NameCensus.

UK surname

Rutherford

A habitational surname derived from places in the Scottish Borders, Northern England, and elsewhere, meaning "cattle river crossing."

In the 1881 census there were 7,331 people recorded with the Rutherford surname, ranking it #585 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,504, ranked #676, down from #585 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Hawick and Wilton and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland and North Tyneside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rutherford is 9,770 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.6%.

1881 census count

7,331

Ranked #585

Modern count

9,504

2016, ranked #676

Peak year

2010

9,770 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rutherford had 7,331 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #585 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,504 in 2016, ranked #676.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,732 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Rutherford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rutherford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rutherford 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 5,082 #544
1861 historical 5,411 #513
1881 historical 7,331 #585
1891 historical 7,906 #561
1901 historical 8,732 #601
1911 historical 6,193 #832
1997 modern 9,258 #678
1998 modern 9,514 #687
1999 modern 9,602 #686
2000 modern 9,542 #686
2001 modern 9,425 #678
2002 modern 9,689 #675
2003 modern 9,330 #687
2004 modern 9,273 #691
2005 modern 9,158 #693
2006 modern 9,179 #687
2007 modern 9,226 #690
2008 modern 9,370 #676
2009 modern 9,555 #682
2010 modern 9,770 #677
2011 modern 9,633 #678
2012 modern 9,498 #673
2013 modern 9,600 #682
2014 modern 9,657 #680
2015 modern 9,534 #679
2016 modern 9,504 #676

Geography

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Where Rutherfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Hawick and Wilton, Gateshead, 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 Northumberland and North Tyneside. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 001 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 040 Northumberland
4 North Tyneside 004 North Tyneside
5 Northumberland 006 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rutherford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rutherford

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

Rutherford 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

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

Meaning and origin of Rutherford

The surname Rutherford has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "hryther" meaning cattle and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing, indicating that the name likely referred to a cattle crossing or a ford used by cattle herders. The name is associated with the town of Rutherford in the Scottish Borders region.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Rutherford can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish nobles who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "de Rothirford," reflecting an older spelling variation.

In the 14th century, the Rutherford family established themselves as a prominent clan in the Scottish Borders, with their ancestral seat at Rutherford Castle near the village of Maxton. The Rutherfords played a significant role in the Border Reivers, a series of raids and conflicts that took place along the Anglo-Scottish border during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Notable individuals with the surname Rutherford include Sir Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661), a Scottish Presbyterian theologian and author who was a prominent figure in the Covenanter movement. Another influential figure was Daniel Rutherford (1749-1819), a Scottish chemist and physician who discovered nitrogen gas and its role in the Earth's atmosphere.

In the field of science, Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937), a New Zealand-born British physicist, made groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of atomic structure and radioactivity. He is often referred to as the "father of nuclear physics" and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1908.

Other notable figures include Andrew Rutherford (1832-1899), a Scottish-born politician and journalist who served as the first Premier of New Zealand from 1891 to 1893, and Mark Rutherford (1832-1913), the pen name of William Hale White, an English novelist and essayist known for his works exploring themes of religion and social commentary.

