NameCensus.

UK surname

Scottsmith

A double-barreled surname combining the occupational "Scott" referring to a Scotsman and "Smith" referring to a metalworker or blacksmith.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Teignbridge, Restalrig (Loganlea) and Craigentinny West and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Scottsmith is 127 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

2012

127 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Scottsmith surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Scottsmith surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Scottsmith 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
1901 historical 8 #33,289
1911 historical 6 #33,255
1997 modern 86 #28,876
1998 modern 92 #28,680
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 99 #27,845
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 103 #27,234
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 106 #27,044
2006 modern 115 #25,969
2007 modern 108 #27,391
2008 modern 110 #27,391
2009 modern 113 #27,520
2010 modern 108 #28,996
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 127 #25,992
2013 modern 118 #27,686
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 114 #28,478
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Scottsmiths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Teignbridge, Restalrig (Loganlea) and Craigentinny West, Central Bedfordshire, Stevenage and Sevenoaks. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Teignbridge 001 Teignbridge
2 Restalrig (Loganlea) and Craigentinny West City of Edinburgh
3 Central Bedfordshire 017 Central Bedfordshire
4 Stevenage 005 Stevenage
5 Sevenoaks 015 Sevenoaks

Forenames

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First names often paired with Scottsmith

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Scottsmith

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Scottsmith surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Scottsmith 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Scottsmith 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

Scottsmith is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Scottsmith falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Scottsmith is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Scottsmith, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Scottsmith

The surname SCOTTSMITH has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the late 13th century. It is a double-barrelled surname, combining two occupational surnames – SCOTT, referring to someone of Scottish descent, and SMITH, referring to a metalworker or blacksmith.

The name SCOTTSMITH likely emerged as a way to distinguish between different families or individuals with the more common surname SMITH. The prefix "Scott" was added to indicate that the bearer was of Scottish heritage or had ties to Scotland. This practice of combining surnames became more prevalent in the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SCOTTSMITH can be found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, dated 1275, which mentions a Robert Scottesmyth. In the 14th century, the surname appears in various spellings, such as Scottysmyth and Scottismyth, reflecting the evolving nature of surnames during that time.

In the 15th century, the SCOTTSMITH surname was present in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. Notable individuals from this period include John Scottesmyth, who was mentioned in the Rotuli Parliamentorum (Rolls of Parliament) in 1429, and William Scottesmyth, who was recorded in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1459.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the SCOTTSMITH surname continued to be prominent, particularly in the northern regions of England. One notable figure was Sir Edward Scottsmith (1562-1638), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London. Another was John Scottsmith (1617-1674), a Puritan minister and author who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Stamford.

In the 18th century, the SCOTTSMITH surname spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. James Scottsmith (1720-1786) was a Scottish poet and playwright who lived in Edinburgh, while Thomas Scottsmith (1745-1821) was an English-born settler in Virginia who fought in the American Revolutionary War.

Other notable individuals with the SCOTTSMITH surname include William Scottsmith (1801-1879), an English architect and surveyor who designed several churches and public buildings in London, and Mary Scottsmith (1854-1932), a Canadian author and journalist who wrote extensively on social and feminist issues.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Scottsmith surname: questions and answers

How common is the Scottsmith surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Scottsmith a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Scottsmith surname mean?

A double-barreled surname combining the occupational "Scott" referring to a Scotsman and "Smith" referring to a metalworker or blacksmith.

What does the Scottsmith map show?

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