NameCensus.

UK surname

Nesbet

In the 1881 census there were 61 people recorded with the Nesbet surname, ranking it #24,992 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6, ranked #38,110, down from #24,992 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Norham and Jarrow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nesbet is 106 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 90.2%.

1881 census count

61

Ranked #24,992

Modern count

6

2016, ranked #38,110

Peak year

1851

106 bearers

Map years

1

1851 to 1851

Key insights

  • Nesbet had 61 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,992 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6 in 2016, ranked #38,110.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 106 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is No data.

Nesbet surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nesbet surname density by area, 1851 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nesbet 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 106 #16,512
1861 historical 61 #26,170
1881 historical 61 #24,992
1891 historical 62 #28,991
1901 historical 27 #31,057
1911 historical 17 #31,675
1997 modern 3 #38,317
1998 modern 2 #38,550
1999 modern 2 #38,551
2000 modern 2 #38,472
2001 modern 2 #38,335
2002 modern 2 #38,400
2003 modern 1 #38,735
2004 modern 1 #38,771
2005 modern 1 #38,814
2006 modern 1 #38,879
2007 modern 1 #38,907
2008 modern 2 #38,673
2009 modern 3 #38,494
2010 modern 4 #38,371
2011 modern 3 #38,546
2012 modern 4 #38,335
2013 modern 5 #38,195
2014 modern 5 #38,228
2015 modern 5 #38,221
2016 modern 6 #38,110

Geography

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Where Nesbets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Norham, Jarrow, Edinburgh and Corsenside. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Norham Northumberland
3 Jarrow Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Corsenside Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 No data No data

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nesbet

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nesbet

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

No data

Group

No data

Nationally, the Nesbet surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Nesbet household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

No data

Group

No data

Within London, Nesbet is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nesbet is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Nesbet, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Nesbet families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nesbet 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. Durham leads with 10 Nesbets recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.65x.

County Total Index
Durham 10 5.65x
Middlesex 9 1.51x
Midlothian 9 11.30x
Bedfordshire 6 19.48x
Stirlingshire 6 27.35x
Derbyshire 5 5.37x
Lancashire 3 0.43x
Northumberland 3 3.39x
East Lothian 2 25.38x
Argyllshire 1 6.04x
Ayrshire 1 2.25x
Dunbartonshire 1 6.26x
Hampshire 1 0.82x
Kent 1 0.49x
Shetland 1 16.47x
Surrey 1 0.35x
Warwickshire 1 0.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 9 Nesbets recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.07x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 9 28.07x
Sunderland 8 255.59x
Falkirk 6 116.73x
Islington London 5 8.67x
Luton 5 93.81x
Normanton 5 632.91x
West Derby 3 14.53x
Hackney London 2 6.00x
Throston 2 588.24x
Tynemouth 2 42.19x
Whitekirk Tynninghame 2 909.09x
Ardnamurchan 1 119.05x
Christchurch 1 37.88x
Dalmellington 1 76.34x
Dumbarton 1 45.05x
Greenwich 1 10.56x
Jesmond 1 80.00x
Kempston 1 142.86x
Lambeth 1 1.93x
Leamington Priors 1 27.10x
St Gregory By St Pauls 1 666.67x
St Pancras London 1 2.09x
Unst 1 227.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Margaret 3
Eleanor 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Ann 1
Ellen 1
Harriet 1
Henneritta 1
Isabella 1
Lucy 1
Mary 1
Miriam 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 3
George 2
Gilbert 2
Stephen 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
James 1
John 1
Martin 1
Robert 1
Shand 1
Vincent 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 Nesbet households.

FAQ

Nesbet surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nesbet surname in 1881?

In 1881, 61 people were recorded with the Nesbet surname. That placed it at #24,992 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nesbet surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6 in 2016. That gives Nesbet a modern rank of #38,110.

What does the Nesbet map show?

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