NameCensus.

UK surname

Naysmith

An occupational surname referring to a blacksmith or nail maker.

In the 1881 census there were 219 people recorded with the Naysmith surname, ranking it #12,122 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 261, ranked #16,309, down from #12,122 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Inveresk, Bothwell and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broughton North and Powderhall, Cherwell and IZ02.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Naysmith is 281 in 2004. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.2%.

1881 census count

219

Ranked #12,122

Modern count

261

2016, ranked #16,309

Peak year

2004

281 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Naysmith had 219 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,122 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 261 in 2016, ranked #16,309.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Naysmith surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Naysmith surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Naysmith 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 139 #13,659
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 219 #12,122
1891 historical 213 #14,269
1901 historical 274 #12,370
1911 historical 51 #27,708
1997 modern 272 #14,451
1998 modern 274 #14,759
1999 modern 280 #14,630
2000 modern 273 #14,828
2001 modern 258 #15,194
2002 modern 275 #14,819
2003 modern 271 #14,787
2004 modern 281 #14,489
2005 modern 276 #14,579
2006 modern 278 #14,623
2007 modern 276 #14,855
2008 modern 269 #15,260
2009 modern 276 #15,300
2010 modern 281 #15,441
2011 modern 274 #15,571
2012 modern 261 #16,041
2013 modern 263 #16,232
2014 modern 268 #16,111
2015 modern 264 #16,186
2016 modern 261 #16,309

Geography

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Where Naysmiths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Inveresk, Bothwell, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newbattle. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broughton North and Powderhall, Cherwell, IZ02, Pentland and Newbattle and Dalhousie. 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 Inveresk Edinburgh
2 Bothwell Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Newbattle Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broughton North and Powderhall City of Edinburgh
2 Cherwell 001 Cherwell
3 IZ02 East Lothian
4 Pentland Midlothian
5 Newbattle and Dalhousie Midlothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Naysmith

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Naysmith

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Naysmith surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Naysmith household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Naysmith is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Naysmith is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Naysmith falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Naysmith

The surname NAYSMITH has its origins in England, specifically in the northern regions around Yorkshire and Northumberland. It is believed to have emerged during the 13th or 14th century as an occupational surname, derived from the Old English words "naeg" or "nag" meaning a small horse or pony, and "smid" meaning a smith or metalworker. This suggests that the original bearers of this name were likely involved in the trade of shoeing horses or working with metal tools related to horses.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the NAYSMITH surname can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a John Naysmyth is listed as a resident of Coverham. The name also appears in various parish records and manorial rolls from the 15th and 16th centuries, with variations in spelling such as Naysmythe, Nasmyth, and Naesmyth.

During the 16th century, the NAYSMITH surname spread to other parts of England, including Staffordshire and Cheshire. Notable individuals bearing this name from this period include Richard Naysmith (1550-1622), a prominent landowner and magistrate in Staffordshire, and John Naysmith (1572-1638), a clergyman who served as the Vicar of Audlem in Cheshire.

In the 17th century, the NAYSMITH surname found its way to Scotland, where it became particularly associated with the city of Edinburgh. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Michael Naysmith (1655-1718), a renowned Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Canongate Church and the Canongate Tolbooth.

As the NAYSMITH surname continued to spread throughout the British Isles, it also gave rise to various localized variants and related surnames. For example, in the northern counties of England, the name evolved into forms such as Naesmyth and Naesmith, while in Scotland, it became more commonly spelled as Naesmyth or Nasmyth. One notable individual from this Scottish branch was James Nasmyth (1808-1890), a renowned engineer and inventor who contributed significantly to the development of the steam hammer and other industrial machinery.

Other notable individuals with the NAYSMITH surname throughout history include Sir David Naysmith (1652-1725), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland; William Naysmith (1786-1858), an English architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in London; and John Naysmith (1813-1884), a Scottish minister and author who wrote extensively on religious and philosophical topics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Naysmith families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Naysmith 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. Midlothian leads with 97 Naysmiths recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.21x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 97 34.21x
Fife 32 25.54x
Lanarkshire 17 2.48x
East Lothian 12 42.81x
Stirlingshire 12 15.37x
Cumberland 11 6.04x
Glamorgan 10 2.71x
Gloucestershire 6 1.45x
Angus 5 2.55x
Northumberland 4 1.27x
Kent 3 0.42x
Peeblesshire 2 20.08x
West Lothian 2 6.28x
Ayrshire 1 0.63x
Hampshire 1 0.23x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 3.26x
Middlesex 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Auchterderran in Fife leads with 30 Naysmiths recorded in 1881 and an index of 952.38x.

Place Total Index
Auchterderran 30 952.38x
Newbattle 30 1239.67x
Inveresk 23 299.48x
Lasswade 13 200.62x
Caldewgate 11 110.22x
Clase 10 72.99x
Dunbar 10 254.45x
Penicuik 10 259.74x
Denny 9 216.87x
Dalkeith 6 107.33x
Govan 6 3.54x
Westerleigh 6 645.16x
Abroath St Vigeans 5 617.28x
Barony 5 2.89x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 4.38x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 21.27x
South Leith 4 12.54x
Temple 4 353.98x
Bothwell 3 16.16x
Falkirk 3 16.42x
Bathgate 2 28.90x
Glasgow 2 1.65x
Innerleithen 2 75.76x
Penshurst 2 165.29x
Abbotshall 1 21.37x
Cambusnethan 1 6.58x
Carrington 1 227.27x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 13.28x
Farnborough 1 21.93x
Kirkcaldy 1 16.10x
Liberton 1 22.83x
Lochrutton 1 222.22x
Ormiston 1 135.14x
Paddington London 1 1.29x
St Quivox 1 18.66x
Tranent 1 26.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jullia 2
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Blanchia 1
Caroline 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Marie 1
Millicent 1
Norah 1
Pheobe 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 4
John 4
Robert 2
Alexander 1
Edgar 1
Emanuel 1
Llewyllen 1
Norman 1
Stephen 1
Thomas 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 Naysmith households.

FAQ

Naysmith surname: questions and answers

How common was the Naysmith surname in 1881?

In 1881, 219 people were recorded with the Naysmith surname. That placed it at #12,122 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Naysmith surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 261 in 2016. That gives Naysmith a modern rank of #16,309.

What does the Naysmith surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a blacksmith or nail maker.

What does the Naysmith map show?

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