NameCensus.

UK surname

Muirhead

One who lived near a moor or marshland, or at the head of a moor.

In the 1881 census there were 2,321 people recorded with the Muirhead surname, ranking it #1,915 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,153, ranked #2,153, down from #1,915 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Denny, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tillicoultry, Sefton and Moffat.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Muirhead is 3,208 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.8%.

1881 census count

2,321

Ranked #1,915

Modern count

3,153

2016, ranked #2,153

Peak year

2010

3,208 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Muirhead had 2,321 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,915 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,153 in 2016, ranked #2,153.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,793 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Muirhead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Muirhead surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Muirhead 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 1,541 #1,859
1861 historical 1,686 #1,696
1881 historical 2,321 #1,915
1891 historical 2,478 #1,912
1901 historical 2,793 #1,999
1911 historical 693 #6,131
1997 modern 2,923 #2,214
1998 modern 3,010 #2,242
1999 modern 3,024 #2,245
2000 modern 3,082 #2,188
2001 modern 2,980 #2,213
2002 modern 3,058 #2,201
2003 modern 3,016 #2,175
2004 modern 3,066 #2,140
2005 modern 3,075 #2,100
2006 modern 3,095 #2,088
2007 modern 3,122 #2,093
2008 modern 3,132 #2,107
2009 modern 3,187 #2,120
2010 modern 3,208 #2,155
2011 modern 3,148 #2,163
2012 modern 3,106 #2,156
2013 modern 3,117 #2,183
2014 modern 3,141 #2,185
2015 modern 3,145 #2,162
2016 modern 3,153 #2,153

Geography

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Where Muirheads are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Tillicoultry, Sefton, Moffat, Gretna and Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside. 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 Denny Stirling
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 St. Ninians Stirling
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tillicoultry Clackmannanshire
2 Sefton 037 Sefton
3 Moffat Dumfries and Galloway
4 Gretna Dumfries and Galloway
5 Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Muirhead

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Muirhead

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

Muirhead 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

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

Meaning and origin of Muirhead

The surname Muirhead is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English words "muir" meaning moor or heath, and "heafod" meaning head or hill. It is a locational name given to someone who lived near or on a moorland hill or elevated area of uncultivated land.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century in the parish of Bothwell in Lanarkshire, Scotland. The Muirhead family held lands in this area and are mentioned in various charters and historical documents from that time period.

In the 14th century, a John de Muirhead is recorded as being a witness to a charter granted by King Robert II of Scotland in 1372. This suggests the family had some prominence and standing during this era.

The name Muirhead is also found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of instruments of homage and fealty to Edward I of England from Scottish nobles and landholders. This indicates the surname was well-established by the late 13th century.

Notable individuals with the surname Muirhead include James Muirhead (1742-1808), a Scottish philosopher and professor of natural philosophy at the University of Glasgow. Another was James Patrick Muirhead (1853-1934), a British lawyer and author who wrote extensively on Roman law and jurisprudence.

In the field of science, there was Robert Franklin Muirhead (1834-1925), a Scottish electrical engineer and inventor who pioneered early developments in telegraph and submarine cable technology. His brother, Alexander Muirhead (1848-1920), was also a noted Scottish electrical engineer and inventor.

A more recent example is Lewis Muirhead (1923-2010), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who founded the Muirhead Charitable Trust, a major provider of funding for educational and medical research in Scotland.

While the Muirhead name has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement, with bearers of the name found in countries such as England, Ireland, Canada, and the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Muirhead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Muirhead 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 560 Muirheads recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.68x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 560 7.68x
Midlothian 321 10.63x
Stirlingshire 308 37.06x
Renfrewshire 126 7.22x
Lancashire 119 0.45x
Ayrshire 116 6.88x
Surrey 74 0.67x
Dumfriesshire 64 12.86x
Dunbartonshire 53 8.75x
Durham 47 0.70x
Kirkcudbrightshire 45 13.80x
Northumberland 45 1.34x
Middlesex 38 0.17x
Perthshire 37 3.66x
Fife 35 2.62x
Yorkshire 31 0.14x
East Lothian 24 8.04x
Warwickshire 24 0.42x
Norfolk 23 0.66x
Angus 22 1.05x
Caithness 21 6.81x
West Lothian 15 4.42x
Kent 14 0.18x
Clackmannanshire 13 6.99x
Peeblesshire 12 11.32x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.33x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.43x
Derbyshire 9 0.26x
Hertfordshire 9 0.58x
Nairnshire 9 13.09x
Cumberland 8 0.41x
Argyllshire 7 1.12x
Devon 7 0.15x
Roxburghshire 7 1.72x
Cheshire 6 0.12x
Hampshire 6 0.13x
Berwickshire 5 1.83x
Wiltshire 5 0.25x
Suffolk 4 0.15x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.22x
Essex 2 0.05x
Leicestershire 2 0.08x
Shropshire 2 0.10x
Staffordshire 2 0.03x
Sussex 2 0.05x
Wigtownshire 2 0.67x
Bedfordshire 1 0.09x
Buteshire 1 0.73x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.07x
Inverness-shire 1 0.15x
Kinross-shire 1 1.76x
Oxfordshire 1 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 0.37x
Worcestershire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 137 Muirheads recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.60x.

