NameCensus.

UK surname

Scoular

Origin is likely Scottish, possibly a corrupted form of "scholar" or related to a Gaelic word meaning "bright" or "student."

In the 1881 census there were 380 people recorded with the Scoular surname, ranking it #8,249 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 678, ranked #7,909, up from #8,249 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Mid Calder. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Niddrie, Altonhill North and Onthank and Machars South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Scoular is 715 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 78.4%.

1881 census count

380

Ranked #8,249

Modern count

678

2016, ranked #7,909

Peak year

2010

715 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Scoular had 380 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,249 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 678 in 2016, ranked #7,909.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 453 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Scoular surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Scoular surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Scoular 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 240 #9,068
1861 historical 297 #8,508
1881 historical 380 #8,249
1891 historical 362 #9,569
1901 historical 453 #8,671
1911 historical 64 #26,435
1997 modern 632 #7,843
1998 modern 645 #7,957
1999 modern 659 #7,866
2000 modern 652 #7,916
2001 modern 627 #8,005
2002 modern 661 #7,847
2003 modern 619 #8,134
2004 modern 649 #7,852
2005 modern 639 #7,879
2006 modern 626 #8,029
2007 modern 661 #7,764
2008 modern 681 #7,644
2009 modern 690 #7,729
2010 modern 715 #7,656
2011 modern 699 #7,701
2012 modern 657 #8,004
2013 modern 671 #7,997
2014 modern 686 #7,905
2015 modern 671 #7,984
2016 modern 678 #7,909

Geography

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Where Scoulars are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Niddrie, Altonhill North and Onthank, Machars South, Earlston and Hurlford Rural and Bellfield and Kirkstyle. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Mid Calder Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Kilmarnock Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Niddrie City of Edinburgh
2 Altonhill North and Onthank East Ayrshire
3 Machars South Dumfries and Galloway
4 Earlston and Hurlford Rural East Ayrshire
5 Bellfield and Kirkstyle East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Scoular

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Scoular

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

European Enclaves

Within London, Scoular is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Scoular is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Scoular 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 Scoular is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Scoular

The surname Scoular is believed to have originated in Scotland, likely in the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "sküli," which means "scholar" or "student." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive term for someone who was educated or studied at a monastery or church school.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Scoular can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of instruments of homage and fealty to King Edward I of England from Scottish nobles and landowners in 1296. In these rolls, the name appears as "Scolour" and "Scoloure."

Another early reference is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the 14th century, where the name is spelled "Scolouyr." This record indicates that the Scoulars were landowners or tenants who paid taxes or rents to the Scottish Crown.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various spellings, such as "Scoular," "Scoloar," and "Scollair," in records from the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the counties of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire.

One notable figure bearing the Scoular surname was John Scoular (c. 1570-1640), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the minister of Govan Parish Church in Renfrewshire. He was known for his involvement in the debates surrounding the Scottish Reformation and was a strong advocate for Presbyterian governance in the Church of Scotland.

Another prominent Scoular was William Scoular (1766-1834), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist from Glasgow. He made a significant fortune in the tobacco trade and used his wealth to support various charitable causes, including the establishment of Scoular's Free School in Paisley, which provided education for underprivileged children.

In the 19th century, the Scoular name appeared in the records of Scottish emigrants to North America and other parts of the British Empire. One such individual was James Scoular (1822-1901), a Scottish-born farmer and businessman who settled in Ontario, Canada, and became a prominent figure in the local community.

Other notable Scoulars include Robert Scoular (1846-1920), a Scottish-born architect who designed several notable buildings in Glasgow, and John Scoular (1918-2005), a Scottish actor and writer best known for his roles in films such as "Whisky Galore!" and "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie."

While the Scoular surname is most prevalent in Scotland and areas with Scottish diaspora communities, it can also be found in other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond, likely due to migration and intermarriage over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Scoular families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Scoular 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 131 Scoulars recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.93x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 131 10.93x
Ayrshire 76 27.40x
Midlothian 48 9.67x
Renfrewshire 18 6.27x
Argyllshire 14 13.57x
Stirlingshire 14 10.24x
Cumberland 13 4.07x
Dunbartonshire 12 12.05x
Berwickshire 8 17.82x
Perthshire 8 4.81x
Fife 7 3.19x
Durham 6 0.54x
Northumberland 6 1.09x
West Lothian 6 10.75x
East Lothian 5 10.18x
Clackmannanshire 3 9.80x
Kent 3 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.85x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kilmarnock in Ayrshire leads with 37 Scoulars recorded in 1881 and an index of 112.05x.

Place Total Index
Kilmarnock 37 112.05x
Govan 34 11.47x
Barony 22 7.25x
Mid Calder 14 651.16x
Carluke 12 110.19x
Old Monkland 12 25.23x
Paisley Middle Church 11 65.79x
Avondale 10 142.65x
Kirknewton East 10 480.77x
Fenwick 9 612.24x
Galston 9 118.58x
North Leith 9 39.16x
Cambuslang 8 66.17x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 4.00x
Kippen 8 434.78x
Bonhill 7 43.78x
St Cuthbert W O 7 44.99x
Ancroft 6 309.28x
Ayr 6 45.84x
Cambusnethan 6 22.54x
Dalziel 6 46.51x
Kilfinan 6 218.18x
Kilmadock 6 156.66x
Morven 6 560.75x
Rutherglen 6 34.11x
Campsie 5 66.67x
Coldingham 5 124.07x
Garvald 5 515.46x
Stonehouse 5 122.85x
Cathcart 4 25.74x
Dalmeny 4 187.79x
Ferry Port On Craig 4 110.80x
Glasgow 4 1.88x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 18.58x
Stewarton 4 72.86x
Ardrossan 3 31.25x
Clackmannan 3 51.81x
Cleator 3 22.59x
Cupar 3 31.45x
Greenwich 3 5.08x
Old Kilpatrick 3 25.49x
Preston Quarter 3 33.56x
Riccarton 3 71.77x
South Leith 3 5.37x
Bathgate 2 16.50x
Bishopwearmouth 2 2.11x
Covington 2 357.14x
Dunse 2 46.95x
Kilmore Kilbride 2 30.53x
Leith North 2 210.53x
Lesmahagow 2 15.77x
West Kilbride 2 75.76x
Wisbech St Peter 2 16.99x
Auchterarder 1 21.55x
Blantyre 1 8.01x
Dreghorn 1 19.92x
Dumbarton 1 7.22x
Edinburgh St Stephens 1 10.24x
Hutton 1 81.30x
Irvine 1 12.97x
Kilwinning 1 11.16x
Lanark 1 10.36x
Larbert 1 12.24x
Leith South 1 147.06x
Mearns 1 19.88x
Paisley High Church 1 4.37x
Row 1 7.76x
Tulliallan 1 35.46x
West Greenock 1 1.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
James 5
George 3
Alexander 1
Harold 1
John 1
Thomas 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 Scoular households.

FAQ

Scoular surname: questions and answers

How common was the Scoular surname in 1881?

In 1881, 380 people were recorded with the Scoular surname. That placed it at #8,249 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Scoular surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 678 in 2016. That gives Scoular a modern rank of #7,909.

What does the Scoular surname mean?

Origin is likely Scottish, possibly a corrupted form of "scholar" or related to a Gaelic word meaning "bright" or "student."

What does the Scoular map show?

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