NameCensus.

UK surname

Neish

A surname derived from a Scottish place name and likely originally denoting a person hailing from a particular region.

In the 1881 census there were 607 people recorded with the Neish surname, ranking it #5,775 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 686, ranked #7,823, down from #5,775 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Forgue, Govan Combination and Arbroath and St. Vigeans. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fyvie-Rothie, Wirral and Huntly.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Neish is 820 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.0%.

1881 census count

607

Ranked #5,775

Modern count

686

2016, ranked #7,823

Peak year

1901

820 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Neish had 607 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,775 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 686 in 2016, ranked #7,823.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 820 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Neish surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Neish surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Neish 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 406 #5,963
1861 historical 426 #6,032
1881 historical 607 #5,775
1891 historical 697 #5,622
1901 historical 820 #5,510
1911 historical 169 #16,564
1997 modern 679 #7,419
1998 modern 698 #7,490
1999 modern 688 #7,618
2000 modern 691 #7,557
2001 modern 674 #7,579
2002 modern 680 #7,690
2003 modern 661 #7,733
2004 modern 651 #7,828
2005 modern 655 #7,730
2006 modern 632 #7,973
2007 modern 648 #7,883
2008 modern 655 #7,869
2009 modern 662 #7,960
2010 modern 687 #7,889
2011 modern 680 #7,863
2012 modern 675 #7,838
2013 modern 692 #7,800
2014 modern 700 #7,768
2015 modern 680 #7,893
2016 modern 686 #7,823

Geography

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Where Neishs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Forgue, Govan Combination, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Brechin. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fyvie-Rothie, Wirral, Huntly, Northern and Irvine Valley Rural and Keith and Fife Keith. 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 Forgue Aberdeen
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Brechin Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fyvie-Rothie Aberdeenshire
2 Wirral 027 Wirral
3 Huntly Aberdeenshire
4 Northern and Irvine Valley Rural East Ayrshire
5 Keith and Fife Keith Moray

Forenames

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First names often paired with Neish

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Neish

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

Neish is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Neish falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Neish

The surname Neish has its origins in Scotland, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "an ìosal," meaning "the low ground" or "the hollow," suggesting that the initial bearers of the name lived in a low-lying area or valley.

Records indicate that the name was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Borders region, with the earliest known reference appearing in the Berwickshire parish records of 1583, where a John Neish was mentioned. Over the subsequent centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, including Neishe, Neisch, and Nesche, reflecting the variations in regional dialects and pronunciations.

One notable historical figure bearing the Neish surname was James Neish, a Scottish merchant and burgess of Edinburgh, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He played a significant role in the city's trade and commerce during that time period.

In the 17th century, the name spread beyond Scotland's borders, with records showing Neish families settling in parts of Northern England, particularly in the region of Northumberland. One such individual was Robert Neish, born in 1635, who was a prominent landowner and farmer in the village of Wooler.

The name also found its way to the Americas, with several Neish individuals emigrating from Scotland to the British colonies in the 18th and 19th centuries. One notable example is William Neish, born in 1756 in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, who served as a soldier in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Pennsylvania.

Another individual of note was John Neish, born in 1817 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, who became a renowned author and editor. He published several works on Scottish history, literature, and culture, and was instrumental in preserving and promoting the country's rich heritage.

Throughout history, the Neish surname has been associated with various professions and accomplishments, from merchants and landowners to soldiers and literary figures. While its origins lie in the Scottish lowlands, the name has since spread across the globe, carried by those who traced their roots back to the ancient valleys and hollows of Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Neish families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Neish 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. Angus leads with 150 Neishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.25x.

County Total Index
Angus 150 27.25x
Lanarkshire 90 4.68x
Aberdeenshire 71 12.90x
Perthshire 52 19.50x
Fife 48 13.65x
Banffshire 33 26.78x
Midlothian 28 3.52x
Lancashire 19 0.27x
Morayshire 19 20.59x
Stirlingshire 17 7.76x
Renfrewshire 16 3.48x
Cheshire 14 1.07x
Middlesex 12 0.20x
Yorkshire 7 0.12x
Inverness-shire 6 3.38x
Kincardineshire 6 8.29x
Sutherland 4 8.76x
East Lothian 3 3.81x
Hampshire 3 0.25x
Essex 2 0.17x
Surrey 2 0.07x
Ayrshire 1 0.22x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.76x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.63x
Durham 1 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.11x
Roxburghshire 1 0.93x
Royal Navy 1 1.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 45 Neishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.90x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 45 21.90x
Liff Benvie 41 49.07x
Govan 38 8.00x
Cairney 19 593.75x
Brechin 18 83.22x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 17 5.31x
Glasgow 17 4.98x
Newhills 17 150.84x
New Monkland 13 22.89x
St Vigeans 12 40.39x
Birkenhead 11 10.52x
Auchterarder 10 134.41x
Forgue 10 202.43x
Slamannan 10 83.33x
Barony 9 1.85x
Everton 9 4.01x
Monifieth 9 46.30x
Montrose 9 26.99x
Ordiquhill 9 616.44x
Paisley Middle Church 9 33.58x
Speymouth 9 671.64x
Abbotshall 8 60.88x
Comrie 8 209.97x
Culross 8 346.32x
Forfar 8 26.85x
Rathven 8 34.56x
Rattray 8 128.82x
Scoonie 8 104.99x
Inveresk 7 32.48x
Markinch 7 58.63x
Tullynessle Forbes 7 346.53x
Boharm 6 247.93x
Grange 6 166.21x
St Cyrus 6 198.68x
Wemyss 6 40.32x
Cathcart 5 20.07x
Cupar 5 32.70x
Dunfermline 5 9.25x
Fordyce 5 56.37x
Forgan 5 74.18x
Hampstead London 5 5.40x
Little Bolton 5 5.52x
Portree 5 76.22x
Rotherham 5 15.06x
Blackford 4 122.70x
Cambusnethan 4 9.37x
Creich 4 87.91x
Denny 4 34.33x
Kensington London 4 1.21x
Rayne 4 153.26x
Bothwell 3 5.76x
Chapel Of Garioch 3 76.73x
Dunbar 3 27.20x
Keith 3 22.83x
Kennoway 3 93.75x
Liscard 3 12.70x
Maryhill 3 7.98x
Shoreditch London 3 1.17x
South Leith 3 3.35x
Stirling 3 10.86x
Turriff 3 33.78x
Ventnor 3 25.91x
Aberdeen Old Machar 2 1.74x
Abroath St Vigeans 2 88.50x
Arbroath 2 10.96x
Bendochy 2 137.93x
Fyvie 2 22.27x
Gamrie 2 14.53x
Kirkdale 2 1.69x
Liverpool 2 0.47x
Monzie 2 130.72x
Neilston 2 8.65x
Old Monkland 2 2.62x
Perth East Church 2 7.96x
Scone 2 42.19x
Urquhart 2 45.87x
West Ham 2 0.77x
Tough 1 71.94x
Yarm 1 33.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 7
John 5
George 4
Henry 2
James 2
Robert 2
David 1
Graham 1
Joseph 1
Sidney 1
Walter 1
Wm.Geo 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 Neish households.

FAQ

Neish surname: questions and answers

How common was the Neish surname in 1881?

In 1881, 607 people were recorded with the Neish surname. That placed it at #5,775 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Neish surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 686 in 2016. That gives Neish a modern rank of #7,823.

What does the Neish surname mean?

A surname derived from a Scottish place name and likely originally denoting a person hailing from a particular region.

What does the Neish map show?

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