NameCensus.

UK surname

Waldie

A variant of the Scottish surname Waldie, derived from the Middle English "weld" or "wald" meaning forest or woodland.

In the 1881 census there were 650 people recorded with the Waldie surname, ranking it #5,494 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 465, ranked #10,558, down from #5,494 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Earlston, St Leonard Shoreditch and Hawick and Wilton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hawick West End, Northumberland and Lancaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Waldie is 751 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.5%.

1881 census count

650

Ranked #5,494

Modern count

465

2016, ranked #10,558

Peak year

1901

751 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Waldie had 650 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,494 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 465 in 2016, ranked #10,558.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 751 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Waldie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Waldie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Waldie 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 608 #4,238
1861 historical 564 #4,667
1881 historical 650 #5,494
1891 historical 703 #5,583
1901 historical 751 #5,937
1911 historical 261 #12,526
1997 modern 487 #9,482
1998 modern 482 #9,878
1999 modern 492 #9,784
2000 modern 502 #9,605
2001 modern 479 #9,767
2002 modern 495 #9,709
2003 modern 471 #9,902
2004 modern 479 #9,811
2005 modern 470 #9,879
2006 modern 459 #10,088
2007 modern 464 #10,113
2008 modern 469 #10,119
2009 modern 474 #10,251
2010 modern 485 #10,277
2011 modern 475 #10,346
2012 modern 472 #10,295
2013 modern 472 #10,450
2014 modern 475 #10,472
2015 modern 473 #10,440
2016 modern 465 #10,558

Geography

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Where Waldies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Earlston, St Leonard Shoreditch, Hawick and Wilton, 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 Hawick West End, Northumberland, Lancaster, Peebles North and Hawick Central. 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 Earlston Berwick
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hawick West End Scottish Borders
2 Northumberland 016 Northumberland
3 Lancaster 020 Lancaster
4 Peebles North Scottish Borders
5 Hawick Central Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Waldie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Waldie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Waldie, 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 Waldie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Waldie 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Waldie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Waldie 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

Waldie falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Waldie

The surname WALDIE is of Scottish origin, originating from the Lowlands region of Scotland. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "wald," meaning a wood or forest. The name was likely initially given as a descriptive name to someone who lived near or in a wooded area.

The earliest recorded instance of the name WALDIE dates back to the late 12th century, appearing in the records of Berwickshire, a county in the Scottish Borders region. One notable early bearer of the name was Sir James Waldie, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.

In the 16th century, the WALDIE name appeared in the Parish Records of Ayrshire, a county in the southwest of Scotland. One noteworthy individual from this time was John Waldie, born in 1548, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Kilmarnock.

The name WALDIE has also been linked to various place names throughout Scotland, such as Waldietown and Waldie's Neuk, both located in the region of Ayrshire. These place names likely originated from early WALDIE settlers in those areas.

In the 17th century, the WALDIE family gained prominence with the birth of George Waldie (1619-1685), a Scottish theologian and minister who served as the Principal of the University of St. Andrews. His son, Thomas Waldie (1654-1708), was also a notable figure, serving as a minister in the Church of Scotland.

Another prominent bearer of the WALDIE name was David Waldie (1772-1838), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow. He founded the Waldie Free School, which provided education to underprivileged children.

As the WALDIE surname spread throughout Scotland and beyond, it has been carried by many notable individuals, including Robert Waldie (1863-1925), a Scottish-Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian Parliament.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Waldie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Waldie 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. Roxburghshire leads with 145 Waldies recorded in 1881 and an index of 127.82x.

County Total Index
Roxburghshire 145 127.82x
Midlothian 108 12.87x
Northumberland 39 4.19x
Angus 37 6.38x
Berwickshire 35 46.15x
Middlesex 35 0.56x
Yorkshire 34 0.55x
Lanarkshire 33 1.63x
Selkirkshire 28 49.42x
Durham 20 1.07x
Kincardineshire 13 17.05x
West Lothian 13 13.78x
East Lothian 11 13.26x
Inverness-shire 10 5.35x
Peeblesshire 9 30.55x
Clackmannanshire 8 15.47x
Kent 8 0.37x
Lancashire 8 0.11x
Gloucestershire 7 0.57x
Lincolnshire 6 0.60x
Surrey 6 0.20x
Sussex 6 0.57x
Stirlingshire 4 1.73x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.52x
Hampshire 3 0.23x
Berkshire 2 0.43x
Cumberland 2 0.37x
Perthshire 2 0.71x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.59x
Oxfordshire 1 0.26x
Ross-shire 1 0.58x
Royal Navy 1 1.34x
Somerset 1 0.10x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x
Wigtownshire 1 1.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hawick in Roxburghshire leads with 44 Waldies recorded in 1881 and an index of 173.30x.