Place Total Index
Govan 137 7.60x
Barony 129 6.99x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 125 10.29x
Falkirk 102 52.43x
Glasgow 97 7.50x
St Ninians 74 89.83x
Denny 51 115.36x
Abbey 35 13.14x
Cambusnethan 35 21.62x
South Leith 34 10.01x
Cathcart 29 30.69x
New Monkland 24 11.14x
Rotherhithe 24 8.62x
Aston 22 1.41x
Glencairn 22 164.42x
Bothkennar 20 80.61x
Cambuslang 19 25.86x
Dalry 19 23.94x
Liverpool 19 1.17x
Neilston 19 21.67x
Wick 18 18.06x
Eastwood 16 14.88x
Mid Calder 16 122.32x
Stirling 16 15.27x
Edinburgh St Marys 15 25.56x
Perth East Church 15 15.73x
Stewarton 15 44.95x
Duddingston 14 23.10x
Halifax 14 4.27x
Kirkintilloch 14 17.02x
Maryhill 14 9.81x
Alloa 13 14.40x
Beath 13 30.84x
Bermondsey 12 1.79x
Everton 12 1.41x
Hamilton 12 5.90x
Logie 12 33.08x
Throston 12 93.24x
Urr 12 28.28x
Dumbarton 11 13.05x
Edinburgh St Georges 11 17.56x
Hulme 11 1.97x
Kilmarnock 11 5.48x
Liff Benvie 11 3.47x
Newbattle 11 42.64x
Ayr 10 12.56x
Dirleton 10 85.32x
Dornock 10 158.98x
Dumfries 10 20.37x
Dunfermline 10 4.88x
East Kilbride 10 32.04x
Edinburgh Newington 10 185.87x
Old Kilpatrick 10 13.97x
Ardclach 9 104.41x
Blackley 9 19.20x
Carstairs 9 59.60x
Dalmellington 9 18.15x
Dunlop 9 85.55x
Edinburgh St Stephens 9 15.15x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 9 51.22x
Gorbals 9 20.80x
Parton 9 163.04x
Woodthorpe 9 142.63x
Ballantrae 8 71.75x
Camberwell 8 0.56x
Carnwath 8 17.75x
Currie 8 43.29x
Dalgety 8 78.51x
Dalkeith 8 13.43x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 1.76x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 8 11.20x
Hodsock 8 470.59x
Islington London 8 0.37x
Kilbucho 8 493.83x
Lanark 8 13.64x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 8 37.97x
Muiravonside 7 33.16x
Penpont 7 76.50x
Roseneath 7 60.24x
West Greenock 7 2.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Margaret 20
Jane 16
Elizabeth 13
Isabella 12
Ann 11
Alice 9
Ellen 9
Sarah 9
Jessie 7
Annie 6
Harriet 5
Matilda 5
Agnes 4
Emily 4
Florence 4
Hannah 4
Maria 4
Catherine 3
Christina 3
Clara 3
Frances 3
Helen 3
Susan 3
Anna 2
Bessie 2
Caroline 2
Catharine 2
Edith 2
Eliz. 2
Eliza 2
Maggie 2
Marian 2
Martha 2
Mgt. 2
Phoebe 2
Rosina 2
Susannah 2
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Ellenor 1
Ellin 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
J. 1
Janet 1
Jannet 1
Jememia 1
Wilnahmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 42
William 35
John 33
George 14
Thomas 10
Robert 8
Alexander 7
Albert 5
Charles 5
Henry 5
Joseph 5
Frank 4
Jno. 4
Richard 4
David 3
Francis 3
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Thos. 2
W. 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Archibald 1
Basil 1
Benjamin 1
Bertram 1
C.S. 1
Cyril 1
Earnest 1
Easton 1
Ebeneza 1
Ebenezer 1
Ed. 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Gavin 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Hector 1
Hugh 1
Hy. 1
Islay 1
Jas. 1
Lionel 1
Michael 1
Murray 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Rbt. 1

FAQ

Muirhead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Muirhead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,321 people were recorded with the Muirhead surname. That placed it at #1,915 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Muirhead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,153 in 2016. That gives Muirhead a modern rank of #2,153.

What does the Muirhead surname mean?

One who lived near a moor or marshland, or at the head of a moor.

What does the Muirhead map show?

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