NameCensus.

UK surname

Pirrie

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic words "pire" meaning pear tree and "ire" meaning land, referring to someone who lived near a pear tree or pear orchard.

In the 1881 census there were 515 people recorded with the Pirrie surname, ranking it #6,619 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 699, ranked #7,712, down from #6,619 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edinburgh, Rothiemay and Rathven. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stranraer West, Kensington and Chelsea and Oldham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pirrie is 699 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.7%.

1881 census count

515

Ranked #6,619

Modern count

699

2016, ranked #7,712

Peak year

2016

699 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pirrie had 515 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,619 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 699 in 2016, ranked #7,712.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 563 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Pirrie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pirrie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pirrie 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 404 #5,991
1861 historical 409 #6,283
1881 historical 515 #6,619
1891 historical 563 #6,744
1901 historical 531 #7,717
1911 historical 102 #22,465
1997 modern 642 #7,729
1998 modern 658 #7,834
1999 modern 673 #7,744
2000 modern 655 #7,893
2001 modern 644 #7,852
2002 modern 655 #7,896
2003 modern 651 #7,825
2004 modern 638 #7,939
2005 modern 645 #7,818
2006 modern 644 #7,861
2007 modern 646 #7,901
2008 modern 654 #7,879
2009 modern 662 #7,960
2010 modern 672 #8,041
2011 modern 661 #8,051
2012 modern 672 #7,865
2013 modern 689 #7,833
2014 modern 687 #7,893
2015 modern 690 #7,811
2016 modern 699 #7,712

Geography

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Where Pirries are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edinburgh, Rothiemay, Rathven, Perth and Huntly. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stranraer West, Kensington and Chelsea, Oldham, Auchinleck and Stranraer East. 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 Edinburgh Edinburgh
2 Rothiemay Banff
3 Rathven Banff
4 Perth Perth
5 Huntly Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stranraer West Dumfries and Galloway
2 Kensington and Chelsea 018 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Oldham 029 Oldham
4 Auchinleck East Ayrshire
5 Stranraer East Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pirrie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pirrie

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Pirrie is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pirrie 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

Pirrie falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pirrie

The surname Pirrie is of Scottish origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated from the lands of Pirrie, located in the parish of Clatt, Aberdeenshire. The name Pirrie is derived from the Gaelic words "pìor rìgh," which translate to "king's portion" or "king's land."

In the 12th century, during the reign of King David I of Scotland, the lands of Pirrie were granted to a Norman knight named Walter de Lundin. This event marked the earliest known record of the Pirrie name, as Walter de Lundin's descendants adopted the territorial designation "de Pirrie" or "Pirrie."

The name Pirrie appeared in various historical records and manuscripts throughout the centuries. One notable mention was in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1456, where a certain John Pirrie was recorded as a landowner in Aberdeenshire.

The earliest recorded example of the Pirrie surname dates back to the 14th century. In 1375, a charter documented the existence of William de Pirrie, who held lands in the parish of Clatt, Aberdeenshire.

Several notable individuals have carried the Pirrie surname throughout history. One of the most prominent figures was William James Pirrie (1847-1924), a renowned Scottish shipbuilder and businessman. He was the chairman of Harland and Wolff, the shipyard responsible for building the iconic RMS Titanic.

Another notable person was John Pirrie (1859-1935), a Scottish architect who designed several prominent buildings in Glasgow, including the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

In the field of medicine, John Pirrie (1830-1919) was a Scottish physician and professor of surgery at the University of Aberdeen.

The Pirrie surname has also been associated with places and locations. For instance, Pirrie Hall, a historic building in Edinburgh, Scotland, was named after John Pirrie, a local merchant and benefactor.

