NameCensus.

UK surname

Pirie

A surname of Scottish origin, possibly derived from a town or region in Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 2,140 people recorded with the Pirie surname, ranking it #2,070 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,482, ranked #1,946, up from #2,070 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old Deer, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Aberdeen and Old Machar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock, Deer and Mormond and Aberchirder and Whitehills.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pirie is 3,514 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.7%.

1881 census count

2,140

Ranked #2,070

Modern count

3,482

2016, ranked #1,946

Peak year

2000

3,514 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pirie had 2,140 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,070 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,482 in 2016, ranked #1,946.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,812 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Pirie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pirie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pirie 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 1,221 #2,334
1861 historical 1,416 #2,012
1881 historical 2,140 #2,070
1891 historical 2,249 #2,077
1901 historical 2,812 #1,981
1911 historical 384 #9,571
1997 modern 3,326 #1,939
1998 modern 3,474 #1,932
1999 modern 3,475 #1,954
2000 modern 3,514 #1,930
2001 modern 3,390 #1,949
2002 modern 3,407 #1,990
2003 modern 3,302 #2,002
2004 modern 3,362 #1,968
2005 modern 3,351 #1,948
2006 modern 3,335 #1,961
2007 modern 3,349 #1,971
2008 modern 3,421 #1,937
2009 modern 3,440 #1,984
2010 modern 3,471 #2,010
2011 modern 3,418 #2,018
2012 modern 3,332 #2,023
2013 modern 3,376 #2,036
2014 modern 3,436 #2,013
2015 modern 3,433 #1,990
2016 modern 3,482 #1,946

Geography

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Where Piries are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Old Deer, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Aberdeen and Old Machar, Rathven and Boyndie. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock, Deer and Mormond, Aberchirder and Whitehills, Montrose South and Banff. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Old Deer Aberdeen
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
4 Rathven Banff
5 Boyndie Banff

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock Moray
2 Deer and Mormond Aberdeenshire
3 Aberchirder and Whitehills Aberdeenshire
4 Montrose South Angus
5 Banff Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pirie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pirie

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

Pirie 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

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

Meaning and origin of Pirie

The surname Pirie originated in Scotland, emerging in the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Scots Gaelic word "pireag," meaning a small stream or rivulet. This suggests that the name may have initially designated someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various Scottish records and charters from the 14th and 15th centuries. For example, the name appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1455, with a mention of "John Piry" from Forfarshire.

In the 16th century, the name Pirie was particularly prevalent in the northeastern regions of Scotland, particularly in Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire. This is evidenced by entries in the Parish Registers and local records of the time.

One notable figure bearing this surname was Alexander Pirie (1736-1804), a Scottish businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Pirie Printing Press in Aberdeen. This press played a significant role in the dissemination of literature and knowledge during the Scottish Enlightenment.

Another prominent individual was Robert Pirie (1857-1934), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as the Premier of New South Wales from 1921 to 1923. He played a crucial role in the development of Australia's infrastructure and industry during the early 20th century.

George Pirie (1799-1870) was a Scottish evangelist and author who was instrumental in the revival movements of the 19th century. His writings and sermons had a significant impact on the religious landscape of Scotland during that period.

In the 17th century, the Pirie surname was also found in various records from the neighboring counties of Angus and Perthshire, suggesting that the name had spread across eastern Scotland.

