NameCensus.

UK surname

Torrance

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Stirling, likely meaning "hill of the thicket" in Gaelic.

In the 1881 census there were 1,313 people recorded with the Torrance surname, ranking it #3,123 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,012, ranked #3,201, down from #3,123 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cumnock South and Craigens, Rhins South and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Torrance is 2,053 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.2%.

1881 census count

1,313

Ranked #3,123

Modern count

2,012

2016, ranked #3,201

Peak year

2010

2,053 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Torrance had 1,313 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,123 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,012 in 2016, ranked #3,201.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,656 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Torrance surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Torrance surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Torrance 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 837 #3,243
1861 historical 972 #2,864
1881 historical 1,313 #3,123
1891 historical 1,496 #2,944
1901 historical 1,656 #3,112
1911 historical 357 #10,132
1997 modern 1,882 #3,202
1998 modern 1,917 #3,266
1999 modern 1,951 #3,241
2000 modern 1,974 #3,199
2001 modern 1,928 #3,200
2002 modern 2,014 #3,154
2003 modern 1,991 #3,128
2004 modern 1,967 #3,163
2005 modern 1,931 #3,175
2006 modern 1,956 #3,156
2007 modern 1,965 #3,170
2008 modern 1,965 #3,184
2009 modern 2,028 #3,176
2010 modern 2,053 #3,202
2011 modern 2,015 #3,219
2012 modern 1,932 #3,280
2013 modern 1,965 #3,293
2014 modern 2,000 #3,260
2015 modern 2,008 #3,227
2016 modern 2,012 #3,201

Geography

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Where Torrances are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Cumnock South and Craigens, Rhins South, Copeland, Cumnock North and Cardenden. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Loudoun Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cumnock South and Craigens East Ayrshire
2 Rhins South Dumfries and Galloway
3 Copeland 005 Copeland
4 Cumnock North East Ayrshire
5 Cardenden Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Torrance

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Torrance

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Torrance surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Torrance household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Torrance 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

Torrance 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

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

Meaning and origin of Torrance

The surname Torrance is of Scottish origin, originating from the lands of Torrance in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire. It is derived from the Gaelic words "torr" meaning a hill or mount, and "innis" meaning a peninsula or meadow.

The Torrance name can be traced back to the 12th century when a family of that name held lands in Lanarkshire. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists those who swore fealty to Edward I of England. An entry for "Willelmus de Torance" is found among the names.

In the 16th century, the Torrance family became prominent landowners in Lanarkshire. Records from this period show a Sir John Torrance of Campsie who lived in the late 1500s. Another notable figure was Sir Robert Torrance, who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow in the early 1600s.

The Torrance name is also found in various historical documents such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the 14th and 15th centuries, where the spelling variations "Torrans" and "Torrence" appear. The name is associated with the lands of Torrance near the village of Cambuslang, which was originally known as "Tor-an-inch" meaning the hill of the peninsula.

Among the famous individuals with the Torrance surname is Samuel Torrance (1712-1784), a Scottish merchant and writer who published several works on trade and commerce. Another notable figure is Sir David Torrance (1805-1865), a Scottish physician and inventor who developed the percussion cap for firearms.

In the literary world, Archibald Torrance (1873-1938) was a Scottish writer and poet known for his works on Scottish culture and history. More recently, Gene Torrance (1915-2003) was an American psychologist and educator renowned for his research on human intelligence and creativity.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Torrance families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Torrance 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 472 Torrances recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.33x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 472 11.33x
Midlothian 202 11.71x
Ayrshire 172 17.85x
Lancashire 53 0.35x
Middlesex 39 0.30x
Dunbartonshire 32 9.25x
Angus 30 2.51x
Berwickshire 30 19.24x
Wigtownshire 27 15.79x
Sussex 26 1.20x
Stirlingshire 24 5.05x
Renfrewshire 22 2.20x
West Lothian 22 11.35x
Surrey 18 0.29x
Selkirkshire 17 14.59x
Fife 13 1.71x
Kent 13 0.30x
Clackmannanshire 9 8.46x
Isle of Man 9 3.76x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.52x
Cheshire 8 0.28x
Staffordshire 8 0.18x
Yorkshire 8 0.06x
Cumberland 7 0.63x
Dumfriesshire 7 2.46x
Morayshire 7 3.50x
Gloucestershire 6 0.24x
Perthshire 6 1.04x
Northumberland 5 0.26x
Lincolnshire 4 0.19x
Warwickshire 3 0.09x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.17x
Peeblesshire 2 3.30x
Ross-shire 2 0.57x
Argyllshire 1 0.28x
Devon 1 0.04x
East Lothian 1 0.59x
Hertfordshire 1 0.11x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.54x
Royal Navy 1 0.65x

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 129 Torrances recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.24x.