Place Total Index
Hawick 44 173.30x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 38 11.26x
Shoreditch London 24 8.84x
Jedburgh 20 179.86x
Roxburgh 20 921.66x
Montrose 16 45.51x
North Leith 16 41.22x
Southdean 16 1025.64x
Galashiels 15 71.60x
Wilton 14 112.45x
Dundee 13 6.00x
Lauder 13 310.26x
Liberton 13 100.39x
Earlston 12 315.79x
Edinburgh Canongate 12 56.21x
Barony 11 2.15x
Batley 11 18.65x
Elswick 11 14.79x
Boness 10 76.92x
Ashkirk 9 841.12x
Kilmorack 9 158.73x
Lasswade 8 41.71x
Sheffield 8 4.05x
Stow 8 975.61x
Willington 8 74.28x
Bedlington 7 22.50x
Bervie 7 154.87x
Denby 7 208.96x
Doddington 7 1076.92x
Oxnam 7 479.45x
Cliffe 6 168.07x
Darlington 6 8.34x
Edinburgh St Georges 6 34.46x
Great Grimsby 6 9.44x
Hackney London 6 1.71x
Lanark 6 36.81x
Logie Pert 6 280.37x
Longbenton 6 15.20x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 10.78x
Newlands 6 340.91x
Salford 6 2.75x
Bristol St James In 5 27.69x
Dollar 5 93.28x
Dunnottar 5 93.11x
Gateshead 5 3.58x
Gordon 5 279.33x
Kelso 5 44.25x
St Boswells 5 242.72x
Whitekirk Tynninghame 5 220.26x
Cambuslang 4 19.59x
Hutton 4 192.31x
Melrose 4 28.05x
Stow 4 92.81x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 3 2.76x
Alloa 3 11.96x
Brightside Bierlow 3 2.46x
Carluke 3 16.31x
Croydon 3 1.77x
Dalziel 3 13.77x
Edinburgh St Marys 3 18.39x
Innerleithen 3 38.36x
Islington London 3 0.49x
Lewisham 3 2.63x
Linlithgow 3 24.81x
Richmond 3 7.02x
Sculcoates 3 3.05x
Southampton St Mary 3 3.72x
Whittinghame 3 218.98x
Berwick Upon Tweed 2 10.13x
Dalkeith 2 12.08x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.21x
Edinburgh St Stephens 2 12.11x
Falkirk 2 3.70x
Lesmahagow 2 9.34x
Morebattle 2 92.17x
Newbury 2 13.28x
Shotts 2 8.25x
West Derby 2 0.92x
Winterbourne 2 29.46x
Stirling 1 3.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Sarah 9
Elizabeth 7
Jane 6
Alice 3
Ann 3
Emma 3
Isabella 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Grace 2
Jessie 2
Ada 1
Agusta 1
Annabella 1
Catharine 1
Christiane 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Ebth. 1
Ella 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Isobel 1
Jessey 1
Josephine 1
Kate 1
Louise 1
Margaret 1
Margeret 1
Maryann 1
Maude 1
Mernia 1
Polly 1
Priscilla 1
Rachel 1
Susan 1
Tamar 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 14
John 13
William 12
George 6
Robert 5
Thomas 5
Andrew 3
Charles 2
David 2
Edward 2
Richard 2
Robt. 2
Thos. 2
Alfred 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Jas.A. 1
Martin 1
Percy 1
W. 1
Walker 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Waldie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Waldie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 650 people were recorded with the Waldie surname. That placed it at #5,494 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Waldie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 465 in 2016. That gives Waldie a modern rank of #10,558.

What does the Waldie surname mean?

A variant of the Scottish surname Waldie, derived from the Middle English "weld" or "wald" meaning forest or woodland.

What does the Waldie map show?

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