NameCensus.

UK surname

Salmond

An occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "salmoner", referring to a salmon seller or fishmonger.

In the 1881 census there were 632 people recorded with the Salmond surname, ranking it #5,612 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 556, ranked #9,217, down from #5,612 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn, Wemyss and Crieff North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Salmond is 692 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.0%.

1881 census count

632

Ranked #5,612

Modern count

556

2016, ranked #9,217

Peak year

1901

692 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Salmond had 632 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,612 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 556 in 2016, ranked #9,217.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 692 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Salmond surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Salmond surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Salmond 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 478 #5,213
1861 historical 498 #5,253
1881 historical 632 #5,612
1891 historical 682 #5,739
1901 historical 692 #6,345
1911 historical 157 #17,348
1997 modern 529 #8,923
1998 modern 543 #9,010
1999 modern 540 #9,107
2000 modern 545 #9,017
2001 modern 530 #9,055
2002 modern 531 #9,227
2003 modern 513 #9,314
2004 modern 509 #9,390
2005 modern 510 #9,317
2006 modern 507 #9,386
2007 modern 513 #9,393
2008 modern 512 #9,470
2009 modern 536 #9,356
2010 modern 549 #9,380
2011 modern 551 #9,251
2012 modern 531 #9,431
2013 modern 544 #9,420
2014 modern 545 #9,461
2015 modern 543 #9,419
2016 modern 556 #9,217

Geography

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Where Salmonds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn, Wemyss, Crieff North, New Town West and Whitburn Central. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn Fife
2 Wemyss Fife
3 Crieff North Perth and Kinross
4 New Town West City of Edinburgh
5 Whitburn Central West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Salmond

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Salmond

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Salmond is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Salmond 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

Salmond falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Salmond

The surname Salmond has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French words "saumon" or "salmun," which mean salmon. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a river or location where salmon were abundant or to someone who worked as a salmon fisherman or trader.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls documenting those who swore fealty to King Edward I of England after his invasion of Scotland. The name is listed as "Salmounde" in these rolls.

The Salmond surname can also be traced back to the town of Salmund in Fifeshire, Scotland, which is thought to have been named after an early inhabitant or landowner with the name. The town's name has evolved over time, appearing as "Saumondisfield" in the 13th century and "Salmundy" in the 16th century.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Salmond was appointed as the Bishop of Brechin, an ancient cathedral city in Angus, Scotland. He held this position from 1347 until his death in 1368.

During the 16th century, a man named James Salmond was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1520. He became a prominent scholar and served as the Principal of the University of Aberdeen from 1568 until his death in 1585.

In the 17th century, another notable figure with the surname Salmond was Sir William Salmond, who was born in Edinburgh in 1620. He was a lawyer and judge, and served as the Lord Justice Clerk of Scotland from 1689 until his death in 1700.

In the 18th century, a man named Robert Salmond was born in Peterhead, Scotland, in 1745. He was a successful merchant and shipowner, and played a significant role in the development of the town's fishing and shipping industries.

In the 19th century, a minister named Charles Salmond was born in Aberdeen in 1820. He served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1877 and was known for his influential writings on theology and church affairs.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Salmond families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Salmond 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. Angus leads with 136 Salmonds recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.89x.

County Total Index
Angus 136 23.89x
Fife 82 22.54x
Lanarkshire 70 3.52x
Midlothian 48 5.83x
Perthshire 42 15.23x
Yorkshire 30 0.49x
Middlesex 29 0.47x
Aberdeenshire 25 4.39x
Stirlingshire 19 8.38x
West Lothian 19 20.53x
Gloucestershire 16 1.33x
Renfrewshire 16 3.36x
Lancashire 13 0.18x
Nottinghamshire 11 1.33x
Dunbartonshire 10 6.06x
Warwickshire 10 0.65x
Somerset 9 0.91x
Kincardineshire 6 8.02x
Ayrshire 5 1.09x
Berkshire 5 1.08x
Dumfriesshire 5 3.68x
Roxburghshire 4 3.59x
Surrey 4 0.13x
Lincolnshire 3 0.31x
Northumberland 3 0.33x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.54x
Norfolk 2 0.21x
Berwickshire 1 1.34x
Flintshire 1 0.61x
Kent 1 0.05x
Peeblesshire 1 3.46x
Ross-shire 1 0.59x
Royal Navy 1 1.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wemyss in Fife leads with 42 Salmonds recorded in 1881 and an index of 272.90x.

