NameCensus.

UK surname

Nimmo

A Scottish locational surname derived from the lands of Nemoch or Nemmock in Lanarkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 1,347 people recorded with the Nimmo surname, ranking it #3,040 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,720, ranked #2,468, up from #3,040 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forth, Braehead and Auchengray, Earlston and Hurlford Rural and Armadale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nimmo is 2,774 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 101.9%.

1881 census count

1,347

Ranked #3,040

Modern count

2,720

2016, ranked #2,468

Peak year

2010

2,774 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nimmo had 1,347 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,040 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,720 in 2016, ranked #2,468.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,896 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Nimmo surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nimmo surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nimmo 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 1,112 #2,532
1861 historical 1,121 #2,502
1881 historical 1,347 #3,040
1891 historical 1,576 #2,815
1901 historical 1,896 #2,787
1911 historical 265 #12,422
1997 modern 2,580 #2,456
1998 modern 2,721 #2,436
1999 modern 2,710 #2,459
2000 modern 2,736 #2,427
2001 modern 2,667 #2,432
2002 modern 2,691 #2,463
2003 modern 2,699 #2,409
2004 modern 2,690 #2,420
2005 modern 2,688 #2,400
2006 modern 2,676 #2,408
2007 modern 2,664 #2,435
2008 modern 2,653 #2,453
2009 modern 2,738 #2,442
2010 modern 2,774 #2,463
2011 modern 2,693 #2,495
2012 modern 2,681 #2,472
2013 modern 2,706 #2,490
2014 modern 2,741 #2,482
2015 modern 2,724 #2,473
2016 modern 2,720 #2,468

Geography

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Where Nimmos are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Carnwath and Sorn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forth, Braehead and Auchengray, Earlston and Hurlford Rural, Armadale, Auchinleck and Hallglen and Glen Village. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Carnwath Lanark
5 Sorn Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forth, Braehead and Auchengray South Lanarkshire
2 Earlston and Hurlford Rural East Ayrshire
3 Armadale West Lothian
4 Auchinleck East Ayrshire
5 Hallglen and Glen Village Falkirk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nimmo

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nimmo

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

Nimmo is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nimmo 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 Nimmo 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 Nimmo, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nimmo

The surname NIMMO is of Scottish origin, originating in the Scottish Borders region during the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the lands of Nimo or Nimmo in the parish of Garvald, East Lothian. The name is thought to come from the Old English words "neowe" meaning "new" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "settlement", suggesting it referred to a new settlement or dwelling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of instruments of homage to Edward I of England, where it appears as "Nimo" and "Nymo". The name also appears in various charters and records from the 14th and 15th centuries in spellings such as "Nymok", "Nymok", and "Nymowe".

In the 16th century, the NIMMO family held lands in the parishes of Garvald and Whittinghame in East Lothian. One notable member was John NIMMO (c. 1550-1623), a Scottish landowner and farmer who owned the lands of Nether Byres in Whittinghame.

The NIMMO name has been present in various parts of Scotland over the centuries. In the 17th century, Robert NIMMO (1628-1706) was a prominent merchant and burgess of Edinburgh, while in the 18th century, Alexander NIMMO (1783-1832) was a Scottish civil engineer who worked on several major projects in Ireland and Scotland.

Other notable individuals with the surname NIMMO include:

1. Henry NIMMO (1778-1839), a Scottish surveyor and cartographer who produced maps of various counties in Scotland. 2. Joseph NIMMO Jr. (1823-1886), an American soldier, surveyor, and civil engineer who worked on various railroad projects in the western United States. 3. William NIMMO (1834-1901), a Scottish photographer and pioneer of the calotype process, known for his landscape and architectural photographs of Scotland. 4. Basil NIMMO (1900-1986), a British journalist and author who wrote several books on travel and culture. 5. James NIMMO (1908-1994), a Scottish footballer who played for Motherwell and the Scottish national team in the 1930s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nimmo families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nimmo 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. Lanarkshire leads with 397 Nimmos recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.43x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 397 9.43x
Midlothian 185 10.61x
Stirlingshire 145 30.21x
West Lothian 131 66.85x
Ayrshire 94 9.65x
Durham 49 1.27x
Fife 44 5.71x
Dunbartonshire 38 10.87x
Middlesex 36 0.28x
Lancashire 33 0.21x
Renfrewshire 30 2.97x
Wigtownshire 14 8.10x
Angus 12 1.00x
Kirkcudbrightshire 12 6.37x
Argyllshire 10 2.76x
East Lothian 10 5.80x
Northumberland 10 0.52x
Surrey 10 0.16x
Yorkshire 10 0.08x
Kincardineshire 9 5.68x
Clackmannanshire 7 6.51x
Peeblesshire 6 9.80x
Cheshire 5 0.17x
Perthshire 5 0.86x
Essex 4 0.16x
Somerset 4 0.19x
Kent 3 0.07x
Leicestershire 3 0.21x
Norfolk 3 0.15x
Sussex 3 0.14x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.70x
Hertfordshire 2 0.22x
Kinross-shire 2 6.08x
Roxburghshire 2 0.85x
Cumberland 1 0.09x
Devon 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.08x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 94 Nimmos recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.03x.

