NameCensus.

UK surname

Ure

A surname derived from a German word meaning "aurochs" or wild ox.

In the 1881 census there were 165 people recorded with the Ure surname, ranking it #14,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,090, ranked #5,370, up from #14,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Larbert, Denny and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braes Villages, Bo'ness - Douglas and Kirkintilloch West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ure is 1,152 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 560.6%.

1881 census count

165

Ranked #14,559

Modern count

1,090

2016, ranked #5,370

Peak year

1999

1,152 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ure had 165 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,090 in 2016, ranked #5,370.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,113 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Ure surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ure surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ure 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 728 #3,605
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 165 #14,559
1891 historical 800 #5,027
1901 historical 1,113 #4,344
1997 modern 1,145 #4,901
1998 modern 1,141 #5,100
1999 modern 1,152 #5,104
2000 modern 1,141 #5,114
2001 modern 1,114 #5,112
2002 modern 1,131 #5,165
2003 modern 1,105 #5,164
2004 modern 1,091 #5,222
2005 modern 1,099 #5,131
2006 modern 1,081 #5,208
2007 modern 1,102 #5,180
2008 modern 1,099 #5,220
2009 modern 1,095 #5,343
2010 modern 1,136 #5,288
2011 modern 1,110 #5,331
2012 modern 1,084 #5,353
2013 modern 1,082 #5,448
2014 modern 1,076 #5,520
2015 modern 1,077 #5,443
2016 modern 1,090 #5,370

Geography

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Where Ures are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Braes Villages, Bo'ness - Douglas, Kirkintilloch West, Moodiesburn West and Alloa North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Larbert Stirling
2 Denny Stirling
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braes Villages Falkirk
2 Bo'ness - Douglas Falkirk
3 Kirkintilloch West East Dunbartonshire
4 Moodiesburn West North Lanarkshire
5 Alloa North Clackmannanshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ure

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ure

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

Ure 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

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

Meaning and origin of Ure

The surname "Ure" is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Old English word "ure" meaning a "fresh water" or "stream". It is believed to have originated in the Scottish Borders region, where numerous small streams and burns were found.

The name first appeared in written records in the 12th century, with references to individuals bearing the name Ure in the Ragman Rolls of 1296. These were scrolls containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

In the 14th century, the surname Ure was found in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, which recorded land grants and other official documents. One notable example is John de Ure, who was granted lands near Jedburgh in 1342.

The Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, does not contain any references to the surname Ure, further supporting its Scottish origins.

Over the centuries, the name evolved into various spellings, including Ure, Ur, Urr, and Urie. Place names such as Urr in Dumfries and Galloway, and the village of Urie in Aberdeenshire, are believed to have influenced these variations.

Notable individuals with the surname Ure include:

1. Andrew Ure (1778-1857), a Scottish chemist and writer on the philosophy of manufactures. 2. David Ure (1749-1798), a Scottish poet and schoolmaster. 3. John Ure (1828-1893), a Scottish architect who designed many buildings in Glasgow. 4. Robert Ure (1835-1905), a Scottish-born Australian politician and Premier of Queensland from 1898 to 1899. 5. David Ure (1856-1943), a Scottish-born Australian cricketer who played Test cricket for Australia.

While the surname Ure is most prevalent in Scotland and areas of Scottish settlement, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and family connections.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ure families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ure 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 310 Ures recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.57x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 310 10.57x
Stirlingshire 219 65.45x
Dunbartonshire 70 28.71x
Lancashire 48 0.45x
Northumberland 31 2.30x
Ayrshire 29 4.27x
Midlothian 29 2.39x
Renfrewshire 22 3.13x
Clackmannanshire 19 25.36x
Middlesex 18 0.20x
Durham 17 0.63x
Perthshire 16 3.93x
Fife 15 2.79x
Angus 13 1.55x
Cumberland 12 1.54x
Surrey 11 0.25x
Argyllshire 8 3.17x
Kent 7 0.23x
West Lothian 6 4.39x
Hampshire 4 0.22x
Selkirkshire 4 4.87x
Warwickshire 4 0.17x
East Lothian 3 2.50x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.25x
Hertfordshire 2 0.32x
Kinross-shire 2 8.72x
Oxfordshire 2 0.36x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.12x
Devon 1 0.05x
Isle of Man 1 0.59x
Morayshire 1 0.71x
Sussex 1 0.07x
Yorkshire 1 0.01x

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 108 Ures recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.54x.

Place Total Index
Barony 108 14.54x
Glasgow 98 18.81x
Govan 60 8.27x
Denny 41 230.34x
Larbert 34 170.00x
Polmont 30 242.92x
Row 24 76.09x
Slamannan 23 125.55x
Falkirk 20 25.54x
Byker 19 28.47x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 3.89x
Kirkintilloch 19 57.37x
Alloa 18 49.55x
New Monkland 16 18.45x
Bishopwearmouth 15 6.47x
St Quivox 13 56.62x
Bonhill 12 30.67x
Muiravonside 12 141.18x
St Ninians 12 36.18x
Newton On Ayr 11 54.11x
West Derby 11 3.49x
Cardross 10 34.16x
Hamilton 10 12.22x
Kippen 9 200.00x
Dundee 8 2.55x
Flimby 8 121.21x
Kilfinan 8 118.69x
Killearn 8 227.27x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 8.19x
Kirkdale 7 3.87x
Newton 7 8.44x
North Leith 7 12.45x
Dunfermline 6 7.27x
Finchley 6 17.25x
Fintry 6 465.12x
Paisley Low Church 6 26.95x
Stirling 6 14.22x
West Greenock 6 4.75x
Balfron 5 121.07x
Bothkennar 5 50.05x
Burntisland 5 33.31x
Campsie 5 27.23x
Greenwich 5 3.46x
Old Monkland 5 4.29x
Port Of Monteith 5 136.61x
Rutherglen 5 11.62x
Abbey 4 3.73x
Birmingham 4 0.52x
Cumbernauld 4 29.94x
Newcastle On Tyne St 4 5.72x
North Meols 4 3.80x
Oldham 4 1.15x
Salford 4 1.26x
Selkirk 4 17.30x
Stoke Newington London 4 5.66x
Bermondsey 3 1.11x
Cambusnethan 3 4.60x
Clapham 3 2.65x
Crosscanonby 3 11.61x
East Retford 3 28.28x
Haddington 3 16.91x
Hammersmith London 3 1.34x
Kilwinning 3 13.69x
Linlithgow 3 17.12x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 3.72x
St Pancras London 3 0.41x
Tulliallan 3 43.48x
Westgate 3 3.59x
Alva 2 12.53x
Bathgate 2 6.74x
Cadder 2 9.23x
East Greenock 2 3.01x
Fossoway 2 50.76x
Kilmadock 2 21.37x
Liverpool 2 0.31x
Logie 2 13.69x
Penge 2 3.45x
St Albans 2 15.61x
St Leonards 2 83.33x
Torryburn 2 86.21x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Ure surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ure surname in 1881?

In 1881, 165 people were recorded with the Ure surname. That placed it at #14,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ure surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,090 in 2016. That gives Ure a modern rank of #5,370.

What does the Ure surname mean?

A surname derived from a German word meaning "aurochs" or wild ox.

What does the Ure map show?

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