Place Total Index
Wemyss 42 272.90x
Barony 34 6.76x
Dundee 32 15.06x
St Vigeans 24 78.10x
Glasgow 20 5.67x
Aberdeen Old Machar 17 14.31x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 16 4.83x
Linlithgow 15 126.37x
Islington London 14 2.35x
Arbroath 13 68.89x
Old Monkland 12 15.21x
Holy Trinity 11 7.51x
Inverkeillor 10 283.29x
Slamannan 10 80.58x
Markinch 9 72.87x
Warwick St Nicholas 9 79.16x
Cathcart 8 31.04x
Forfar 8 25.95x
Liff Benvie 8 9.26x
Scoonie 8 101.52x
Bedminster 7 7.53x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 12.09x
Bristol St James St Paul 7 17.42x
Collace 7 813.95x
Fowlis Wester 7 297.87x
Inchinnan 7 654.21x
Inverarity 7 382.51x
Mains 7 144.63x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 6 5.63x
Auchterarder 6 77.92x
Auchtergaven 6 129.87x
Bristol St James In 6 33.86x
Dunfermline 6 10.73x
Edinburgh Greenside 6 55.15x
Guthrie 6 645.16x
Kensington London 6 1.76x
Mansfield 6 20.94x
Abbotshall 5 36.79x
Beenham 5 450.45x
Duddingston 5 30.25x
Edinburgh St Georges 5 29.26x
Hornsea 5 129.53x
Inveresk 5 22.43x
Kinnettles 5 617.28x
Kinnoull 5 68.97x
Moffat 5 80.65x
Old Kilpatrick 5 25.61x
Pinxton 5 102.25x
South Leith 5 5.40x
Stirling 5 17.49x
Durris 4 186.92x
Kirkintilloch 4 17.83x
Leslie 4 43.43x
Penge 4 10.19x
St Marylebone London 4 1.22x
Sutton Stoneferry 4 22.96x
Whitburn 4 29.92x
Dysart 3 12.24x
Edinburgh Newington 3 204.08x
Govan 3 0.61x
Keighley 3 4.62x
Kirkcaldy 3 16.63x
Melrose 3 31.19x
Montrose 3 8.70x
Penicuik 3 26.81x
Perth St Pauls 3 46.95x
Polmont 3 35.84x
Tealing 3 188.68x
Walmersley Cum 3 25.75x
Westgate 3 5.30x
Aberlemno 2 95.24x
Bingley 2 5.16x
Bristol St Peter 2 46.40x
Burton Pidsea 2 270.27x
Gately 2 625.00x
Hackney London 2 0.58x
Kirkdale 2 1.63x
Kirkden 2 56.18x
Taunton St James 2 13.86x
Upton Cum Chalvey 2 13.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 10
James 8
John 6
George 5
Robert 5
David 4
Thomas 4
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alexr. 1
Charles 1
Ernest 1
Henry 1
Hy. 1
Jim 1
Jno. 1
Kenneth 1
Leonara 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Thos. 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Salmond surname: questions and answers

How common was the Salmond surname in 1881?

In 1881, 632 people were recorded with the Salmond surname. That placed it at #5,612 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Salmond surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 556 in 2016. That gives Salmond a modern rank of #9,217.

What does the Salmond surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "salmoner", referring to a salmon seller or fishmonger.

What does the Salmond map show?

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