NameCensus.

UK surname

Symington

An English surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Symington, Lanarkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 830 people recorded with the Symington surname, ranking it #4,540 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 935, ranked #6,121, down from #4,540 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanark, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Toryglen and Oatlands, Whitfield and North Barlanark and Easterhouse South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Symington is 1,004 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.7%.

1881 census count

830

Ranked #4,540

Modern count

935

2016, ranked #6,121

Peak year

2010

1,004 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Symington had 830 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,540 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 935 in 2016, ranked #6,121.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 987 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Symington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Symington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Symington 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 553 #4,580
1861 historical 617 #4,321
1881 historical 830 #4,540
1891 historical 874 #4,705
1901 historical 987 #4,812
1911 historical 308 #11,230
1997 modern 926 #5,832
1998 modern 971 #5,815
1999 modern 961 #5,900
2000 modern 971 #5,836
2001 modern 941 #5,865
2002 modern 964 #5,846
2003 modern 957 #5,802
2004 modern 950 #5,842
2005 modern 949 #5,786
2006 modern 948 #5,805
2007 modern 940 #5,897
2008 modern 947 #5,893
2009 modern 963 #5,946
2010 modern 1,004 #5,860
2011 modern 972 #5,944
2012 modern 921 #6,138
2013 modern 941 #6,136
2014 modern 943 #6,159
2015 modern 942 #6,111
2016 modern 935 #6,121

Geography

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Where Symingtons are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Toryglen and Oatlands, Whitfield, North Barlanark and Easterhouse South, Northumberland and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 Lanark Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Muirkirk Ayr
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Toryglen and Oatlands Glasgow City
2 Whitfield Dundee City
3 North Barlanark and Easterhouse South Glasgow City
4 Northumberland 032 Northumberland
5 Stockton-on-Tees 006 Stockton-on-Tees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Symington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Symington

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

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Symington is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Symington 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

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

Meaning and origin of Symington

The surname Symington is of Scottish origin, deriving from the town of Symington in South Ayrshire, Scotland. The name is derived from the Old English words "syming" and "tun," which translate to "estate associated with a man named Syming." The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the 12th century, where it appeared as "Symundetun" in the records of the Abbey of Kelso in 1159.

Symington was also mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls recording those who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England during his invasion of Scotland. This suggests that the name was well-established in Scotland by the late 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Symington can be found in the person of William de Symington, who was a witness to a charter granted by King Robert the Bruce in 1324. Another early bearer of the name was John Symington, who was a burgess (a prominent citizen) of Irvine, Scotland, in the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name Symington was associated with the Symington family, who were landowners in the area of Symington, South Ayrshire. One notable member of this family was Sir John Symington, who was knighted by King James VI of Scotland in 1590.

During the 17th century, the surname Symington spread to other parts of Scotland and beyond. One notable bearer of the name was Samuel Symington, who was born in Leadhills, Lanarkshire, in 1765. Symington was a pioneering engineer and is credited with building the first practical steamboat, the Charlotte Dundas, in 1801.

Another famous Symington was Andrew James Symington, who was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, in 1785. He was a minister and educator who played a significant role in the establishment of free public education in Scotland.

In the 19th century, the Symington name gained prominence in various fields. William Symington, born in Falkirk in 1795, was a Scottish engineer who made significant contributions to the development of steam engines.

Andrew Symington, born in Edinburgh in 1809, was a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Symington's Soup company, which became a major food manufacturer in the United Kingdom.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Symington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Symington 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 257 Symingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.84x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 257 9.84x
Midlothian 100 9.24x
Ayrshire 75 12.41x
Renfrewshire 61 9.75x
Northumberland 44 3.66x
Selkirkshire 30 41.06x
Yorkshire 25 0.31x
Lancashire 22 0.23x
Northamptonshire 18 2.37x
Buckinghamshire 17 3.48x
Fife 16 3.35x
Middlesex 16 0.20x
Dumfriesshire 15 8.41x
Dunbartonshire 15 6.91x
Roxburghshire 15 10.25x
Angus 13 1.74x
Cheshire 12 0.67x
Durham 11 0.46x
Somerset 7 0.54x
Cumberland 6 0.86x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 5.13x
Leicestershire 5 0.56x
Warwickshire 5 0.25x
Berwickshire 4 4.09x
Devon 4 0.24x
East Lothian 4 3.74x
Kent 4 0.15x
Oxfordshire 3 0.60x
Stirlingshire 3 1.01x
Argyllshire 2 0.89x
Clackmannanshire 2 3.00x
Essex 2 0.13x
Morayshire 2 1.59x
Peeblesshire 2 5.26x
Hertfordshire 1 0.18x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.09x
Perthshire 1 0.28x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x
Surrey 1 0.03x

