NameCensus.

UK surname

Scrimgeour

A Scottish surname referring to one who was skirmish-loving or quick to engage in battle.

In the 1881 census there were 464 people recorded with the Scrimgeour surname, ranking it #7,157 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 576, ranked #8,983, down from #7,157 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dull, Methven and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee, Lochee and Hilltown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Scrimgeour is 644 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.1%.

1881 census count

464

Ranked #7,157

Modern count

576

2016, ranked #8,983

Peak year

1901

644 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Scrimgeour had 464 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,157 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 576 in 2016, ranked #8,983.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 644 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Scrimgeour surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Scrimgeour surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Scrimgeour 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 245 #8,920
1861 historical 338 #7,541
1881 historical 464 #7,157
1891 historical 496 #7,478
1901 historical 644 #6,684
1911 historical 58 #27,001
1997 modern 541 #8,772
1998 modern 574 #8,631
1999 modern 576 #8,673
2000 modern 587 #8,532
2001 modern 549 #8,811
2002 modern 532 #9,216
2003 modern 539 #8,981
2004 modern 547 #8,897
2005 modern 558 #8,701
2006 modern 554 #8,768
2007 modern 552 #8,883
2008 modern 538 #9,115
2009 modern 558 #9,066
2010 modern 566 #9,158
2011 modern 558 #9,152
2012 modern 555 #9,103
2013 modern 570 #9,058
2014 modern 573 #9,089
2015 modern 571 #9,045
2016 modern 576 #8,983

Geography

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Where Scrimgeours are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dull, Methven, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Crieff and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee, Lochee, Hilltown, Douglas West and IZ19. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Dull Perth
2 Methven Perth
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Crieff Perth
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee Perth and Kinross
2 Lochee Dundee City
3 Hilltown Dundee City
4 Douglas West Dundee City
5 IZ19 East Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Scrimgeour

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Scrimgeour

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Scrimgeour surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Scrimgeour household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Scrimgeour 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

Scrimgeour 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

Scrimgeour falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Scrimgeour

The surname Scrimgeour originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the old Scottish term "skrymsour" which means "fencer" or "swordsman." The name likely referred to an ancestor who excelled in the art of fencing or swordsmanship.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the early 14th century when a John Scrimgeour was mentioned in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland in 1321. The name was also found in the Ragman Rolls, a series of medieval Scottish records, where it was spelled "Skrymechour" in 1296.

The Scrimgeour family was historically associated with the county of Angus in eastern Scotland, particularly the areas around the town of Dundee. The family held lands and estates in this region for several centuries, and some of their properties included the Barony of Dudhope and the lands of Inverkeilour.

In the 15th century, Sir James Scrimgeour (born around 1430) was a prominent figure who served as the Constable of Dundee and the Hereditary Standard Bearer of Scotland. He played a significant role in the Scottish Wars of Independence against the English.

Another notable Scrimgeour was Henry Scrimgeour (1505-1572), who was appointed as the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland in 1543. He was a trusted advisor to King James V and served in various administrative roles during his reign.

The name Scrimgeour is also associated with the town of Glassary in Argyll, Scotland. In the 16th century, a branch of the family known as the Scrimgeours of Glassary held lands and properties in that area.

Other notable individuals with the surname Scrimgeour include John Scrimgeour (1789-1857), a Scottish minister and author, and Frederick Henry Heriz Scrimgeour (1858-1944), a British Army officer who served in the Boer War and World War I.

Throughout history, the Scrimgeour surname has been recorded with various spellings, such as Scrymgeour, Skrymgeour, and Scrimzor, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Scrimgeour families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Scrimgeour 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. Perthshire leads with 199 Scrimgeours recorded in 1881 and an index of 98.81x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 199 98.81x
Angus 122 29.35x
Lanarkshire 49 3.38x
Lancashire 16 0.30x
Middlesex 13 0.29x
Renfrewshire 11 3.16x
Aberdeenshire 9 2.17x
Fife 8 3.01x
Midlothian 7 1.16x
Hampshire 6 0.65x
Dunbartonshire 5 4.15x
Surrey 4 0.18x
Yorkshire 4 0.09x
Peeblesshire 3 14.21x
Argyllshire 1 0.80x
Kincardineshire 1 1.83x
Kinross-shire 1 8.82x
Lincolnshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 64 Scrimgeours recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.24x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 64 41.24x
Crieff 31 413.89x
Glasgow 27 10.48x
Methven 18 610.17x
Liff Benvie 17 26.94x
Little Dunkeld 16 467.84x
Perth East Church 16 84.25x
Abbey 11 20.73x
Kensington London 11 4.41x
Kinclaven 11 1208.79x
Perth West Church 11 115.06x
Dull 10 247.52x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 9 11.58x
Bothwell 9 22.87x
Fortingall 8 311.28x
Govan 8 2.23x
Monifieth 8 54.50x
Scone 8 223.46x
St Madoes 8 1632.65x
Blairgowrie 7 87.83x
Errol 7 187.67x
Forgan 7 137.52x
Montrose 7 27.79x
Penicuik 7 85.68x
Perth Middle Church 7 92.47x
Aldershot 6 19.47x
Arbroath 6 43.54x
Fearn 6 1224.49x
Kinnel 6 555.56x
Barony 5 1.36x
Cardross 5 34.53x
Forgandenny 5 520.83x
Great Lever 5 88.50x
Kirkdale 5 5.58x
Logierait 5 140.85x
Moneydie 5 1351.35x
Alyth 4 73.80x
Auchterarder 4 71.17x
Newton 4 9.75x
Rattray 4 85.29x
Cottingham 3 31.32x
Longforgan 3 105.26x
Monzievaird Strowan 3 277.78x
Peebles 3 48.08x
Brechin 2 12.24x
Dorking 2 13.62x
Lambeth 2 0.51x
St Pancras London 2 0.55x
St Vigeans 2 8.91x
Ulverston 2 12.89x
Caputh 1 31.55x
Coupar Angus 1 25.45x
Dunning 1 39.68x
Dysart 1 5.59x
Eassie Nevay 1 116.28x
Fordoun 1 32.68x
Glassary 1 14.86x
Inchture 1 100.00x
Kenmore 1 41.67x
Kirriemuir 1 9.75x
Logie 1 13.83x
North Grimston 1 400.00x
Orwell 1 31.95x
Perth St Pauls 1 21.46x
Riseholme 1 1000.00x
Tannadice 1 51.55x
Tibbermore 1 34.60x
Trinity Gask 1 163.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 4
Elizabeth 3
Mary 3
Ethel 2
Isabella 2
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Dora 1
Elizah 1
Elizth. 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Janette 1
Lizze 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Maud 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alexander 4
John 4
James 3
William 2
Archibald 1
Barrett 1
Charles 1
Thomas 1
Walter 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 Scrimgeour households.

FAQ

Scrimgeour surname: questions and answers

How common was the Scrimgeour surname in 1881?

In 1881, 464 people were recorded with the Scrimgeour surname. That placed it at #7,157 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Scrimgeour surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 576 in 2016. That gives Scrimgeour a modern rank of #8,983.

What does the Scrimgeour surname mean?

A Scottish surname referring to one who was skirmish-loving or quick to engage in battle.

What does the Scrimgeour map show?

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