Furthermore, the surname has undergone various spellings throughout history, such as Pirie, Pierie, and Pery, reflecting the regional variations and phonetic adaptations common in those times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pirrie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pirrie 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 182 Pirries recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.19x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 182 39.19x
Banffshire 55 52.88x
Lanarkshire 52 3.21x
Midlothian 47 7.00x
Angus 32 6.89x
Perthshire 28 12.44x
Lancashire 22 0.37x
Renfrewshire 17 4.38x
Morayshire 14 17.97x
Dunbartonshire 10 7.42x
Ross-shire 8 5.81x
Stirlingshire 7 3.79x
Roxburghshire 6 6.61x
Ayrshire 4 1.07x
Essex 4 0.40x
Fife 4 1.35x
Hampshire 4 0.39x
Gloucestershire 3 0.31x
Wigtownshire 3 4.51x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.95x
Kincardineshire 2 3.28x
Middlesex 2 0.04x
Somerset 2 0.25x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Cumberland 1 0.23x
West Lothian 1 1.32x
Wiltshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 28 Pirries recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.88x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 28 28.88x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 27 31.08x
Rathven 20 102.35x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 7.03x
Keith 18 162.31x
Barony 15 3.66x
Fraserburgh 15 114.77x
Glasgow 13 4.51x
Perth East Church 13 61.26x
Rothiemay 13 550.85x
Liverpool 11 3.04x
New Deer 11 130.80x
Auchterless 10 271.00x
Dalkeith 10 75.47x
Govan 10 2.49x
Abbey 8 13.49x
Bellie 8 227.27x
Dundee 8 4.61x
Ellon 8 125.20x
Insch 8 303.03x
Newhills 8 84.12x
Lethnot Navar 7 1400.00x
Shettleston 7 48.21x
Cairney 6 222.22x
Cambusnethan 6 16.66x
Huntly 6 79.37x
Kelso 6 66.30x
Kilmuir Easter 6 304.57x
Liff Benvie 6 8.51x
Pitsligo 6 135.14x
Barrow In Furness 5 6.18x
Little Bolton 5 6.54x
Paisley Middle Church 5 22.10x
Perth St Pauls 5 95.97x
Peterculter 5 152.44x
Strathdon 5 221.24x
Campsie 4 39.41x
Fintray 4 225.99x
Inverurie 4 76.19x
Kinnoull 4 67.57x
Kirkintilloch 4 21.86x
Lasswade 4 26.04x
Logie Buchan 4 300.75x
Longside 4 72.07x
Luss 4 320.00x
North Leith 4 12.87x
West Greenock 4 5.73x
West Ham 4 1.83x
Cheltenham 3 3.95x
Daviot 3 340.91x
Edinburgh St Marys 3 22.97x
Holdenhurst 3 11.13x
Kilwinning 3 24.75x
Kirkden 3 103.09x
Kirriemuir 3 26.18x
Rayne 3 135.75x
Blairgowrie 2 22.47x
Bridgewater 2 9.13x
Cockpen 2 25.48x
Crieff 2 23.89x
Dunfermline 2 4.38x
Echt 2 89.29x
Fordyce 2 26.74x
Forgue 2 47.96x
Inveresk 2 11.00x
Kiltearn 2 98.52x
Llandilo Fawr 2 21.23x
Newtyle 2 127.39x
Peterhead 2 8.14x
Slains 2 92.59x
St Andrews Lhanbryd 2 82.99x
Stranraer 2 32.84x
Alford 1 39.53x
Duffus 1 14.56x
Gamrie 1 8.61x
Hutton In Forest 1 238.10x
Montrose 1 3.55x
Rothes 1 26.32x
St George Hanover 1 1.53x
Urquhart 1 27.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Agnes 2
Elizabeth 2
Helen 2
(Mrs) 1
Ann 1
Augusta 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 4
William 4
George 2
Stanton 2
Charles 1
Duncan 1
Francis 1
Henry 1
James 1
Samuel 1
W. 1
Wm. 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 Pirrie households.

FAQ

Pirrie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pirrie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 515 people were recorded with the Pirrie surname. That placed it at #6,619 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pirrie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 699 in 2016. That gives Pirrie a modern rank of #7,712.

What does the Pirrie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic words "pire" meaning pear tree and "ire" meaning land, referring to someone who lived near a pear tree or pear orchard.

What does the Pirrie map show?

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