NameCensus.

UK surname

Skene

An English surname derived from the Gaelic word "sgian" meaning knife or dagger.

In the 1881 census there were 742 people recorded with the Skene surname, ranking it #4,945 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 953, ranked #6,026, down from #4,945 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fyvie-Rothie, Mintlaw and Barrahill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Skene is 965 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.4%.

1881 census count

742

Ranked #4,945

Modern count

953

2016, ranked #6,026

Peak year

2015

965 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Skene had 742 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,945 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 953 in 2016, ranked #6,026.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 790 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Skene surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Skene surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Skene 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 486 #5,133
1861 historical 534 #4,920
1881 historical 742 #4,945
1891 historical 748 #5,323
1901 historical 790 #5,701
1911 historical 162 #17,003
1997 modern 873 #6,107
1998 modern 900 #6,159
1999 modern 912 #6,140
2000 modern 917 #6,095
2001 modern 891 #6,125
2002 modern 936 #6,009
2003 modern 900 #6,086
2004 modern 924 #5,956
2005 modern 926 #5,898
2006 modern 917 #5,952
2007 modern 911 #6,032
2008 modern 910 #6,083
2009 modern 933 #6,074
2010 modern 934 #6,200
2011 modern 921 #6,216
2012 modern 913 #6,184
2013 modern 938 #6,156
2014 modern 959 #6,081
2015 modern 965 #5,987
2016 modern 953 #6,026

Geography

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Where Skenes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Ellon and Fyvie. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fyvie-Rothie, Mintlaw, Barrahill, Ellon East and South Speyside and the Cabrach. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Ellon Aberdeen
5 Fyvie Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fyvie-Rothie Aberdeenshire
2 Mintlaw Aberdeenshire
3 Barrahill Aberdeenshire
4 Ellon East Aberdeenshire
5 South Speyside and the Cabrach Moray

Forenames

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First names often paired with Skene

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Skene

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Skene surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Skene household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Skene 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

Skene 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

Skene falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Skene

The surname Skene is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "sgian," which means a small knife or dagger. The name first appeared in records during the 12th century in the regions of Aberdeenshire and Banffshire in northeastern Scotland.

The earliest known bearer of the name was Walter Skene, who was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264. The Skene family was prominent in the area around the village of Skene, located a few miles west of Aberdeen, which likely gave rise to their surname.

In the 14th century, the Skenes were granted lands in the parish of Skene by King Robert III of Scotland. The Skene family crest features a hand holding a dagger, symbolizing their name's connection to the Gaelic word "sgian."

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any references to the name Skene, as it was primarily a Scottish surname at that time.

One notable bearer of the name was John Skene (1543-1617), a Scottish lawyer and writer who served as Lord Clerk Register of Scotland. He authored several legal treatises and was known for his expertise in Scottish law.

Another prominent figure was Sir Andrew Skene (1784-1838), a Scottish soldier and diplomat who served as the British consul-general in Mexico during the Mexican War of Independence.

In the literary world, Felicia Skene (1821-1899) was a Scottish writer and novelist who published works such as "The Inheritance of Evil" and "Hidden Depths."

William Forbes Skene (1809-1892) was a Scottish historian and Celtic scholar who wrote extensively on the history and literature of Scotland, including "The Highlanders of Scotland" and "Celtic Scotland: A History of Ancient Alban."

William Baillie Skene (1847-1924) was a Scottish architect who designed many notable buildings in Aberdeen, including the Art Gallery and Industrial Museum.