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 53 Symingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.20x.

Place Total Index
Govan 53 8.20x
Glasgow 38 8.19x
Barony 36 5.45x
Westgate 29 38.97x
West Greenock 24 21.36x
Carluke 20 84.32x
Little Bowden 17 641.51x
South Leith 17 13.96x
Lesmahagow 16 57.91x
Muirkirk 16 112.76x
Tarbolton 16 160.80x
Lanark 15 71.36x
Bothwell 13 18.35x
Maryhill 13 25.43x
New Kilpatrick 13 62.95x
Ayr 12 42.06x
Melrose 12 65.25x
Tranmere 12 18.31x
Abbey 11 11.52x
Cathcart 11 32.48x
Kelso 11 75.45x
Paisley High Church 11 22.07x
Hamilton 10 13.73x
Leeds 10 2.21x
Selkirk 10 48.57x
Cambusnethan 9 15.51x
Symington 9 463.92x
Cadder 8 41.47x
Conside Knitsley 8 42.83x
Douglas 8 106.24x
Edinburgh Greenside 8 55.94x
Liverpool 8 1.37x
Old Monkland 8 7.72x
Temple 8 186.05x
Wolverton 8 79.13x
Abbotshall 7 39.17x
Bromley London 7 3.94x
Coylton 7 81.59x
Edinburgh Old 7 106.54x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 1.61x
Holy Trinity 7 3.64x
Inveresk 7 23.89x
Keir 7 338.16x
Willesden 7 9.19x
Crosscanonby 6 26.09x
Kirkhope 6 394.74x
Marston Bigott 6 606.06x
Penicuik 6 40.82x
Barrow In Furness 5 3.84x
Coupar Angus 5 70.62x
Dundee 5 1.79x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 5 19.53x
Edinburgh Canongate 5 18.16x
Edinburgh St Georges 5 22.26x
Edinburgh St Johns 5 73.21x
Edinburgh St Marys 5 23.78x
Fenny Stratford 5 108.23x
Kirkconnell 5 176.68x
Leamington Priors 5 9.98x
North Leith 5 9.99x
Seghill 5 84.89x
Belstone 4 930.23x
Kilmaurs 4 38.87x
Lasswade 4 16.17x
Newport Pagnell 4 39.18x
Ormiston 4 140.85x
Salford 4 1.42x
Auchtermuchty 3 46.73x
Carmichael 3 138.89x
Castleton 3 47.77x
Greenwich 3 2.33x
Leicester St Margaret 3 1.37x
Lochwinnoch 3 32.15x
Longbenton 3 5.89x
Moffat 3 36.86x
Neithrop 3 17.90x
Shettleston 3 12.83x
Whiston 3 40.11x
Kirkintilloch 2 6.78x
Loudoun 2 13.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 17
James 15
John 14
Robert 8
Henry 6
George 4
Thomas 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
David 1
Fenwick 1
Geo. 1
Gibson 1
Gold 1
H. 1
Halbert 1
Harry 1
Howard 1
Hugh 1
Joseph 1
Lindsay 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Robt. 1
Sam 1
Samuel 1
Scott 1
Simpson 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.David 1

FAQ

Symington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Symington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 830 people were recorded with the Symington surname. That placed it at #4,540 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Symington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 935 in 2016. That gives Symington a modern rank of #6,121.

What does the Symington surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Symington, Lanarkshire.

What does the Symington map show?

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