NameCensus.

UK surname

Urquhart

From the Gaelic "Airchart," meaning a high place or portion of land jutting into the sea.

In the 1881 census there were 4,219 people recorded with the Urquhart surname, ranking it #1,066 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,911, ranked #1,378, down from #1,066 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gairloch, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Inverness West Rural, Alness and Ross and Cromarty Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Urquhart is 5,095 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.4%.

1881 census count

4,219

Ranked #1,066

Modern count

4,911

2016, ranked #1,378

Peak year

1901

5,095 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Urquhart had 4,219 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,066 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,911 in 2016, ranked #1,378.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,095 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Urquhart surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Urquhart surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Urquhart 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 3,029 #958
1861 historical 2,893 #1,002
1881 historical 4,219 #1,066
1891 historical 4,313 #1,103
1901 historical 5,095 #1,103
1911 historical 232 #13,592
1997 modern 4,537 #1,443
1998 modern 4,732 #1,440
1999 modern 4,801 #1,426
2000 modern 4,843 #1,406
2001 modern 4,659 #1,428
2002 modern 4,757 #1,434
2003 modern 4,641 #1,432
2004 modern 4,612 #1,440
2005 modern 4,683 #1,393
2006 modern 4,648 #1,405
2007 modern 4,664 #1,411
2008 modern 4,704 #1,412
2009 modern 4,781 #1,424
2010 modern 4,851 #1,437
2011 modern 4,777 #1,444
2012 modern 4,740 #1,418
2013 modern 4,826 #1,418
2014 modern 4,873 #1,411
2015 modern 4,893 #1,390
2016 modern 4,911 #1,378

Geography

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Where Urquharts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gairloch, Govan Combination, 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 Inverness West Rural, Alness, Ross and Cromarty Central, Ross and Cromarty South West and Ross and Cromarty North West. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Gairloch Ross And Cromarty
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Inverness West Rural Highland
2 Alness Highland
3 Ross and Cromarty Central Highland
4 Ross and Cromarty South West Highland
5 Ross and Cromarty North West Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Urquhart

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Urquhart

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Urquhart surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Urquhart household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Urquhart 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

Urquhart 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

Urquhart falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Urquhart

The surname Urquhart originated in Scotland, specifically in the Moray region, where the name is derived from the Gaelic words 'ur' meaning 'new' and 'cath' meaning 'fort' or 'battlefield'. The name likely originated in the Middle Ages, referring to a new fortification or settlement established after a battle.

The surname Urquhart can be traced back to the 12th century, with records of the Urquhart family holding lands in the area that became known as Urquhart Castle, near Loch Ness. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a charter from the reign of King Alexander II of Scotland, dated around 1226, which mentions Adam de Urquhart.

The Urquhart family played a significant role in Scottish history, with members serving as knights, clergymen, and military leaders. In the 14th century, Sir Thomas Urquhart was a prominent figure in the Wars of Scottish Independence, fighting alongside Robert the Bruce against the English.

In the 16th century, Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty (1611-1660) was a renowned Scottish writer and translator, best known for his work "The Jewel", a translation of the works of the French philosopher Rabelais. He was also involved in the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Urquhart (1841-1919), a Scottish politician and Member of Parliament for the Moray and Nairn constituency. He served as a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury and was later appointed to the Privy Council.

Other historical figures with the surname Urquhart include Robert Urquhart (1677-1741), a Scottish Episcopal bishop and historian, and John Urquhart (1820-1889), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Senate of Canada.

Throughout history, the surname Urquhart has been recorded with various spellings, such as Urchard, Urquard, and Urquert, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations. The name has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Urquhart Bay and Urquhart Glen, further solidifying its Scottish roots and historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Urquhart families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Urquhart 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. Ross-shire leads with 1,076 Urquharts recorded in 1881 and an index of 95.48x.

