NameCensus.

UK surname

Rankine

Name borne by an early immigrant to Scotland who came to farm land.

In the 1881 census there were 1,525 people recorded with the Rankine surname, ranking it #2,757 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,343, ranked #4,491, down from #2,757 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Alloa, Falkirk and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lochore and Crosshill, Armadale and Polmont.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rankine is 1,711 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.9%.

1881 census count

1,525

Ranked #2,757

Modern count

1,343

2016, ranked #4,491

Peak year

1901

1,711 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rankine had 1,525 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,757 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,343 in 2016, ranked #4,491.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,711 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Rankine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rankine surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rankine 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 1,135 #2,482
1861 historical 1,063 #2,641
1881 historical 1,525 #2,757
1891 historical 1,683 #2,678
1901 historical 1,711 #3,017
1911 historical 175 #16,246
1997 modern 1,273 #4,475
1998 modern 1,285 #4,623
1999 modern 1,304 #4,588
2000 modern 1,297 #4,586
2001 modern 1,259 #4,623
2002 modern 1,304 #4,557
2003 modern 1,259 #4,616
2004 modern 1,244 #4,659
2005 modern 1,278 #4,501
2006 modern 1,295 #4,459
2007 modern 1,297 #4,496
2008 modern 1,336 #4,406
2009 modern 1,354 #4,447
2010 modern 1,339 #4,575
2011 modern 1,311 #4,607
2012 modern 1,289 #4,608
2013 modern 1,315 #4,607
2014 modern 1,340 #4,551
2015 modern 1,336 #4,520
2016 modern 1,343 #4,491

Geography

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Where Rankines are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Lochore and Crosshill, Armadale, Polmont, Dunfermline Headwell and Linlithgow South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Alloa Clackmannan
2 Falkirk Stirling
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lochore and Crosshill Fife
2 Armadale West Lothian
3 Polmont Falkirk
4 Dunfermline Headwell Fife
5 Linlithgow South West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rankine

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rankine

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Rankine is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rankine 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

Rankine falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rankine

The surname Rankine has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a habitational name derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "rann" meaning "portion" or "division," and "kin" meaning "farm" or "small estate." Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived on a portion or division of a farm or estate.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of medieval homage rolls recording those who swore fealty to Edward I of England. The rolls mention a Thomas de Ranken from the county of Ayr.

In the 14th century, records show a John de Rankyn who was a tenant in the lands of Duddingston near Edinburgh in 1365. The name also appears in various Scottish charters and legal documents from this time period, often with slight variations in spelling such as Rankin, Rankyn, or Rankyne.

Notable individuals bearing the Rankine surname include William John Macquorn Rankine (1820-1872), a Scottish engineer and physicist who contributed significantly to the understanding of thermodynamics and the development of the steam engine. He is considered one of the founders of the science of thermodynamics.

Another prominent figure was John Rankine (1857-1932), a Scottish-born American civil engineer who was instrumental in the construction of the first underwater vehicular tunnel, the Holland Tunnel, connecting Manhattan and New Jersey.

In the realm of literature, William Rankine Muir (1870-1939) was a Scottish author and poet known for his works on Scottish history and culture, including his book "The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border."

The surname Rankine can also be found in the history of Australian settlement, with John Rankine (1814-1896) being one of the first settlers in South Australia, arriving in 1838 and establishing a successful farming and wine-making business.

