NameCensus.

UK surname

Ness

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a headland or promontory.

In the 1881 census there were 1,356 people recorded with the Ness surname, ranking it #3,022 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,656, ranked #3,766, down from #3,022 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Falkland, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Thornton and Kinglassie, Kingston upon Hull and Bridge of Earn and Abernethy.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ness is 1,683 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.1%.

1881 census count

1,356

Ranked #3,022

Modern count

1,656

2016, ranked #3,766

Peak year

2010

1,683 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ness had 1,356 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,022 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,656 in 2016, ranked #3,766.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,655 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Ness surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ness surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ness 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 859 #3,169
1861 historical 902 #3,070
1881 historical 1,356 #3,022
1891 historical 1,392 #3,126
1901 historical 1,655 #3,116
1911 historical 527 #7,533
1997 modern 1,602 #3,698
1998 modern 1,667 #3,697
1999 modern 1,663 #3,737
2000 modern 1,630 #3,784
2001 modern 1,584 #3,812
2002 modern 1,600 #3,851
2003 modern 1,580 #3,812
2004 modern 1,563 #3,858
2005 modern 1,568 #3,803
2006 modern 1,589 #3,757
2007 modern 1,591 #3,785
2008 modern 1,622 #3,749
2009 modern 1,681 #3,719
2010 modern 1,683 #3,793
2011 modern 1,657 #3,804
2012 modern 1,618 #3,810
2013 modern 1,640 #3,832
2014 modern 1,669 #3,786
2015 modern 1,660 #3,769
2016 modern 1,656 #3,766

Geography

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Where Ness' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Falkland, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and Kirkcaldy Dysart and Abbotshall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Thornton and Kinglassie, Kingston upon Hull, Bridge of Earn and Abernethy, Chichester and North Speyside. 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 Falkland Fife
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Kirkcaldy Dysart and Abbotshall Fife

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Thornton and Kinglassie Fife
2 Kingston upon Hull 021 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Bridge of Earn and Abernethy Perth and Kinross
4 Chichester 013 Chichester
5 North Speyside Moray

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ness

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ness

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

Ness 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

Ness 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 Ness is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ness

The surname NESS is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English word "ness," meaning a headland or promontory. It dates back to the 12th century and was originally a locational name given to someone who lived near a prominent headland or coastal area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Scottish records and charters. One notable example is William de Ness, who was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

In some cases, the name NESS may have originated from specific place names, such as Ness, a village in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, or Inverness, the historic city in the Scottish Highlands. The latter is derived from the Gaelic "Inbhir Nis," meaning "mouth of the River Ness."

Over time, various spellings of the name emerged, including Nesse, Nesse, and Nis. These variations reflect regional dialects and the inconsistencies of early record-keeping.

One notable figure in history with the surname NESS was Christopher Ness (1621-1705), a Scottish Presbyterian minister and author of the influential work "An Antidote Against Arminianism." Another was James Ness (1662-1728), a Scottish mathematician and philosopher who served as the Regius Professor of Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh.

In the literary world, Patrick Ness (born 1971) is a renowned British author and journalist best known for his award-winning young adult novels, including the Chaos Walking trilogy and "A Monster Calls."

In the realm of sports, Peter Ness (1942-2013) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a defender for several clubs, including Hibernian and Dunfermline Athletic.

Lastly, Elliot Ness (1903-1957) was an American Prohibition agent who led the famous team known as "The Untouchables" in their efforts to bring down Al Capone's criminal organization in Chicago during the 1920s and 1930s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ness families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ness 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. Fife leads with 379 Ness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.29x.

County Total Index
Fife 379 48.29x
Yorkshire 149 1.13x
Midlothian 123 6.93x
Angus 119 9.69x
Lanarkshire 108 2.52x
Durham 52 1.32x
Middlesex 52 0.39x
Perthshire 46 7.73x
Ayrshire 41 4.13x
East Lothian 28 15.95x
Renfrewshire 28 2.73x
Lancashire 26 0.17x
Surrey 21 0.33x
Aberdeenshire 20 1.63x
Northumberland 20 1.01x
Dunbartonshire 19 5.33x
Worcestershire 14 0.81x
Devon 13 0.47x
Essex 11 0.42x
Inverness-shire 10 2.53x
Kent 10 0.22x
Staffordshire 10 0.22x
Cheshire 7 0.24x
Sussex 7 0.31x
Hertfordshire 6 0.66x
Clackmannanshire 5 4.57x
Channel Islands 4 1.02x
Stirlingshire 4 0.82x
Berwickshire 3 1.87x
Dorset 3 0.34x
Kinross-shire 3 8.95x
West Lothian 3 1.50x
Berkshire 2 0.20x
Monmouthshire 2 0.21x
Ross-shire 2 0.55x
Argyllshire 1 0.27x
Buteshire 1 1.24x
Herefordshire 1 0.18x
Kincardineshire 1 0.62x
Lincolnshire 1 0.05x
Northamptonshire 1 0.08x
Selkirkshire 1 0.83x
Suffolk 1 0.06x
Wiltshire 1 0.09x