County Total Index
Ross-shire 1,076 95.48x
Aberdeenshire 590 15.52x
Lanarkshire 335 2.52x
Inverness-shire 327 26.68x
Midlothian 313 5.69x
Angus 219 5.76x
Morayshire 139 21.80x
Fife 136 5.60x
Lancashire 110 0.23x
Middlesex 101 0.25x
Ayrshire 90 2.93x
Renfrewshire 88 2.77x
Nairnshire 82 65.46x
Banffshire 53 6.23x
Perthshire 51 2.77x
Surrey 38 0.19x
Kincardineshire 37 7.40x
Yorkshire 36 0.09x
Northumberland 35 0.57x
Durham 27 0.22x
West Lothian 27 4.37x
Dunbartonshire 26 2.36x
Sutherland 25 7.92x
Dumfriesshire 23 2.54x
Shetland 22 5.25x
Stirlingshire 21 1.39x
Hampshire 19 0.23x
Devon 15 0.18x
Argyllshire 13 1.14x
Kent 11 0.08x
Leicestershire 11 0.24x
Lincolnshire 10 0.15x
Wigtownshire 10 1.84x
Cheshire 9 0.10x
Sussex 9 0.13x
Kirkcudbrightshire 8 1.35x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.28x
East Lothian 7 1.29x
Essex 6 0.07x
Royal Navy 6 1.23x
Northamptonshire 5 0.13x
Caithness 4 0.71x
Glamorgan 4 0.06x
Warwickshire 4 0.04x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.05x
Somerset 3 0.05x
Buteshire 2 0.80x
Cumberland 2 0.06x
Derbyshire 2 0.03x
Dorset 2 0.07x
Gloucestershire 2 0.02x
Hertfordshire 2 0.07x
Denbighshire 1 0.06x
Roxburghshire 1 0.13x
Staffordshire 1 0.01x
Suffolk 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gairloch in Ross-shire leads with 269 Urquharts recorded in 1881 and an index of 414.10x.

Place Total Index
Gairloch 269 414.10x
Inverness 194 62.93x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 164 7.41x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 143 20.11x
Govan 117 3.56x
Barony 100 2.98x
Aberdeen Old Machar 85 10.71x
Dundee 85 5.99x
Urquhart 83 541.42x
Glasgow 80 3.39x
Resolis 80 397.61x
Logie Wester 66 326.09x
Liff Benvie 61 10.57x
Rosskeen 59 111.24x
Lochbroom 52 88.39x
Elgin 48 38.70x
Tarbat 48 180.25x
Nairn 47 61.83x
South Leith 47 7.60x
Peterhead 40 19.90x
Tain 40 93.70x
Kiltearn 39 234.94x
Urquhart Glenmoriston 38 109.64x
Kincardine 34 164.01x
Kilmuir Easter 32 198.39x
Fearn 31 103.26x
Abbey 27 5.56x
Logie Easter 27 228.81x
Sorn 27 44.75x
King Edward 26 59.36x
Ardclach 25 159.13x
Cromarty 25 82.89x
Old Deer 25 34.71x
Alness 24 164.72x
Contin 24 117.24x
Knockbain 23 87.22x
Cruden 21 42.91x
Dingwall 21 66.23x
Fodderty 20 70.18x
Forfar 20 9.71x
Cupar 19 17.98x
Duffus 19 33.81x
Dunfermline 19 5.09x
Forres 19 28.35x
St Marylebone London 19 0.87x
Meldrum 18 56.23x
Strichen 18 54.50x
Lerwick Gulberwick 17 26.21x
Methlick 17 55.87x
Urray 17 48.59x
Bonhill 16 9.04x
Longside 16 35.25x
Monifieth 16 11.91x
Toxteth Park 16 0.97x
Cramond 15 36.00x
Kirkcaldy 15 12.45x
Kirkdale 15 1.83x
Aberdour 14 46.74x
Falkland 14 36.64x
Fraserburgh 14 13.09x
Lambeth 14 0.39x
Cathcart 13 7.56x
Creich 13 41.35x
Drainie 13 23.01x
Fyvie 13 20.96x
Islington London 13 0.33x
Killearnan 13 87.37x
Paisley Middle Church 13 7.02x
Cambuslang 12 8.97x
Edinburgh St Stephens 12 11.09x
Fetteresso 12 15.32x
Kilmorack 12 32.29x
Lochalsh 12 41.42x
Kettle 11 37.72x
Leicester St Mary 11 2.99x
Linlithgow 11 13.88x
Liverpool 11 0.37x
Lochcarron 11 53.71x
Nether Hallam 11 2.00x
Starforth 11 151.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 37
William 23
James 17
George 13
Donald 9
Robert 9
Alexander 8
Frederick 7
Hector 7
David 6
Henry 5
Alfred 4
Thomas 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Duncan 3
Hugh 3
Samuel 3
Edward 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Joseph 2
Kenneth 2
Lockhart 2
Percy 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Cecil 1
Daniel 1
Ed. 1
Edith 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.R. 1
Geo. 1
Gladstone 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Jas.Hill 1
Jno. 1
Lewis 1
Lindsey 1
M.A. 1
Mary 1
Peter 1
Pollard 1
R.R. 1
Richard 1
Ridley 1

FAQ

Urquhart surname: questions and answers

How common was the Urquhart surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,219 people were recorded with the Urquhart surname. That placed it at #1,066 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Urquhart surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,911 in 2016. That gives Urquhart a modern rank of #1,378.

What does the Urquhart surname mean?

From the Gaelic "Airchart," meaning a high place or portion of land jutting into the sea.

What does the Urquhart map show?

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