NameCensus.

UK surname

Murdoch

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "the sea warrior" or "the sea protector."

In the 1881 census there were 5,107 people recorded with the Murdoch surname, ranking it #870 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,907, ranked #833, up from #870 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Elgin and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Mauchline and Rhins North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Murdoch is 8,052 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.8%.

1881 census count

5,107

Ranked #870

Modern count

7,907

2016, ranked #833

Peak year

2010

8,052 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Murdoch had 5,107 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #870 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,907 in 2016, ranked #833.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,080 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Murdoch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Murdoch surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Murdoch 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 3,758 #758
1861 historical 4,002 #698
1881 historical 5,107 #870
1891 historical 5,531 #853
1901 historical 6,080 #916
1911 historical 429 #8,815
1997 modern 7,288 #883
1998 modern 7,506 #896
1999 modern 7,609 #889
2000 modern 7,630 #882
2001 modern 7,429 #882
2002 modern 7,674 #879
2003 modern 7,561 #869
2004 modern 7,526 #870
2005 modern 7,498 #864
2006 modern 7,587 #851
2007 modern 7,632 #854
2008 modern 7,718 #848
2009 modern 7,883 #851
2010 modern 8,052 #852
2011 modern 7,866 #861
2012 modern 7,723 #853
2013 modern 7,826 #860
2014 modern 7,924 #849
2015 modern 7,877 #841
2016 modern 7,907 #833

Geography

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Where Murdochs are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Mauchline, Rhins North, Stonehouse and Greenock East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Elgin Elgin
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Muirkirk Ayr
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central Inverclyde
2 Mauchline East Ayrshire
3 Rhins North Dumfries and Galloway
4 Stonehouse South Lanarkshire
5 Greenock East Inverclyde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Murdoch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Murdoch

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

Murdoch 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

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

Meaning and origin of Murdoch

The surname Murdoch has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Gaelic name "Muireach," which means "mariner" or "navigator." The name was initially associated with coastal regions of Scotland, particularly the areas around the Firth of Clyde and the Hebrides islands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Murdoch can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls from the late 13th century. In these rolls, several individuals with the name Murdoch are mentioned, indicating that the name was already established in Scotland by that time.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Murdoch family played a prominent role in Scottish history. One notable figure was Sir Robert Murdoch, who served as the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland under King Robert II in the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name Murdoch was closely associated with the Clan Murdoch, a Highland Scottish clan based in the region of Argyll. The clan's ancestral seat was located at Cumlodden, near the town of Inveraray.

Another significant individual bearing the surname Murdoch was William Murdoch (1754-1839), a Scottish engineer and inventor. He is credited with the invention of the first practical gaslight, which he demonstrated in 1792. His contributions paved the way for the widespread use of gaslight in cities and towns across Europe and North America.

The surname Murdoch has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Murdochcairney in Fife and Murdochston in Renfrewshire. These place names likely originated from individuals with the surname Murdoch who owned or resided in those areas.

Among other notable individuals with the surname Murdoch are:

1. Iris Murdoch (1919-1999), a renowned British novelist and philosopher. 2. Rupert Murdoch (born 1931), an Australian-American media mogul and founder of News Corp. 3. Patrick Murdoch (1777-1870), a Scottish journalist and political activist. 4. William McMurdo Murdoch (1873-1912), the First Officer on the RMS Titanic who went down with the ship. 5. Alasdair Murdoch (born 1965), a Scottish businessman and former CEO of Gala Coral Group.

The surname Murdoch has a rich history deeply rooted in Scottish culture and has been carried by many influential individuals throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Murdoch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Murdoch 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 1,326 Murdochs recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.26x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 1,326 8.26x
Ayrshire 840 22.62x
Renfrewshire 331 8.61x
Aberdeenshire 326 7.09x
Midlothian 303 4.56x
Morayshire 190 24.64x
Stirlingshire 157 8.58x
Kirkcudbrightshire 149 20.74x
Fife 148 5.04x
Banffshire 146 14.18x
Angus 126 2.74x
Lancashire 91 0.15x
Wigtownshire 91 13.81x
Perthshire 88 3.95x
Dumfriesshire 85 7.75x
Dunbartonshire 82 6.15x
Middlesex 72 0.15x
Argyllshire 51 3.69x
Kent 45 0.27x
Buteshire 36 11.97x
Yorkshire 36 0.07x
Ross-shire 30 2.20x
Surrey 24 0.10x
Roxburghshire 22 2.45x
East Lothian 21 3.20x
West Lothian 20 2.68x
Nairnshire 19 12.54x
Staffordshire 18 0.11x
Kincardineshire 17 2.81x
Sussex 14 0.17x
Radnorshire 13 3.25x
Inverness-shire 12 0.81x
Selkirkshire 12 2.67x
Cheshire 11 0.10x
Northumberland 10 0.14x
Clackmannanshire 9 2.20x
Peeblesshire 9 3.86x
Somerset 9 0.11x
Warwickshire 9 0.07x
Glamorgan 8 0.09x
Kinross-shire 8 6.38x
Essex 7 0.07x
Leicestershire 7 0.13x
Cumberland 6 0.14x
Durham 6 0.04x
Hampshire 6 0.06x
Derbyshire 5 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 5 0.51x
Wiltshire 5 0.11x
Westmorland 4 0.37x
Anglesey 2 0.23x
Berkshire 2 0.05x
Channel Islands 2 0.14x
Cornwall 2 0.04x
Devon 2 0.02x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.03x
Royal Navy 2 0.34x
Berwickshire 1 0.17x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.03x
Caithness 1 0.15x
Gloucestershire 1 0.01x
Herefordshire 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.03x
Norfolk 1 0.01x
Shropshire 1 0.02x