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 72 Ness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.70x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 72 15.70x
Dysart 60 113.53x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 49 6.86x
Barony 42 3.87x
Falkland 38 307.94x
Kirkcaldy 30 77.08x
Burntisland 28 127.62x
Wemyss 27 81.33x
Glasgow 25 3.28x
Liff Benvie 25 13.41x
Scarborough 23 19.27x
St Andrews 20 56.01x
Abbotshall 19 64.80x
Kensington London 19 2.58x
Sculcoates 18 8.64x
Cottingham 17 60.05x
Cupar 17 49.81x
Dunfermline 17 14.09x
West Greenock 17 9.22x
Dudley 14 6.65x
Govan 14 1.32x
Paddington London 13 2.67x
Holy Trinity 12 3.80x
Kilmarnock 12 10.16x
Aberdour 11 139.06x
Great Driffield 11 40.80x
Inveresk 11 22.88x
North Leith 11 13.38x
Perth East Church 11 19.61x
South Leith 11 5.50x
Bishopwearmouth 10 2.95x
Daviot Dunlichity 10 175.44x
Hurworth 10 144.72x
Rowley Regis 10 8.02x
Kinglassie 9 150.50x
Largo 9 88.32x
New Monkland 9 7.10x
Tormoham 9 7.71x
Towie 9 261.63x
Blantyre 8 17.93x
Dunbar 8 32.49x
Edinburgh Greenside 8 34.09x
Ferry Port On Craig 8 61.97x
Kemback 8 206.19x
Leuchars 8 80.65x
Longforgan 8 95.12x
Paisley Low Church 8 24.60x
Scoonie 8 47.09x
Seaton Carew 8 100.88x
Strathdon 8 134.00x
Wallsend 8 12.79x
Bobbingworth 7 510.95x
Dundonald 7 19.14x
Markinch 7 26.28x
New Kilpatrick 7 20.66x
Salford 7 1.51x
Southcoates 7 9.60x
St Vigeans 7 10.56x
Aberlady 6 131.58x
Arngask 6 241.94x
Bonhill 6 10.49x
Byker 6 6.15x
Edinburgh St Georges 6 16.28x
Kilwinning 6 18.73x
Monifieth 6 13.83x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 5.09x
Prestonkirk 6 68.34x
Sproxton 6 800.00x
Toxteth Park 6 1.13x
Athelstaneford 5 144.51x
Auchterderran 5 25.34x
Collessie 5 55.37x
Dairsie 5 157.23x
Gateshead 5 1.69x
Islington London 5 0.39x
Killinghall 5 162.34x
Liverpool 5 0.52x
Odd Rode 5 34.51x
Old Kilpatrick 5 11.88x
Stranton 5 3.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Sarah 20
Elizabeth 13
Eliza 10
Ann 9
Hannah 9
Isabella 8
Margaret 7
Annie 6
Harriet 6
Jane 6
Lucy 6
Martha 5
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Emma 4
Maria 4
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Gertrude 3
Grace 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Florence 2
Helen 2
Josephine 2
Kate 2
Maggie 2
Ruth 2
Adelaide 1
Amy 1
Augusta 1
Barbara 1
Bertha 1
C.J.W. 1
Edeth 1
Elaine 1
Eleanor 1
Elsie 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Ida 1
Idonia 1
Ina 1
Tamar 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 29
William 21
Robert 17
George 14
Thomas 12
James 9
Alexander 6
David 5
Charles 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Herbert 3
Benjamin 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Jacob 2
Jethro 2
Joseph 2
Patrick 2
Ralph 2
Richard 2
Archibald 1
Bethuel 1
Captain 1
Chas. 1
Edgar 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Gabriel 1
Gavin 1
Geor. 1
Gilbert 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Hugh 1
Jesse 1
Johannes 1
Jonathan 1
Leslie 1
Mado 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Nicholes 1
P.P. 1
Paul 1
Peter 1
Robt. 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Ness surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ness surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,356 people were recorded with the Ness surname. That placed it at #3,022 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ness surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,656 in 2016. That gives Ness a modern rank of #3,766.

What does the Ness surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a headland or promontory.

What does the Ness map show?

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