NameCensus.

UK surname

Traill

A surname derived from a small path or trail.

In the 1881 census there were 413 people recorded with the Traill surname, ranking it #7,794 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 592, ranked #8,814, down from #7,794 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Auchtermuchty, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen, Waverley and Mearnskirk and South Kirkhill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Traill is 636 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.3%.

1881 census count

413

Ranked #7,794

Modern count

592

2016, ranked #8,814

Peak year

2002

636 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Traill had 413 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,794 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 592 in 2016, ranked #8,814.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 560 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Traill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Traill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Traill 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 197 #10,535
1861 historical 250 #9,877
1881 historical 413 #7,794
1891 historical 510 #7,307
1901 historical 560 #7,432
1911 historical 193 #15,294
1997 modern 581 #8,331
1998 modern 616 #8,240
1999 modern 625 #8,206
2000 modern 616 #8,276
2001 modern 610 #8,193
2002 modern 636 #8,107
2003 modern 609 #8,234
2004 modern 619 #8,152
2005 modern 607 #8,206
2006 modern 604 #8,246
2007 modern 621 #8,140
2008 modern 633 #8,071
2009 modern 628 #8,299
2010 modern 623 #8,533
2011 modern 606 #8,623
2012 modern 568 #8,958
2013 modern 584 #8,911
2014 modern 592 #8,900
2015 modern 580 #8,953
2016 modern 592 #8,814

Geography

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Where Traills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Auchtermuchty, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Aberdeen and Old Machar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackburn with Darwen, Waverley, Mearnskirk and South Kirkhill and Leven East. 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 Auchtermuchty Fife
2 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackburn with Darwen 008 Blackburn with Darwen
2 Waverley 012 Waverley
3 Blackburn with Darwen 012 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Mearnskirk and South Kirkhill East Renfrewshire
5 Leven East Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Traill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Traill

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

Traill 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

Traill falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Traill

The surname Traill is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "traillich," meaning "wanderer" or "traveler." It is believed to have originated in the region of Ayrshire, Scotland, during the Middle Ages.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared in the form of "Trahyl" in the Ragman Rolls of 1296. This document was a record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

In the 14th century, the surname was also found in the records of the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where it appeared as "Trahyll" and "Trahil." These records were a collection of financial accounts and records maintained by the Scottish government.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Robert Traill, who was born in Blebo, Fife, Scotland, around 1460. He was a prominent figure in the Scottish Reformation and served as the Minister of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Another notable individual was Walter Traill (1619-1694), a Scottish minister and theologian who was born in Arbroath, Angus. He was a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland and played a significant role in the religious debates of the time.

In the 18th century, the surname Traill was associated with the Traill family of Blebo and Ardmore, who were influential landowners in Fife. One of the most notable members of this family was George Traill (1777-1847), a Scottish-born merchant and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of Upper Canada (now Ontario, Canada).

The surname Traill is also connected to the place name Trailflat, a settlement in East Ayrshire, Scotland, which likely derived its name from the Traill family who once held lands in the area.

Other notable individuals with the surname Traill include:

1. Henry Duff Traill (1842-1900), a Scottish writer and journalist who was the editor of several publications, including the St. James's Gazette. 2. Catherine Parr Traill (1802-1899), an English-born writer and settler in Canada who wrote extensively about life in the Canadian wilderness. 3. William Traill (1788-1860), a Scottish-born explorer and naturalist who worked for the Hudson's Bay Company in Canada. 4. Thomas Stewart Traill (1781-1862), a Scottish-born physician and naturalist who worked in India and published several works on the natural history of the region. 5. James Traill (1619-1675), a Scottish minister and theologian who was a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland during the 17th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Traill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Traill 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. Midlothian leads with 79 Traills recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.64x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 79 14.64x
Fife 71 29.77x
Angus 41 10.99x
Orkney 24 54.15x
Aberdeenshire 23 6.16x
Lanarkshire 20 1.54x
Northumberland 18 3.00x
Middlesex 17 0.42x
Kent 12 0.87x
Lancashire 12 0.25x
Kincardineshire 10 20.38x
Stirlingshire 10 6.73x
Dorset 9 3.40x
Dunbartonshire 8 7.39x
Surrey 8 0.41x
Glamorgan 7 1.00x
Ayrshire 6 1.99x
Durham 5 0.42x
Perthshire 5 2.77x
Essex 4 0.50x
Hampshire 4 0.48x
Sutherland 4 12.91x
Banffshire 3 3.59x
Herefordshire 3 1.82x
Hertfordshire 3 1.08x
Devon 2 0.24x
Cheshire 1 0.11x
Renfrewshire 1 0.32x
Staffordshire 1 0.07x
Sussex 1 0.15x
Yorkshire 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. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 50 Traills recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.03x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 50 23.03x
Dunfermline 28 76.36x
Glasgow 18 7.78x
Dundee 13 9.33x
Auchtermuchty 12 375.00x
Tynemouth 11 34.27x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 10 14.32x
Cross Burness N 10 432.90x
Blandford Forum 9 172.41x
Edinburgh Canongate 9 65.55x
Everton 9 5.91x
Glenbervie 9 671.64x
Kirkwall St Ola 9 135.54x
Brechin 8 54.53x
King Edward 8 186.05x
Menmuir 8 769.23x
Cardiff St John 7 30.55x
Islington London 7 1.79x
Beath 6 79.58x
Colinton 6 99.67x
Duddingston 6 55.40x
Row 6 42.83x
Auchterderran 5 83.33x
Campsie 5 61.35x
Falkirk 5 14.38x
Falkland 5 133.33x
Scoonie 5 96.90x
Sorn 5 84.46x
St Marylebone London 5 2.32x
Westray Papa Westray 5 142.05x
Chelmsford 4 29.33x
Creich 4 129.45x
Edinburgh St Marys 4 38.13x
Lewisham 4 5.46x
Montrose 4 17.68x
Perth West Church 4 46.62x
Southampton St Mary 4 7.70x
St Andrews 4 36.87x
Aberdeen Old Machar 3 3.85x
Arbroath 3 24.25x
Byker 3 10.12x
Cheshunt 3 30.90x
Clapham 3 5.96x
Folkestone 3 11.25x
Newbattle 3 65.08x
Newburn 3 625.00x
Newington 3 2.02x
Titley 3 555.56x
Abroath St Vigeans 2 130.72x
Banff 2 27.55x
Bromley 2 9.55x
Dumbarton 2 13.27x
Gateshead 2 2.23x
Greencroft Langley 2 377.36x
Hammersmith London 2 2.02x
Lambeth 2 0.57x
Liff Benvie 2 3.53x
Littleham 2 32.63x
Sutton 2 12.48x
Tonbridge 2 4.03x
Westgate 2 5.39x
Barony 1 0.30x
Boughton Under Blean 1 43.48x
Brighton 1 0.73x
Chiswick 1 4.54x
Claughton With Grange 1 24.69x
Cupar 1 9.64x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 8.93x
Errol 1 29.85x
Fordyce 1 16.64x
Govan 1 0.31x
Kensington London 1 0.45x
Largo 1 32.26x
Markinch 1 12.35x
New Machar 1 47.62x
Rathen 1 25.58x
Rumworth 1 14.64x
Sculcoates 1 1.58x
St Vigeans 1 4.96x
Stone 1 5.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Brenda 3
Mary 3
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Emily 2
Harriett 2
Janet 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Barbra 1
Cattarine 1
Christina 1
Clementine 1
Eleanor 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizebth. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Jesse 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
May 1
Minnie 1
Naomi 1
Rosetta 1
Teresa 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
John 7
James 5
Robert 5
George 3
Henry 3
Alexr. 2
David 2
Francis 2
Thomas 2
Wm. 2
Adam 1
Archibald 1
Charles 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
Mill 1
Newlands 1
Ralph 1
Randolph 1
Ronald 1
Sinclair 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Traill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Traill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 413 people were recorded with the Traill surname. That placed it at #7,794 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Traill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 592 in 2016. That gives Traill a modern rank of #8,814.

What does the Traill surname mean?

A surname derived from a small path or trail.

What does the Traill map show?

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