NameCensus.

UK surname

Scot

In the 1881 census there were 339 people recorded with the Scot surname, ranking it #8,948 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 104, ranked #30,317, down from #8,948 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Denny, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ04, Lambeth and Trafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Scot is 730 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 69.3%.

1881 census count

339

Ranked #8,948

Modern count

104

2016, ranked #30,317

Peak year

1851

730 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Scot had 339 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,948 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016, ranked #30,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 730 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Scot surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Scot surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Scot 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 730 #3,598
1861 historical 690 #3,907
1881 historical 339 #8,948
1891 historical 294 #11,288
1901 historical 151 #17,988
1911 historical 168 #16,620
1997 modern 84 #29,106
1998 modern 68 #31,181
1999 modern 74 #30,759
2000 modern 60 #32,124
2001 modern 45 #33,401
2002 modern 50 #33,282
2003 modern 45 #33,803
2004 modern 48 #33,742
2005 modern 52 #33,619
2006 modern 43 #34,647
2007 modern 47 #34,558
2008 modern 54 #34,232
2009 modern 59 #34,072
2010 modern 65 #33,863
2011 modern 70 #33,465
2012 modern 71 #33,573
2013 modern 91 #32,020
2014 modern 96 #31,667
2015 modern 98 #31,342
2016 modern 104 #30,317

Geography

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Where Scots are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Denny, Edinburgh, Manchester, Cherhill and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ04, Lambeth, Trafford, Blackpool and Herefordshire. 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 Denny Stirling
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Cherhill Wiltshire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ04 West Dunbartonshire
2 Lambeth 021 Lambeth
3 Trafford 009 Trafford
4 Blackpool 006 Blackpool
5 Herefordshire 019 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Scot

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Scot

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Scot, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Scot surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Scot household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Scot 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

Scot is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Scot families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Scot 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. Lancashire leads with 35 Scots recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.92x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 35 0.92x
Yorkshire 33 1.03x
Midlothian 26 6.03x
Perthshire 17 11.77x
Middlesex 15 0.47x
Durham 14 1.46x
Essex 14 2.20x
Ayrshire 11 4.57x
Northumberland 11 2.30x
Lanarkshire 9 0.86x
Selkirkshire 9 30.91x
Surrey 9 0.57x
Kent 8 0.73x
Renfrewshire 8 3.21x
Suffolk 8 2.04x
Lincolnshire 7 1.36x
Cardiganshire 6 7.64x
Morayshire 6 12.00x
Angus 5 1.68x
Gloucestershire 5 0.79x
Aberdeenshire 4 1.34x
Banffshire 4 5.99x
Cheshire 4 0.56x
Devon 4 0.60x
Dunbartonshire 4 4.62x
Glamorgan 4 0.71x
Leicestershire 4 1.12x
Norfolk 4 0.81x
Berwickshire 3 7.70x
Cornwall 3 0.82x
Cumberland 3 1.08x
Derbyshire 3 0.60x
Nairnshire 3 30.52x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.69x
Fife 2 1.05x
Hampshire 2 0.30x
Inverness-shire 2 2.08x
Kincardineshire 2 5.10x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 4.29x
Stirlingshire 2 1.68x
Anglesey 1 1.75x
Argyllshire 1 1.12x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.51x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.49x
Dumfriesshire 1 1.41x
East Lothian 1 2.35x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.56x
Peeblesshire 1 6.61x
Ross-shire 1 1.13x
Somerset 1 0.19x
Wiltshire 1 0.35x
Worcestershire 1 0.24x

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 12 Scots recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.92x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 12 6.92x
Benwell 9 171.76x
Galashiels 9 83.57x
Methven 8 377.36x
Paisley Low Church 8 101.27x
Parr 8 58.52x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 16.88x
Helmingham 7 1891.89x
Temple 7 409.36x
Tulliallan 7 285.71x
Barrow In Furness 6 11.55x
Blaenpenal 6 983.61x
Galston 6 91.05x
Hulme 6 7.52x
Urquhart 6 254.24x
East Ham 5 42.41x
Govan 5 1.94x
Preston 5 4.89x
Barton Turf 4 1025.64x
Borthwick 4 207.25x
Bottesford 4 1052.63x
Boyndie 4 181.00x
Dewsbury 4 12.22x
Huddersfield 4 8.61x
Marske In Guisbrough 4 70.67x
Merthyr Tydfil 4 7.43x
Penge 4 19.46x
St Pancras London 4 1.54x
Stoke Damerel 4 8.53x
West Ham 4 2.85x
Westbury On Severn East 4 28.03x
Whickham 4 45.40x
Beith 3 41.72x
Cheadle 3 22.11x
Islington London 3 0.96x
Nairn 3 50.34x
Ormesby 3 35.01x
Row 3 26.81x
Wadsworth 3 57.80x
Warrington 3 6.63x
Windle 3 13.96x
Withington 3 24.39x
Bothwell 2 7.08x
Brightside Bierlow 2 3.20x
Coupar Angus 2 70.92x
Dunnottar 2 72.46x
Eccles 2 116.96x
Faversham 2 19.10x
Follifoot 2 363.64x
Greenwich 2 3.90x
Hartlepool 2 14.70x
Lambeth 2 0.71x
Leeds 2 1.11x
Leicester St Mary 2 6.93x
Liff Benvie 2 4.42x
St Andrew Holborn 2 18.33x
St George Hanover 2 4.76x
Uny Lelant 2 101.52x
Whitehaven 2 13.54x
Blackrod 1 21.05x
Broughton 1 400.00x
Cold Newton 1 500.00x
Ealing 1 3.48x
Forest Frith 1 119.05x
Inveresk 1 8.56x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.15x
Lyndhurst 1 55.25x
Mansfield Woodhouse 1 34.60x
Markinch 1 15.46x
Newton On Ayr 1 13.85x
Patrington 1 66.23x
Prittlewell 1 11.35x
Ratho 1 49.75x
Rotherhithe 1 2.51x
St George In East 1 4.57x
Sturmere 1 243.90x
Tyrie 1 26.74x
Westbury On Trym 1 4.68x
Wivenhoe 1 39.68x
Woodbridge 1 19.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 14
George 12
James 12
John 12
Thomas 9
Edward 5
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Joseph 3
Alexander 2
Henry 2
Peter 2
Robert 2
Wm. 2
Alexr. 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Elijah 1
Evan 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Hannah 1
Harrison 1
Jakob 1
Joe 1
Johny 1
Michael 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Ralfe 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Silas 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Scot surname: questions and answers

How common was the Scot surname in 1881?

In 1881, 339 people were recorded with the Scot surname. That placed it at #8,948 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Scot surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016. That gives Scot a modern rank of #30,317.

What does the Scot map show?

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