NameCensus.

UK surname

Murchison

A Scottish locational surname referring to a place near Inverness or from the Gaelic for "sea warrior."

In the 1881 census there were 302 people recorded with the Murchison surname, ranking it #9,673 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 347, ranked #13,259, down from #9,673 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Duirnish, Applecross and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carlisle, Skye North West and Skye North East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Murchison is 410 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.9%.

1881 census count

302

Ranked #9,673

Modern count

347

2016, ranked #13,259

Peak year

1901

410 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Murchison had 302 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,673 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 347 in 2016, ranked #13,259.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 410 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Murchison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Murchison surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Murchison 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 309 #7,449
1861 historical 225 #10,843
1881 historical 302 #9,673
1891 historical 371 #9,405
1901 historical 410 #9,322
1911 historical 84 #24,442
1997 modern 298 #13,593
1998 modern 304 #13,773
1999 modern 310 #13,672
2000 modern 307 #13,717
2001 modern 289 #14,069
2002 modern 302 #13,938
2003 modern 297 #13,917
2004 modern 304 #13,783
2005 modern 307 #13,625
2006 modern 304 #13,797
2007 modern 308 #13,791
2008 modern 312 #13,764
2009 modern 329 #13,548
2010 modern 340 #13,498
2011 modern 353 #13,004
2012 modern 333 #13,468
2013 modern 333 #13,682
2014 modern 342 #13,498
2015 modern 344 #13,332
2016 modern 347 #13,259

Geography

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Where Murchisons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Duirnish, Applecross, Edinburgh, Lochcarron and Kintail. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carlisle, Skye North West, Skye North East, Lochlash and Hillhead. 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 Duirnish Inverness
2 Applecross Ross And Cromarty
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Lochcarron Ross And Cromarty
5 Kintail Ross And Cromarty

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carlisle 001 Carlisle
2 Skye North West Highland
3 Skye North East Highland
4 Lochlash Highland
5 Hillhead Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Murchison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Murchison

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Murchison, 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 Murchison surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Murchison 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Murchison is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Murchison 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

Murchison falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Murchison

The surname Murchison originates from Scotland, with the first recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the lands of Murchison in Ayrshire, which translates to "the son of Maurice" in Gaelic. The name is a territorial designation, indicating that the original bearer of the surname hailed from this particular region.

Early records show variations in spelling, including Murchisone, Muriceson, and Murchieson. One of the earliest appearances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name Murchisone is listed among the Scottish nobles who pledged their loyalty.

In the 14th century, the Murchisons were a prominent family in Ayrshire, with their ancestral lands located near the town of Cumnock. They played a role in the Wars of Scottish Independence, supporting Robert the Bruce in his quest for the Scottish throne.

Notable individuals with the surname Murchison include Sir Roderick Impey Murchison (1792-1871), a renowned Scottish geologist and pioneer in the study of stratigraphy. He was knighted for his contributions to the field and served as the President of the Royal Geographical Society.

Another notable figure is Sir Alexander Murchison (1829-1904), a Scottish-Australian pastoralist and explorer. He led expeditions into the Australian outback and was instrumental in the development of the northern territories.

In the literary world, Robert Murchison (1741-1821) was a Scottish writer and historian, best known for his work "The History of the Present Rebellion in Scotland" which documented the Jacobite Uprising of 1745.

The surname Murchison has also been associated with several place names, such as Murchison Falls, a waterfall on the Nile River in Uganda, and the Murchison River in Western Australia, both named after Sir Roderick Impey Murchison.

While the Murchisons were predominantly found in Scotland, the name has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and migration. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient lands of Ayrshire, where the family's legacy began.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Murchison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Murchison 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. Ross-shire leads with 146 Murchisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 180.47x.

County Total Index
Ross-shire 146 180.47x
Inverness-shire 51 57.97x
Middlesex 22 0.75x
Morayshire 18 39.33x
Argyllshire 10 12.19x
Lanarkshire 9 0.94x
Midlothian 9 2.28x
Lancashire 6 0.17x
Stirlingshire 5 4.60x
Surrey 5 0.35x
Ayrshire 4 1.81x
Hampshire 4 0.66x
Sussex 4 0.81x
Nairnshire 3 33.37x
Sutherland 2 8.83x
Caithness 1 2.48x
East Lothian 1 2.56x
Oxfordshire 1 0.55x
Somerset 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Applecross in Ross-shire leads with 45 Murchisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1982.38x.

Place Total Index
Applecross 45 1982.38x
Lochcarron 28 1904.76x
Lochalsh 26 1250.00x
Kintail 14 2000.00x
Urray 10 398.41x
Glenelg 9 555.56x
Portree 9 276.07x
Rafford 9 841.12x
Sleat 9 430.62x
Duirinish 8 178.57x
Kilninian Kilmore 7 278.88x
Islington London 6 2.10x
Rothes 6 269.06x
St Luke London 6 12.70x
Bracadale 5 526.32x
Gairloch 5 107.30x
Glasgow 5 2.96x
Knockbain 5 264.55x
Snizort 5 228.31x
St Marylebone London 5 3.18x
Ayr 4 38.42x
Edinburgh Greenside 4 76.78x
Fodderty 4 195.12x
Alva 3 57.92x
Barony 3 1.24x
Broughton In Salford 3 9.39x
Kiltarlity 3 138.89x
Shoreditch London 3 2.35x
Southampton St Mary 3 7.90x
Stornoway 3 28.46x
Ardclach 2 176.99x
Assynt 2 144.93x
Camberwell 2 1.06x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 3.60x
Eastbourne 2 8.75x
Edinburgh Canongate 2 19.92x
Edinburgh St Johns 2 80.32x
Falkirk 2 7.86x
Glenshiel 2 465.12x
Hove 2 9.18x
Inverness 2 9.04x
Jura 2 250.00x
Kensington London 2 1.22x
Rosskeen 2 52.49x
Auldearn 1 76.34x
Banstead 1 25.71x
Bicester Market End 1 29.94x
Charlcombe 1 158.73x
Contin 1 68.03x
Croydon 1 1.26x
Dallas 1 107.53x
Dingwall 1 43.86x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.63x
Elgin 1 11.24x
Failsworth 1 12.50x
Forres 1 20.79x
Glassary 1 22.62x
Govan 1 0.42x
Haddington 1 17.36x
Southampton All Sts 1 9.65x
Strath 1 37.45x
Wick 1 7.67x
Wimbledon 1 6.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ada 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Effie 1
Esther 1
H. 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Katherine 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Mira 1
N.E. 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 2
John 2
Kenneth 2
Alfred 1
Annie 1
Charles 1
D.Malcolm 1
Donald 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Finlay 1
Geo. 1
Gordon 1
H.E. 1
Hy. 1
Roderick 1
Tom 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Murchison households.

FAQ

Murchison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Murchison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 302 people were recorded with the Murchison surname. That placed it at #9,673 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Murchison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 347 in 2016. That gives Murchison a modern rank of #13,259.

What does the Murchison surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname referring to a place near Inverness or from the Gaelic for "sea warrior."

What does the Murchison map show?

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