The surname Skene has been present in Scotland for centuries and has produced notable figures in various fields, from law and diplomacy to literature and architecture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Skene families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Skene 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 361 Skenes recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.44x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 361 54.44x
Angus 85 12.81x
Banffshire 57 38.38x
Morayshire 25 22.47x
Kincardineshire 24 27.53x
Lanarkshire 24 1.04x
Middlesex 20 0.28x
Midlothian 16 1.67x
Yorkshire 14 0.20x
Perthshire 12 3.73x
Surrey 12 0.34x
Inverness-shire 11 5.14x
Kirkcudbrightshire 8 7.72x
Lancashire 7 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 6 3.12x
Fife 6 1.42x
Northumberland 6 0.56x
Renfrewshire 6 1.08x
Somerset 6 0.52x
Ayrshire 3 0.56x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.69x
Cheshire 3 0.19x
Essex 3 0.21x
Royal Navy 3 3.52x
Argyllshire 2 1.00x
Clackmannanshire 2 3.38x
Nairnshire 2 9.15x
Oxfordshire 2 0.45x
Devon 1 0.07x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.63x
Flintshire 1 0.52x
Kent 1 0.04x
Westmorland 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 71 Skenes recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.28x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 71 51.28x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 64 51.58x
Dundee 35 14.13x
Tarland 28 975.61x
Brechin 20 76.72x
Ellon 20 219.30x
Gamrie 20 120.63x
Turriff 17 158.88x
Peterhead 15 42.77x
Keith 14 88.44x
Old Deer 14 111.38x
Montrose 13 32.34x
Fetteresso 11 80.53x
Inveravon 11 173.78x
Govan 10 1.75x
Belhelvie 9 198.68x
Coull 9 461.54x
Dewsbury 9 12.37x
Fyvie 9 83.18x
Cruden 8 93.68x
Dallas 8 353.98x
Marnoch 8 100.25x
Strichen 8 138.89x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 1.81x
Fordoun 7 143.44x
Huntly 7 64.87x
Perth East Church 7 23.10x
Slains 7 226.54x
Tarves 7 111.64x
Udny 7 174.13x
Fraserburgh 6 32.14x
Inverness 6 11.16x
Lambeth 6 0.96x
Logie Pert 6 244.90x
Monquhitter 6 87.46x
Richmond 6 12.27x
Row 6 24.11x
Rutherglen 6 17.66x
Seghill 6 114.94x
Towie 6 322.58x
Urquhart 6 114.07x
Ballingry 5 190.84x
Elgin 5 23.11x
Foveran 5 99.60x
Kelton 5 58.75x
Knockando 5 110.62x
Liff Benvie 5 4.97x
Premnay 5 219.30x
Renfrew 5 27.29x
Wilton 5 166.67x
Ashton In Makerfield 4 16.54x
Barden In Skipton 4 416.67x
Edinburgh St Stephens 4 21.19x
Glasgow 4 0.97x
Kemnay 4 99.50x
Leochel Cushnie 4 133.78x
Westminster St John 4 4.59x
Bradwell 3 49.26x
Leyton Low 3 10.44x
Paddington London 3 1.14x
Portree 3 37.93x
Rerrick 3 67.42x
St George Hanover 3 3.21x
Tyrie 3 36.06x
Auldearn 2 62.70x
Barony 2 0.34x
Boleskine Abertarff 2 56.34x
Crieff 2 16.74x
Dunbarney 2 108.11x
Hornsey 2 2.21x
Kildrummy 2 123.46x
Kilwinning 2 11.56x
Layton With Warbreck 2 6.41x
Lochlee 2 227.27x
Logie Buchan 2 105.26x
Longside 2 25.25x
Newhills 2 14.73x
Royal Navy 2 2.74x
St Giles In Fields 2 8.10x
St Luke London 2 1.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 7
Mary 7
Margaret 3
Ann 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Sophia 2
Adelaide 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Carloine 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Fany 1
Florence 1
Ina 1
Isabella 1
Laura 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Maggie 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Phillis 1
Rhoda 1
Sarah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
John 6
James 5
George 3
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Blanchard 1
Charles 1
David 1
Edward 1
Henson 1
Philip 1
Raymond 1
Rowland 1

FAQ

Skene surname: questions and answers

How common was the Skene surname in 1881?

In 1881, 742 people were recorded with the Skene surname. That placed it at #4,945 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Skene surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 953 in 2016. That gives Skene a modern rank of #6,026.

What does the Skene surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Gaelic word "sgian" meaning knife or dagger.

What does the Skene map show?

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