NameCensus.

UK surname

Skilling

An occupational surname derived from the word "skill", likely referring to one who was particularly adept or skillful.

In the 1881 census there were 299 people recorded with the Skilling surname, ranking it #9,740 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 704, ranked #7,672, up from #9,740 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Girvan, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shortlees, Girvan Ailsa and Carrick South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Skilling is 712 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 135.5%.

1881 census count

299

Ranked #9,740

Modern count

704

2016, ranked #7,672

Peak year

2010

712 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Skilling had 299 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,740 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 704 in 2016, ranked #7,672.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 449 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Skilling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Skilling surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Skilling 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 180 #11,300
1861 historical 166 #14,039
1881 historical 299 #9,740
1891 historical 383 #9,178
1901 historical 449 #8,717
1911 historical 253 #12,776
1997 modern 658 #7,596
1998 modern 667 #7,764
1999 modern 674 #7,733
2000 modern 659 #7,852
2001 modern 637 #7,904
2002 modern 662 #7,839
2003 modern 643 #7,885
2004 modern 660 #7,748
2005 modern 671 #7,593
2006 modern 666 #7,659
2007 modern 670 #7,695
2008 modern 661 #7,805
2009 modern 682 #7,806
2010 modern 712 #7,679
2011 modern 699 #7,701
2012 modern 674 #7,852
2013 modern 695 #7,763
2014 modern 710 #7,687
2015 modern 696 #7,745
2016 modern 704 #7,672

Geography

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Where Skillings are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Shortlees, Girvan Ailsa, Carrick South, Tendring and Girvan Glendoune. 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 Girvan Ayr
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Cummertrees Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shortlees East Ayrshire
2 Girvan Ailsa South Ayrshire
3 Carrick South South Ayrshire
4 Tendring 008 Tendring
5 Girvan Glendoune South Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Skilling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Skilling

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Skilling is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Skilling 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

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

Meaning and origin of Skilling

The surname Skilling originated in England in the late medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "scylling," meaning a shilling or a coin. This suggests that the name may have been an occupational one, referring to someone who worked with coins or as a moneylender.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with one of the earliest recorded instances being Robert le Skylling, mentioned in the Rotuli Hundredorum records of Oxfordshire in 1279. The use of the "le" prefix in this early spelling indicates that the name was originally a descriptive one.

Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, including Skilling, Skillin, Skillen, and Skyllynge. These variations can be found in historical records across different regions of England, particularly in the counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Somerset.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Inquisitiones post Mortem records of Somerset, where a John Skilling was mentioned in 1357. This suggests that the name had become established as a hereditary surname by that point.

One notable individual bearing this surname was John Skilling, a 16th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Bristol from 1554 to 1563. He played a significant role in the English Reformation under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another historical figure was Sir William Skilling, a 17th-century English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1637. He was known for his involvement in the Virginia Company, which established the first permanent English settlement in North America at Jamestown.

In the 18th century, the name appeared in the records of the East India Company, with a John Skilling serving as a captain in the company's maritime fleet. He was noted for his voyages to India and the Far East in the 1760s.

In the 19th century, a prominent bearer of the Skilling surname was Samuel Skilling, a British engineer and inventor born in 1812. He is credited with the development of several innovative designs for water pumps and mining equipment, which were widely used in the industrial revolution.

Finally, one of the most well-known individuals with this surname was Jeffrey Skilling, an American businessman born in 1953. He rose to prominence as the CEO of Enron Corporation but was later convicted of insider trading and securities fraud in the aftermath of the company's notorious accounting scandal in the early 2000s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Skilling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Skilling 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 58 Skillings recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.13x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 58 6.13x
Lancashire 40 1.15x
Dumfriesshire 39 60.33x
Ayrshire 30 13.70x
Midlothian 24 6.12x
Middlesex 15 0.51x
Renfrewshire 13 5.73x
Somerset 10 2.12x
Durham 9 1.03x
Surrey 9 0.63x
Kent 8 0.80x
Cheshire 7 1.08x
Cumberland 7 2.78x
Norfolk 7 1.56x
Wigtownshire 7 18.01x
Glamorgan 5 0.98x
Roxburghshire 3 5.66x
Yorkshire 3 0.10x
Angus 1 0.37x
Devon 1 0.16x
Hampshire 1 0.17x
Isle of Man 1 1.84x
Shropshire 1 0.40x
Stirlingshire 1 0.93x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 28 Skillings recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.69x.

Place Total Index
Barony 28 11.69x
Everton 17 15.36x
Govan 17 7.26x
Cummertrees 15 1363.64x
Islington London 11 3.88x
Ballantrae 10 689.66x
Bishopwearmouth 9 12.04x
Middle Greenock 8 129.24x
Coylton 7 225.08x
Dornock 7 853.66x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 4.44x
Glasgow 7 4.17x
Keynsham 7 207.10x
North Leith 7 38.59x
St Cuthbert Within 7 239.73x
Cambusnethan 6 28.54x
Deptford St Paul 6 7.79x
Old Cumnock 6 122.95x
Ulverston 6 59.35x
Durrisdeer 5 450.45x
Edinburgh St Georges 5 61.43x
Haslingden 5 34.77x
Kirkpatrick Fleming 5 337.84x
Liverpool 5 2.37x
Maybole 5 74.96x
Mitcham 5 55.49x
Wigtown 5 225.23x
Ystradyfodwg 5 11.19x
Applegarth 4 408.16x
Edinburgh Canongate 4 40.08x
Hempstead 4 952.38x
Liscard 4 34.36x
Manchester 4 2.56x
Bedminster 3 6.78x
Hawick 3 25.30x
Mearns 3 75.57x
Lymm 2 42.55x
Merrow 2 333.33x
Stanghow 2 170.94x
Walmer 2 46.08x
Whithorn 2 67.57x
Wigan 2 4.12x
Ashwicken 1 1000.00x
Barr 1 166.67x
Billington 1 70.42x
Chertsey 1 10.86x
Closeburn 1 66.23x
Dundee 1 0.99x
East Stonehouse 1 8.33x
Girvan 1 18.18x
Glencairn 1 57.47x
Honingham 1 294.12x
Kensington London 1 0.61x
Kilbarchan 1 14.51x
Larbert 1 15.50x
Lyng 1 196.08x
Maughold 1 23.87x
Morton 1 46.51x
Paisley High Church 1 5.54x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 1 13.46x
Sculcoates 1 2.17x
Shrewsbury St Mary 1 10.02x
South Leith 1 2.27x
Southampton St Mary 1 2.65x
St George Bloomsbury 1 5.96x
St Giles In Fields 1 9.91x
St Pancras London 1 0.42x
Weybridge 1 32.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Eliza 5
Margaret 5
Ann 3
Barbara 3
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Martha 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Betsy 1
Eliz. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Kate 1
Louise 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
May 1
Sarah 1
Susie 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 11
Robert 4
Albert 3
Andrew 3
Charles 3
Edward 3
George 3
Arthur 2
Francis 2
Samuel 2
Adam 1
Alfred 1
Hugh 1
James 1
Julius 1
Octavius 1
Richard 1
Stephen 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1
Willing 1

FAQ

Skilling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Skilling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 299 people were recorded with the Skilling surname. That placed it at #9,740 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Skilling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 704 in 2016. That gives Skilling a modern rank of #7,672.

What does the Skilling surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the word "skill", likely referring to one who was particularly adept or skillful.

What does the Skilling map show?

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