Inveresk 42 10.36x
Loudoun 42 20.87x
Dalgety 41 81.11x
Maryhill 41 5.79x
Ardrossan 40 13.81x
Kirkcaldy 39 11.88x
West Derby 39 1.00x
Stoneykirk 38 35.80x
Beath 37 17.69x
Carnwath 37 16.55x
Liverpool 37 0.46x
New Cumnock 37 25.50x
Sorn 37 22.51x
Gorbals 36 16.77x
Largs 36 18.26x
Everton 35 0.83x
Stewarton 35 21.14x
Kilbirnie 34 16.92x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 32 9.03x
Kilmaurs 32 22.48x
Old Kilpatrick 32 9.01x
Cardross 30 8.32x
Cockpen 30 17.14x
Girvan 30 14.28x
Liff Benvie 30 1.91x
North Leith 30 4.33x
Rothesay 30 9.14x
Toxteth Park 30 0.67x
Troqueer 28 13.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 112
Elizabeth 64
Margaret 56
Jane 53
Sarah 42
Agnes 30
Annie 24
Ann 21
Janet 21
Isabella 20
Jessie 20
Alice 18
Eliza 17
Ellen 17
Catherine 14
Emily 14
Helen 13
Emma 10
Charlotte 8
Maria 8
Eleanor 7
Elizth. 7
Hannah 7
Christina 6
Edith 6
Ethel 6
Florence 6
Kate 6
Louisa 6
Martha 6
Susan 6
Amy 5
Anne 5
Clara 5
Henrietta 5
Dorothy 4
Fanny 4
Flora 4
Gertrude 4
Grace 4
Jemima 4
Lucy 4
Maggie 4
Marion 4
Rachel 4
Agness 3
Amelia 3
Barbara 3
Helena 3
Jeanie 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 127
John 123
James 74
Thomas 46
Robert 44
George 43
Andrew 28
Charles 26
Alexander 22
David 17
Walter 16
Richard 13
Alfred 12
Hugh 11
Joseph 10
Henry 9
Archibald 8
Albert 6
Arthur 6
Edwin 5
Harry 5
Nicholas 5
Peter 5
Edward 4
Francis 4
Frederick 4
Geo. 4
Jas. 4
Lewis 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Wallace 4
Wm. 4
Anthony 3
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Mathew 3
Stephen 3
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Douglas 2
Duncan 2
Frank 2
Frederic 2
Gilbert 2
Matthew 2
Robt. 2
Sydney 2
Tom 2
W. 2

FAQ

Muir surname: questions and answers

How common was the Muir surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11,554 people were recorded with the Muir surname. That placed it at #369 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Muir surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 14,929 in 2016. That gives Muir a modern rank of #426.

What does the Muir surname mean?

A Scottish topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a moor or heath.

What does the Muir map show?

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