Place Total Index
Govan 94 9.03x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 91 12.97x
Barony 82 7.70x
Falkirk 56 49.84x
Carnwath 44 169.10x
Glasgow 41 5.49x
Polmont 32 180.59x
Sorn 32 167.28x
Linlithgow 30 119.38x
Whitburn 30 105.97x
South Leith 27 13.76x
Slamannan 26 98.93x
Bathgate 18 42.31x
Blantyre 18 41.09x
Boness 17 62.92x
Cambusnethan 17 18.19x
East Kilbride 16 88.79x
Old Cumnock 15 69.19x
Shotts 15 29.79x
Dunfermline 14 11.82x
Tarbolton 14 87.34x
Paisley Middle Church 12 20.44x
Ayr 11 23.93x
Stirling 11 18.18x
Carriden 10 112.61x
Castle Eden 10 255.10x
Edinburgh New North 10 65.92x
Kilfinan 10 103.41x
Kirkintilloch 10 21.05x
Kirkliston 10 87.49x
Row 10 22.10x
Toxteth Park 10 1.91x
West Greenock 10 5.52x
Banchory Devenick 9 60.81x
Bothwell 9 7.89x
Cumbernauld 9 46.97x
Everton 9 1.83x
New Monkland 9 7.23x
Penninghame 9 51.08x
Borgue 8 158.10x
Duddingston 8 22.86x
Glassford 8 123.27x
Maybole 8 26.98x
Muiravonside 8 65.63x
North Leith 8 9.92x
Southwick 8 21.82x
Torphichen 8 117.30x
Abercorn 7 180.41x
Burntisland 7 32.50x
Cadder 7 22.52x
Cults 7 222.93x
Dollar 7 62.84x
Gateshead 7 2.42x
Hamilton 7 5.96x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.06x
Dundee 6 1.33x
Edinburgh Old 6 56.71x
Monifieth 6 14.09x
Salford 6 1.32x
St Anne Soho London 6 8.07x
Traquair 6 176.99x
West Calder 6 17.46x
Ballingry 5 105.26x
Bishopwearmouth 5 1.50x
Cambuslang 5 11.78x
Culter 5 195.31x
Dreghorn 5 28.36x
Drymen 5 77.64x
Edinburgh St Andrews 5 34.72x
Hackney London 5 0.69x
Kirkcaldy 5 13.09x
Lesmahagow 5 11.23x
Newington 5 1.04x
Old Kilpatrick 5 12.10x
Old Monkland 5 2.99x
Stranton 5 3.84x
Tranent 5 21.47x
Wigtown 5 50.71x
Dirleton 4 59.08x
Manningham 4 2.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Margaret 8
Elizabeth 7
Sarah 6
Anne 4
Annie 4
Jane 3
Janet 3
Barbara 2
Dorothy 2
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Helen 2
Jessie 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Barbra 1
Charlott 1
Charlotte 1
Christina 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Isabelle 1
Jean 1
Kate 1
Lilias 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Lydia 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Rosanne 1
Sophia 1
Susahanna 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 15
James 14
George 7
Thomas 7
Alfred 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
Alexander 2
David 2
Hugh 2
Agnes 1
Alfd. 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
C.L. 1
Catherine 1
Charles 1
Geo.R. 1
H.J.L. 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Johnston 1
Nathaniel 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Tihon 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Nimmo surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nimmo surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,347 people were recorded with the Nimmo surname. That placed it at #3,040 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nimmo surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,720 in 2016. That gives Nimmo a modern rank of #2,468.

What does the Nimmo surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from the lands of Nemoch or Nemmock in Lanarkshire.

What does the Nimmo map show?

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