NameCensus.

UK surname

Smillie

A diminutive form of the nickname "Smiley", referring to someone with a cheerful disposition.

In the 1881 census there were 597 people recorded with the Smillie surname, ranking it #5,858 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,246, ranked #2,891, up from #5,858 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fauldhouse, Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields and Largs Central and Cumbrae.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Smillie is 2,246 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 276.2%.

1881 census count

597

Ranked #5,858

Modern count

2,246

2016, ranked #2,891

Peak year

2016

2,246 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Smillie had 597 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,858 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,246 in 2016, ranked #2,891.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 817 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Smillie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Smillie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Smillie 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 284 #7,977
1861 historical 473 #5,497
1881 historical 597 #5,858
1891 historical 678 #5,761
1901 historical 817 #5,523
1911 historical 102 #22,465
1997 modern 1,973 #3,087
1998 modern 2,051 #3,095
1999 modern 2,070 #3,100
2000 modern 2,092 #3,057
2001 modern 2,021 #3,086
2002 modern 2,060 #3,097
2003 modern 1,997 #3,118
2004 modern 2,009 #3,103
2005 modern 1,973 #3,119
2006 modern 2,022 #3,057
2007 modern 2,062 #3,035
2008 modern 2,094 #3,008
2009 modern 2,165 #3,000
2010 modern 2,243 #2,962
2011 modern 2,212 #2,961
2012 modern 2,171 #2,948
2013 modern 2,212 #2,949
2014 modern 2,226 #2,952
2015 modern 2,221 #2,923
2016 modern 2,246 #2,891

Geography

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Where Smillies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fauldhouse, Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields, Largs Central and Cumbrae, Bathgate East and IZ13. 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 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fauldhouse West Lothian
2 Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields South Ayrshire
3 Largs Central and Cumbrae North Ayrshire
4 Bathgate East West Lothian
5 IZ13 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Smillie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Smillie

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Smillie 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

Smillie 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

Smillie falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Smillie

The surname Smillie originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is a locational name derived from the lands of Smailholm, located near Kelso in the Scottish Borders region. The name is believed to stem from the Old English words "smael" meaning "narrow" and "holm" meaning "river meadow."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists the names of Scottish landowners and nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. This document mentions a "Walter de Smaylholme" from the Roxburghshire area.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as "Smailholme," "Smailhome," and "Smailhome." These variations reflect the different pronunciations and spellings used in different regions of Scotland during that time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name was more commonly spelled as "Smillie" or "Smellie." One notable figure from this period was George Smillie (c. 1580-1650), a Scottish minister and author who served as the minister of Dunkeld and Longforgan.

In the late 17th century, the Smillie family held lands in the parish of Crailing, near Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders. This is evidenced by the birth of Robert Smillie in Crailing in 1687, who later became a prominent merchant in Edinburgh.

Another notable figure was Robert Smillie (1857-1940), a Scottish trade unionist and politician who served as the President of the Scottish Miners' Federation and the Member of Parliament for Morpeth from 1923 to 1929.

William Smillie (1815-1896) was a Scottish landscape painter known for his depictions of Scottish scenery. He was born in Edinburgh and studied at the Trustees' Academy.

James Smillie (1807-1885) was a Scottish-American engraver and portrait artist who worked in New York City during the 19th century. He is particularly known for his engravings of portraits by famous American painters such as Gilbert Stuart and John Trumbull.

David Smillie (1880-1951) was a Scottish footballer who played as a forward for several clubs, including Rangers and Middlesbrough, and was capped nine times for the Scottish national team.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Smillie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Smillie 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 272 Smillies recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.51x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 272 14.51x
Ayrshire 122 28.13x
Renfrewshire 52 11.58x
Dunbartonshire 25 16.06x
Angus 20 3.73x
Stirlingshire 17 7.95x
Durham 13 0.75x
Midlothian 11 1.42x
Perthshire 10 3.85x
Argyllshire 8 4.96x
Yorkshire 8 0.14x
Middlesex 7 0.12x
Kincardineshire 6 8.50x
Wigtownshire 6 7.80x
Fife 3 0.87x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.37x
Lancashire 2 0.03x
Morayshire 2 2.22x
Northumberland 2 0.23x
West Lothian 2 2.29x
Buteshire 1 2.85x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.78x
Selkirkshire 1 1.91x
Surrey 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 72 Smillies recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.54x.

Place Total Index
Govan 72 15.54x
Barony 65 13.71x
Glasgow 52 15.63x
Dalry 28 137.19x
Shettleston 19 113.23x
Tarbolton 18 252.10x
Kilmaurs 14 189.70x
Bothwell 13 25.58x
Newton On Ayr 12 92.38x
West Greenock 12 14.89x
Cathcart 10 41.17x
Dumbarton 10 46.15x
Falkirk 10 19.99x
Dalziel 9 44.64x
Stevenston 9 79.65x
Blantyre 8 41.00x
Dundee 8 3.99x
East Greenock 8 18.87x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 2.56x
Maryhill 8 21.81x
Old Kilpatrick 8 43.48x
Kilmarnock 7 13.56x
Leeds 7 2.16x
Mauchline 7 140.56x
Old Monkland 7 9.41x
Stewarton 7 81.59x
Durris 6 297.03x
Houston Killallan 6 137.93x
Islington London 6 1.07x
Killean Kilchenzie 6 218.98x
Kilmalcolm 6 111.52x
Liff Benvie 6 7.36x
Riccarton 6 91.74x
Southwick 6 36.74x
Stranraer 6 85.23x
Monifieth 5 26.37x
Rutherglen 5 18.19x
Scone 5 108.23x
Westoe 5 5.12x
New Kilpatrick 4 27.01x
Stirling 4 14.85x
Kilmadock 3 50.17x
Lochwinnoch 3 44.84x
St Quivox 3 20.46x
Stonehouse 3 47.17x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 2 1.99x
Ardrossan 2 13.32x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.35x
Buchanan 2 183.49x
Crawford 2 57.14x
Cumbernauld 2 23.45x
Dalmeny 2 59.88x
Eastwood 2 7.23x
Elgin 2 11.42x
Galston 2 16.86x
Kilbarchan 2 14.66x
Kilbirnie 2 19.21x
Largs 2 19.57x
New Monkland 2 3.61x
Southend 2 105.82x
Abbey 1 1.46x
Chelsea London 1 0.57x
Dailly 1 22.62x
Dunblane 1 16.08x
Dunfermline 1 1.90x
Ecclesfield 1 2.38x
Hamilton 1 1.91x
Kilmory 1 19.53x
Kippen 1 34.72x
Lanark 1 6.63x
Leslie 1 11.51x
Lesmahagow 1 5.05x
Neilston 1 4.44x
Paisley Middle Church 1 3.83x
Panbride 1 35.71x
Penicuik 1 9.48x
Pittenweem 1 23.64x
Port Of Monteith 1 42.74x
Selkirk 1 6.77x
Wallsend 1 3.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 3
Catherine 2
Fanny 2
Margaret 2
Agnes 1
Elizabeth 1
Mary 1
Mathilda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 5
William 5
John 2
Robert 2
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 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 Smillie households.

FAQ

Smillie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Smillie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 597 people were recorded with the Smillie surname. That placed it at #5,858 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Smillie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,246 in 2016. That gives Smillie a modern rank of #2,891.

What does the Smillie surname mean?

A diminutive form of the nickname "Smiley", referring to someone with a cheerful disposition.

What does the Smillie map show?

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