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 356 Murdochs recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.77x.

Place Total Index
Barony 356 8.77x
Govan 341 8.59x
Glasgow 207 7.26x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 129 4.82x
Muirkirk 93 106.64x
Elgin 78 52.00x
Dundee 68 3.96x
Bothwell 58 13.33x
Old Cumnock 58 70.14x
Abbey 51 8.69x
Ayr 50 28.53x
East Greenock 43 11.84x
Kilmarnock 43 9.73x
New Monkland 43 9.06x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 42 4.88x
Auckinleck 42 36.53x
Cathcart 40 19.22x
Dalmellington 39 35.71x
Kirkintilloch 39 21.53x
South Leith 38 5.08x
Forres 36 44.42x
Newton On Ayr 36 32.37x
New Deer 34 40.87x
Stonehouse 33 60.62x
Eastwood 32 13.51x
Falkirk 32 7.47x
Girvan 32 34.33x
Hamilton 32 7.15x
Kilmaurs 31 49.06x
Huntly 30 40.12x
St Ninians 30 16.54x
Colvend 29 133.09x
Shettleston 29 20.18x
Ochiltree 28 109.59x
Old Monkland 28 4.40x
Maybole 27 23.88x
Colmonell 26 69.63x
Mauchline 26 60.90x
Urr 26 27.83x
St Quivox 25 19.91x
West Greenock 25 3.62x
Lochwinnoch 24 41.88x
New Cumnock 24 37.27x
Aberdeen Old Machar 23 2.40x
Banff 23 25.73x
Cockpen 23 29.60x
Dalry 23 13.16x
Dumfries 23 21.27x
Dunfermline 23 5.09x
Kilsyth 23 19.71x
Cambusnethan 22 6.17x
Gamrie 22 19.15x
Alvah 21 90.56x
Fraserburgh 21 16.23x
Maryhill 21 6.68x
Rutherglen 21 8.92x
Shotts 21 10.93x
Stranraer 21 34.84x
Coylton 20 37.96x
Falkland 20 43.29x
Kilmadock 20 39.05x
Kirkcolm 20 63.33x
Houston Killallan 19 51.05x
Paisley High Church 19 6.21x
Sorn 19 26.04x
St Pancras London 19 0.48x
Urquhart 19 52.14x
Inveresk 18 10.00x
Leeds 18 0.65x
Lesmahagow 18 10.61x
Rothesay 18 12.36x
Alness 17 96.54x
Blantyre 17 10.17x
Galston 17 16.74x
Kelton 17 28.81x
King Edward 17 32.10x
Marnoch 17 30.76x
Straiton 17 80.53x
Ballantrae 16 65.15x
Riccarton Hurlford 16 24.56x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 31
John 21
George 19
James 13
Alexander 11
Charles 8
Thomas 8
David 7
Robert 7
Alfred 5
Andrew 5
Arthur 5
Joseph 5
Frederick 3
Hugh 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Archibald 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Benj. 1
Bernard 1
Catesby 1
Chas.Chree 1
Daniel 1
Donald 1
Douglas 1
Douglass 1
Edwin 1
Ellis 1
Ernest 1
F.Robt. 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.W. 1
Garnet 1
Henry 1
Horace 1
Janet 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Malcolm 1
Mc 1
Obadiah 1
Obediah 1
Oliver 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Robt.H. 1
Wm.(Junr.) 1

FAQ

Murdoch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Murdoch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,107 people were recorded with the Murdoch surname. That placed it at #870 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Murdoch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,907 in 2016. That gives Murdoch a modern rank of #833.

What does the Murdoch surname mean?

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "the sea warrior" or "the sea protector."

What does the Murdoch map show?

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