Lastly, Alasdair Rankine (1923-2000) was a notable Scottish actor and playwright who appeared in various stage productions and television shows throughout the 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rankine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rankine 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 474 Rankines recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.89x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 474 9.89x
Midlothian 170 8.56x
Stirlingshire 153 28.00x
Fife 124 14.14x
Renfrewshire 71 6.18x
Clackmannanshire 67 54.75x
Ayrshire 65 5.86x
Perthshire 47 7.07x
Argyllshire 42 10.18x
Dunbartonshire 42 10.55x
West Lothian 39 17.48x
Aberdeenshire 35 2.55x
Kirkcudbrightshire 34 15.85x
Lancashire 17 0.10x
Selkirkshire 14 10.44x
Wigtownshire 14 7.12x
Angus 13 0.95x
Dumfriesshire 13 3.97x
East Lothian 9 4.59x
Peeblesshire 9 12.91x
Inverness-shire 8 1.81x
Banffshire 7 2.28x
Cumberland 6 0.47x
Staffordshire 6 0.12x
Kent 5 0.10x
Shropshire 5 0.39x
Yorkshire 5 0.03x
Middlesex 4 0.03x
Royal Navy 4 2.27x
Berwickshire 3 1.67x
Surrey 3 0.04x
Buteshire 2 2.23x
Durham 2 0.05x
Kinross-shire 2 5.34x
Warwickshire 2 0.05x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.11x
Kincardineshire 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 173 Rankines recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.26x.

Place Total Index
Barony 173 14.26x
Govan 126 10.63x
Falkirk 81 63.32x
Glasgow 81 9.52x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 74 9.27x
Alloa 38 64.04x
Dunfermline 36 26.69x
Abbey 25 14.27x
New Monkland 25 17.65x
South Leith 23 10.30x
Clackmannan 19 82.14x
Bathgate 17 35.10x
Dalziel 17 32.98x
West Calder 17 43.44x
Bothkennar 16 98.10x
East Greenock 16 14.75x
Bothwell 14 10.77x
Kinglassie 14 209.58x
New Kilpatrick 14 36.96x
Auchterderran 13 58.96x
Carriden 13 128.59x
Kirkcaldy 13 29.89x
Kirkcudbright 13 73.24x
Tulliallan 13 115.35x
Galston 12 39.56x
Kilsyth 12 34.43x
Bonhill 11 17.21x
Colinton 11 49.71x
Dunoon Kilmun 11 34.19x
Kilmadock 11 71.94x
Markinch 11 36.94x
Muiravonside 11 79.25x
Dundee 10 1.95x
Eastwood 10 14.14x
Temple 10 126.74x
Tillicoultry 10 36.74x
Kinghorn 9 48.34x
Kirkintilloch 9 16.64x
Larbert 9 27.55x
Newchurch 9 6.26x
Old Cumnock 9 36.45x
Peebles 9 43.69x
Duddingston 8 20.08x
Dysart 8 13.54x
Galashiels 8 16.14x
Kilmallie 8 37.70x
Methven 8 82.05x
Sorn 8 36.73x
Aberdour 7 64.75x
Cambusnethan 7 6.58x
Kilmonivaig 7 71.28x
Knapdale South 7 49.40x
Maryhill 7 7.46x
Neilston 7 12.14x
Penninghame 7 34.88x
Turriff 7 31.60x
Belhelvie 6 63.97x
Crosscanonby 6 14.22x
Culross 6 104.17x
Denny 6 20.64x
Edinburgh Canongate 6 11.88x
Keir 6 158.31x
Melrose 6 17.78x
Tarves 6 46.23x
Urr 6 21.51x
Walsall Foreign 6 2.32x
Alva 5 19.18x
Ardrossan 5 13.02x
Dundonald 5 12.23x
Inverkeithing 5 37.82x
Jura 5 124.07x
Kelton 5 28.38x
Kirkpatrick Juxta 5 93.46x
Leeds 5 0.60x
Logie 5 252.53x
Maybole 5 14.81x
Mortlach 5 33.31x
Paisley High Church 5 5.47x
Roseneath 5 65.45x
Terregles 5 210.08x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 6
John 5
William 3
Adam 2
David 2
Edward 2
James 2
Robert 2
Andrew 1
Geo 1
George 1
Harry 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Mathew 1
Wallace 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 Rankine households.

FAQ

Rankine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rankine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,525 people were recorded with the Rankine surname. That placed it at #2,757 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rankine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,343 in 2016. That gives Rankine a modern rank of #4,491.

What does the Rankine surname mean?

Name borne by an early immigrant to Scotland who came to farm land.

What does the Rankine map show?

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