The place name "Pirie" itself can be found in several locations across Scotland, such as Piryhill in Aberdeenshire and Piryhill in Kincardineshire. These place names likely derived from the surname, indicating the presence of families bearing this name in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pirie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pirie 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 1,048 Piries recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.13x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 1,048 54.13x
Banffshire 474 109.31x
Angus 113 5.83x
Lanarkshire 68 1.01x
Kincardineshire 57 22.39x
Morayshire 53 16.32x
Midlothian 49 1.75x
Middlesex 37 0.18x
Fife 25 2.02x
Orkney 24 10.44x
Hampshire 18 0.42x
Roxburghshire 17 4.49x
Kent 14 0.20x
Surrey 14 0.14x
Essex 13 0.32x
Perthshire 11 1.17x
Ross-shire 11 1.92x
Inverness-shire 10 1.60x
Lancashire 9 0.04x
Sussex 9 0.26x
East Lothian 7 2.53x
Stirlingshire 7 0.91x
Channel Islands 6 0.97x
Yorkshire 6 0.03x
Kirkcudbrightshire 5 1.65x
Renfrewshire 5 0.31x
Wigtownshire 4 1.44x
Cheshire 3 0.07x
Clackmannanshire 3 1.74x
Northumberland 3 0.10x
Shetland 3 1.41x
Suffolk 3 0.12x
Berwickshire 2 0.79x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.36x
Royal Navy 2 0.80x
Anglesey 1 0.27x
Argyllshire 1 0.17x
Berkshire 1 0.06x
Durham 1 0.02x
Gloucestershire 1 0.02x
Herefordshire 1 0.12x
Selkirkshire 1 0.53x
Somerset 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. Aberdeen St Nicholas in Aberdeenshire leads with 197 Piries recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.39x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen St Nicholas 197 54.39x
Aberdeen Old Machar 185 45.77x
Rathven 102 125.23x
Banff 86 228.36x
Turriff 69 220.80x
Keith 45 97.34x
Old Deer 42 114.47x
Gamrie 39 80.56x
Boyndie 36 250.70x
Dundee 35 4.84x
Alvah 33 337.77x
Fordyce 33 105.77x
Peterhead 32 31.26x
Grange 31 244.29x
Fraserburgh 27 49.54x
New Deer 26 74.18x
Dunnottar 24 134.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 22 1.95x
Cairney 21 186.17x
Glass 21 284.17x
Govan 21 1.26x
Ellon 20 75.10x
Foveran 20 136.43x
Monquhitter 19 94.81x
Newhills 19 47.93x
Strichen 19 112.96x
Drumblade 18 262.77x
Glasgow 18 1.50x
Liff Benvie 18 6.12x
Pitsligo 18 97.30x
Fyvie 17 53.81x
Mortlach 17 80.30x
Abroath St Vigeans 16 201.01x
Cruden 16 64.18x
Elgin 16 25.32x
Lonmay 16 91.06x
Skene 16 124.61x
Fetteresso 15 37.60x
Forgue 15 86.26x
King Edward 15 67.23x
Marnoch 15 64.43x
Orphir 15 205.48x
Alves 14 173.70x
Barony 14 0.82x
Inverurie 13 59.36x
Huntly 12 38.10x
Longside 12 51.90x
Rhynie 12 148.88x
St Andrews 12 21.31x
Tyrie 12 49.38x
Insch 11 99.91x
Keithhall 11 173.78x
Brechin 10 13.14x
Bromley London 10 2.17x
Oyne 10 145.35x
Roxburgh 10 137.93x
South Leith 10 3.17x
Brighton 9 1.27x
Inveravon 9 48.70x
Portsea 9 1.07x
Slains 9 99.78x
Tough 9 184.05x
West Ham 9 0.99x
Drumoak 8 120.12x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 8 12.08x
Inverness 8 5.09x
Islington London 8 0.39x
Monifieth 8 11.69x
Peterculter 8 58.57x
St Vigeans 8 7.65x
Tarves 8 43.69x
Cambusnethan 7 4.66x
Kelso 7 18.55x
Kennethmont 7 97.36x
Lambeth 7 0.38x
New Machar 7 64.34x
North Leith 7 5.40x
Plumstead 7 2.94x
Rothiemay 7 71.21x
St Fergus 7 63.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Jane 6
Annie 5
Elizabeth 5
Alice 3
Ellen 3
Margaret 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Helen 2
Louisa 2
Susan 2
(Mrs.) 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Betty 1
Catherine 1
Christine 1
Daisy 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ellenor 1
Elspet 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Georgeina 1
Grace 1
Ina 1
Isabella 1
Jeanie 1
Julia 1
Lilian 1
Lucy 1
Marion 1
Marsha 1
Maude 1
Minna 1
Ruth 1
Sarah 1
Thomasine 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 10
George 9
John 9
William 8
Alexander 4
Frederick 4
Andrew 3
David 3
Francis 3
Robert 2
Alex 1
Alexar. 1
Benjamin 1
Donald 1
Geo. 1
Hume 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Reginald 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Pirie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pirie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,140 people were recorded with the Pirie surname. That placed it at #2,070 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pirie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,482 in 2016. That gives Pirie a modern rank of #1,946.

What does the Pirie surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin, possibly derived from a town or region in Scotland.

What does the Pirie map show?

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