The surname Rutherford has a rich history, with its roots firmly planted in the Scottish Borders region and a notable presence among influential figures across various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rutherford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rutherford 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. Northumberland leads with 1,507 Rutherfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.21x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 1,507 14.21x
Durham 1,186 5.59x
Midlothian 723 7.57x
Roxburghshire 487 37.71x
Middlesex 326 0.46x
Lancashire 307 0.36x
Yorkshire 300 0.42x
Lanarkshire 298 1.29x
Perthshire 202 6.31x
Cumberland 191 3.11x
Surrey 146 0.42x
Berwickshire 141 16.33x
Selkirkshire 130 20.16x
Fife 122 2.89x
Dumfriesshire 102 6.48x
Kent 92 0.38x
East Lothian 85 9.00x
Angus 75 1.14x
Ayrshire 71 1.33x
Warwickshire 63 0.35x
Aberdeenshire 51 0.77x
Sussex 43 0.36x
Dunbartonshire 42 2.19x
Renfrewshire 42 0.76x
Stirlingshire 42 1.60x
Cheshire 41 0.26x
Clackmannanshire 38 6.45x
Kirkcudbrightshire 34 3.29x
Kinross-shire 31 17.20x
Peeblesshire 25 7.46x
Essex 22 0.16x
Argyllshire 21 1.06x
Sutherland 21 3.83x
Nottinghamshire 20 0.21x
Banffshire 19 1.28x
Hampshire 19 0.13x
Buteshire 15 3.47x
Hertfordshire 15 0.31x
Devon 14 0.09x
Gloucestershire 14 0.10x
West Lothian 14 1.30x
Cambridgeshire 13 0.29x
Derbyshire 13 0.12x
Westmorland 13 0.83x
Lincolnshire 12 0.11x
Norfolk 11 0.10x
Bedfordshire 10 0.27x
Suffolk 10 0.12x
Somerset 8 0.07x
Wiltshire 8 0.13x
Isle of Man 7 0.53x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.21x
Caithness 6 0.61x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.17x
Kincardineshire 5 0.58x
Leicestershire 5 0.06x
Monmouthshire 5 0.10x
Oxfordshire 4 0.09x
Royal Navy 4 0.47x
Staffordshire 4 0.02x
Worcestershire 4 0.04x
Northamptonshire 3 0.04x
Shetland 3 0.41x
Berkshire 2 0.04x
Denbighshire 2 0.07x
Dorset 2 0.04x
Glamorgan 2 0.02x
Wigtownshire 2 0.21x
Cornwall 1 0.01x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 233 Rutherfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.06x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 233 6.06x
Gateshead 164 10.33x
Barony 114 1.95x
Stanhope 109 49.77x
Govan 104 1.82x
North Leith 94 21.27x
South Leith 92 8.56x
Cowpen 91 37.26x
Elswick 80 9.45x
Kelso 79 61.40x
Hawick 76 26.30x
Bishopwearmouth 75 4.12x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 74 11.68x
Westoe 74 6.15x
Newcastle On Tyne St 67 12.19x
Bedlington 56 15.81x
Newbattle 56 68.60x
Tynemouth 51 8.98x
Acomb 49 190.14x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 47 5.12x
Westgate 47 7.16x
Inveresk 46 17.79x
Jedburgh 46 36.35x
Dundee 45 1.83x
Hexham 45 27.41x
Glasgow 44 1.07x
Berwick Upon Tweed 43 19.13x
Islington London 43 0.62x
St Pancras London 43 0.75x
Wallsend 42 12.49x
Liverpool 40 0.78x
Melrose 40 35.83x
Whickham 39 19.98x
Lambeth 37 0.60x
West Derby 37 1.50x
Tweedmouth 36 27.22x
Alnwick 35 19.19x
Ancrum 35 104.54x
Byker 35 6.68x
Alston 34 30.06x
Chirton 34 14.16x
Melrose 34 20.95x
Edinburgh St Marys 33 17.78x
Byers Green 32 53.48x
Monkwearmouth Shore 32 7.73x
Selkirk 31 17.06x
Cramlington 30 21.40x
Dunfermline 30 4.62x
Roberton 30 216.76x
Aberdeen Old Machar 29 2.10x
Darlington 29 3.54x
Hackney London 29 0.73x
Sculcoates 29 2.59x
Willington 29 23.66x
Middlesbrough 28 3.04x
Stockton On Tees 28 2.74x
Dalmellington 27 17.21x
Everton 27 1.00x
Morpeth 27 21.65x
Whitworth 27 17.39x
Annan 26 19.22x
Collierley 26 27.52x
Longbenton 26 5.79x
Amble 25 51.79x
Deptford St Paul 25 1.33x
Kensington London 25 0.63x
Coldstream 24 38.42x
Auckland St Andrew 23 41.07x
Prudhoe 23 31.17x
Tranent 23 18.03x
Wilton 23 16.23x
Bishop Auckland 22 7.73x
Linthorpe 22 5.22x
Castleton 21 37.86x
Lauder 21 44.02x
St Andrews 21 10.94x
St Marylebone London 21 0.55x
Toxteth Park 20 0.70x
Caldewgate 19 5.65x
Redgorton 19 53.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 354
Elizabeth 197
Jane 169
Margaret 156
Isabella 119
Sarah 117
Ann 113
Annie 56
Alice 53
Hannah 43
Ellen 42
Emma 34
Agnes 32
Eliza 30
Catherine 29
Emily 26
Dorothy 25
Frances 24
Harriet 20
Jessie 20
Martha 19
Charlotte 17
Fanny 17
Margt. 17
Eleanor 16
Janet 15
Kate 14
Maria 13
Barbara 12
Florence 12
Susan 12
Anne 11
Edith 11
Rachel 11
Ada 9
Caroline 9
Clara 9
Louisa 9
Lucy 9
Amy 7
Elizth. 7
Esther 7
Harriett 7
Matilda 7
Ruth 7
Grace 6
Helen 6
Laura 6
Lydia 6
Rose 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 345
William 274
Thomas 236
James 163
Robert 141
George 139
Joseph 67
Henry 64
Charles 50
Andrew 37
Edward 35
David 28
Richard 26
Walter 26
Samuel 23
Alexander 22
Alfred 22
Frederick 20
Wm. 19
Peter 18
Thos. 18
Adam 17
Francis 15
Arthur 14
Michael 12
Albert 11
Mark 11
Robt. 11
Christopher 10
Geo. 10
Matthew 10
Ralph 9
Stephen 9
Ernest 8
Frank 8
Anthony 7
Archibald 7
Cuthbert 6
Simpson 6
Harry 5
Isaac 5
Daniel 4
Edwin 4
Herbert 4
Major 4
Norman 4
Septimus 4
Willm. 4
C. 3
Jno. 3

FAQ

Rutherford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rutherford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,331 people were recorded with the Rutherford surname. That placed it at #585 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rutherford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,504 in 2016. That gives Rutherford a modern rank of #676.

What does the Rutherford surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from places in the Scottish Borders, Northern England, and elsewhere, meaning "cattle river crossing."

What does the Rutherford map show?

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