Place Total Index
Barony 129 12.24x
Govan 75 7.28x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 63 9.08x
Galston 50 189.75x
Hamilton 44 37.89x
Loudoun 39 168.25x
Glasgow 33 4.46x
Kilmarnock 33 28.77x
Old Monkland 30 18.15x
Lesmahagow 24 54.50x
Kirkintilloch 21 44.67x
Dundee 19 4.27x
New Monkland 19 15.43x
Stonehouse 19 134.47x
West Calder 17 50.00x
Avondale 16 65.71x
Cambusnethan 16 17.30x
Channelkirk 15 559.70x
Hastings All Sts 15 73.31x
Liberton 15 56.33x
Melrose 15 51.16x
South Leith 15 7.73x
Preston 14 3.42x
Uphall 14 65.67x
Bothwell 12 10.63x
Leswalt 12 102.48x
Edinburgh New North 11 73.28x
Kirriemuir 11 37.38x
Auckinleck 10 33.52x
Ardrossan 9 26.98x
Cockpen 9 44.64x
Crichton 9 187.11x
Eastwood 9 14.64x
Greasley 9 22.98x
Lambeth 9 0.80x
Alva 8 35.32x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 3.30x
Dalserf 8 19.25x
Deptford St Paul 8 2.36x
Hornsey 8 4.91x
Onchan 8 11.61x
Over Darwen 8 6.56x
Symington 8 258.90x
Bradford 7 2.27x
Carnwath 7 27.18x
Dalry 7 15.44x
Glassford 7 109.03x
Hastings St Mary In The 7 15.11x
Kirkcaldy 7 18.52x
Lasswade 7 17.75x
Newbattle 7 47.49x
Newton In Makerfield 7 14.96x
Old Kilpatrick 7 17.12x
Shotts 7 14.05x
St Ninians 7 14.87x
Uttoxeter 7 31.46x
Whitsome 7 283.40x
Bathgate 6 14.25x
Bermondsey 6 1.57x
Carrington 6 222.22x
Carstairs 6 69.52x
Duddingston 6 17.33x
Falkirk 6 5.40x
Glencorse 6 90.63x
Kirkconnell 6 133.33x
St Marylebone London 6 0.87x
Stranraer 6 38.36x
Abbotshall 5 17.56x
Bitton 5 22.75x
Blantyre 5 11.53x
Dollar 5 45.37x
Dunham Massey 5 57.41x
Elgin 5 12.85x
Inch 5 29.99x
Islington London 5 0.40x
Kirknewton 5 100.81x
Logie 5 24.12x
Seaton 5 38.67x
Shettleston 5 13.41x
Temple 5 72.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Margaret 8
Elizabeth 7
Sarah 7
Agnes 6
Jane 5
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Annie 2
Christina 2
Flora 2
Harriet 2
Lillie 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Adele 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Eliz 1
Elizth. 1
Euphemia 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Hope 1
Jacobing 1
Jean 1
Jenny 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lillias 1
Louise 1
Mabel 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Rhoda 1
Rosanah 1
Susan 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
James 9
Robert 9
Thomas 9
William 9
George 6
Andrew 5
Charles 4
Henry 4
Albert 3
Alexander 3
Frederick 3
Joseph 3
Alfred 2
David 2
Edmund 2
Gilbert 2
Herbert 2
Wm. 2
Allan 1
Archbald 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Gavin 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Joshua 1
Leonard 1
Maurice 1
R. 1
Richd. 1
Rowland 1
Thos. 1
Wallace 1

FAQ

Torrance surname: questions and answers

How common was the Torrance surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,313 people were recorded with the Torrance surname. That placed it at #3,123 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Torrance surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,012 in 2016. That gives Torrance a modern rank of #3,201.

What does the Torrance surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Stirling, likely meaning "hill of the thicket" in Gaelic.

What does the Torrance map show?

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