NameCensus.

UK surname

Nairne

A Scottish surname derived from a place name referring to the Nairn region.

In the 1881 census there were 136 people recorded with the Nairne surname, ranking it #16,433 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 235, ranked #17,530, down from #16,433 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edinburgh, Manchester and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Inverness West Rural, Inverness Drakies and Alness.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nairne is 265 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.8%.

1881 census count

136

Ranked #16,433

Modern count

235

2016, ranked #17,530

Peak year

2010

265 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nairne had 136 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,433 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 235 in 2016, ranked #17,530.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 211 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Nairne surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nairne surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nairne 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 159 #12,400
1861 historical 99 #21,294
1881 historical 136 #16,433
1891 historical 211 #14,366
1901 historical 201 #15,059
1911 historical 128 #19,664
1997 modern 226 #16,306
1998 modern 243 #15,993
1999 modern 242 #16,146
2000 modern 254 #15,578
2001 modern 241 #15,870
2002 modern 254 #15,641
2003 modern 250 #15,605
2004 modern 261 #15,274
2005 modern 260 #15,250
2006 modern 251 #15,696
2007 modern 261 #15,444
2008 modern 249 #16,111
2009 modern 256 #16,145
2010 modern 265 #16,115
2011 modern 252 #16,543
2012 modern 238 #17,092
2013 modern 241 #17,202
2014 modern 237 #17,528
2015 modern 226 #17,995
2016 modern 235 #17,530

Geography

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Where Nairnes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edinburgh, Manchester, St John Hackney, Perth and Cawdor. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Inverness West Rural, Inverness Drakies, Alness, Inverness Crown and Haugh and Bromley. 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 Edinburgh Edinburgh
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Perth Perth
5 Cawdor Nairn

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Inverness West Rural Highland
2 Inverness Drakies Highland
3 Alness Highland
4 Inverness Crown and Haugh Highland
5 Bromley 039 Bromley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nairne

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nairne

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Nairne surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Nairne household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Nairne 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

Nairne is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nairne falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Nairne

The surname Nairne has its origins in the Scottish lowlands, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the old Scots Gaelic word "Aongharan," meaning "desolate" or "forsaken place." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a particular location or settlement that was once deemed remote or isolated.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Nairne can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, a historical record of financial accounts and transactions, dating back to 1264. In these rolls, a person named John de Narne is listed as a landowner in the county of Fife.

The Nairne family played a prominent role in Scottish history, with several notable members leaving their mark. Sir Robert Nairne (1630-1683) was a Scottish military officer who served as a colonel in the Royalist forces during the English Civil War. He was later appointed as the Governor of Dunbarton Castle by King Charles II.

Another influential figure was Thomas Nairne (1677-1772), a Scottish mathematician and philosopher. He was a close friend of the renowned philosopher David Hume and contributed to the field of algebra with his work on the theory of equations.

In the literary realm, Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne (1766-1845), was a celebrated Scottish poet and songwriter. She is best known for her poetry and songs that celebrated Scottish culture and traditions, including the iconic "The Laird o' Cockpen" and "The Rowan Tree."

The name Nairne has also been associated with various locations in Scotland. The village of Nairn, located in the Highland council area, takes its name from the nearby River Nairn. Similarly, the estate of Nairn in Perthshire was once owned by a branch of the Nairne family.

Throughout history, the surname Nairne has undergone various spelling variations, including Nairn, Narne, Nairne, and Nairn. Despite these variations, the name has maintained its Scottish heritage and continues to be a part of the rich tapestry of Scottish history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nairne families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nairne 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. Kent leads with 38 Nairnes recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.40x.

County Total Index
Kent 38 8.40x
Perthshire 16 26.87x
Nairnshire 12 296.30x
Midlothian 11 6.19x
Essex 9 3.44x
Renfrewshire 9 8.75x
Lanarkshire 7 1.63x
Middlesex 7 0.53x
Hertfordshire 5 5.47x
Staffordshire 5 1.12x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 15.63x
Surrey 3 0.46x
Warwickshire 3 0.90x
Dorset 2 2.30x
Sussex 2 0.89x
Derbyshire 1 0.48x
Inverness-shire 1 2.52x
Lancashire 1 0.06x
Shetland 1 7.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ramsgate in Kent leads with 20 Nairnes recorded in 1881 and an index of 270.64x.

Place Total Index
Ramsgate 20 270.64x
Cawdor 11 2244.90x
Abbey 9 57.36x
Barking 8 104.44x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 8.39x
Sittingbourne 6 168.07x
Beckenham 5 84.46x
Govan 5 4.71x
Perth East Church 5 89.13x
South Leith 5 25.00x
Burton Upon Trent 4 38.17x
Sawbridgeworth 4 289.86x
Collace 3 1578.95x
Folkestone 3 34.17x
Forgandenny 3 1071.43x
Hackney London 3 4.03x
St Lawrence 3 96.46x
Aston 2 2.17x
Barony 2 1.84x
Rerrick 2 243.90x
Richmond 2 22.08x
Scone 2 188.68x
Stoke Newington London 2 19.36x
Wyke Regis 2 160.00x
Abernethy 1 128.21x
Birmingham 1 0.90x
Brighton 1 2.22x
Chapel En Le Frith 1 52.63x
Great Amwell 1 108.70x
Harlow 1 88.50x
Henfield 1 116.28x
Inverness 1 10.04x
Lerwick Gulberwick 1 47.62x
Methven 1 114.94x
Minnigaff 1 138.89x
Minster In Thanet 1 106.38x
Mitton Henthorn 1 3333.33x
Muthill 1 128.21x
Nairn 1 40.65x
St Pancras London 1 0.94x
Wandsworth 1 7.83x
Westminster St 1 20.45x
Wolverhampton 1 2.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Mary 4
Sarah 4
Alice 2
Anne 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Ethel 2
Harriet 2
Isabella 2
Anita 1
Annee 1
Caroline 1
Cecilia 1
E.A. 1
Edith 1
Evelyn 1
Julia 1
Lavinia 1
Lucy 1
Maggie 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Maud 1
Muriel 1
Philadelphia 1
Rebeckah 1
Sally 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 5
Vincent 3
Alexander 2
Edward 2
George 2
Henry 2
John 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Arther 1
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
Edwin 1
James 1
Jno.G. 1
Robert 1
Spencer 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Nairne surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nairne surname in 1881?

In 1881, 136 people were recorded with the Nairne surname. That placed it at #16,433 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nairne surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 235 in 2016. That gives Nairne a modern rank of #17,530.

What does the Nairne surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name referring to the Nairn region.

What does the Nairne map show?

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