NameCensus.

UK surname

Walkinshaw

A Scottish locational surname referring to someone from Walkinshaw near Glasgow.

In the 1881 census there were 347 people recorded with the Walkinshaw surname, ranking it #8,811 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 495, ranked #10,052, down from #8,811 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath, Grange, Howard and Gargieston and Biggar, Symington, Thankerton and Dolphinton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Walkinshaw is 528 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.7%.

1881 census count

347

Ranked #8,811

Modern count

495

2016, ranked #10,052

Peak year

2000

528 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Walkinshaw had 347 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,811 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 495 in 2016, ranked #10,052.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 451 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Walkinshaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Walkinshaw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Walkinshaw 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 215 #9,860
1861 historical 227 #10,749
1881 historical 347 #8,811
1891 historical 429 #8,359
1901 historical 451 #8,686
1911 historical 149 #17,937
1997 modern 473 #9,706
1998 modern 504 #9,531
1999 modern 520 #9,379
2000 modern 528 #9,251
2001 modern 508 #9,344
2002 modern 524 #9,338
2003 modern 496 #9,540
2004 modern 487 #9,687
2005 modern 479 #9,737
2006 modern 497 #9,518
2007 modern 489 #9,718
2008 modern 500 #9,630
2009 modern 517 #9,604
2010 modern 515 #9,821
2011 modern 511 #9,792
2012 modern 502 #9,832
2013 modern 498 #10,049
2014 modern 490 #10,233
2015 modern 494 #10,083
2016 modern 495 #10,052

Geography

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Where Walkinshaws are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath, Grange, Howard and Gargieston, Biggar, Symington, Thankerton and Dolphinton, Sedgemoor and Shortlees. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Carnwath Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath South Lanarkshire
2 Grange, Howard and Gargieston East Ayrshire
3 Biggar, Symington, Thankerton and Dolphinton South Lanarkshire
4 Sedgemoor 001 Sedgemoor
5 Shortlees East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Walkinshaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Walkinshaw

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Walkinshaw is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Walkinshaw is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Walkinshaw falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Walkinshaw

The surname Walkinshaw has its origins in Scotland, emerging in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "walc," meaning "fuller" or "walker," and "sceaga," meaning "grove" or "shaw," potentially referring to someone who lived or worked near a wooded area.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to 1296, when John de Walkinshaw appeared in the Ragman Rolls, a historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. This suggests that the Walkinshaw family held land in Scotland during the medieval period.

In the 16th century, the Walkinshaw family was associated with the lands of Walkinshaw in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The name appears in various historical records from this time, including the Registration of the Privy Seal of Scotland in 1546, which mentions John Walkinshaw of that Ilk (meaning the same place).

Notable individuals with the Walkinshaw surname include:

1. John Walkinshaw (c. 1720-1771), a Scottish merchant and Jacobite sympathizer who was involved in the Jacobite rising of 1745. He is known for his relationship with Prince Charles Edward Stuart's mistress, Clementina Walkinshaw.

2. Clementina Walkinshaw (c. 1720-1802), the mistress of Prince Charles Edward Stuart and the mother of his daughter, Charlotte Stuart. Her relationship with the Prince caused controversy within the Jacobite movement.

3. Mary Anne Walkinshaw Bland (1769-1849), an English writer and diarist who documented her experiences during the Reign of Terror in France.

4. James Walkinshaw (1808-1891), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada.

5. William Walkinshaw (1871-1935), a Scottish footballer who played as a forward for various clubs, including Rangers and Sunderland, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Walkinshaw name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Walkinshaw, a village in Renfrewshire, and Walkinshaw Moor, a moorland area near Glasgow. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, reflecting the family's historical ties to these locations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Walkinshaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Walkinshaw 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 99 Walkinshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.23x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 99 9.23x
Northumberland 46 9.32x
Ayrshire 32 12.89x
Berwickshire 30 74.70x
Middlesex 23 0.69x
Midlothian 22 4.95x
Fife 11 5.60x
Stirlingshire 11 8.99x
Durham 10 1.01x
Peeblesshire 7 44.87x
Renfrewshire 7 2.72x
Cheshire 6 0.82x
Lancashire 6 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 5 1.63x
Argyllshire 4 4.33x
Derbyshire 4 0.77x
Warwickshire 4 0.48x
Banffshire 3 4.36x
Gloucestershire 3 0.46x
Monmouthshire 2 0.83x
Surrey 2 0.12x
Kent 1 0.09x
Perthshire 1 0.67x
Roxburghshire 1 1.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kilmarnock in Ayrshire leads with 30 Walkinshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 101.56x.

Place Total Index
Kilmarnock 30 101.56x
Tweedmouth 22 357.72x
Carnwath 18 271.49x
New Monkland 16 50.46x
Govan 15 5.65x
Westgate 15 49.08x
Barony 12 4.42x
Auchterderran 11 222.67x
Dunse 10 262.47x
Gateshead 10 13.54x
Glasgow 10 5.25x
Gordon 9 947.37x
Carstairs 8 360.36x
Channelkirk 8 1159.42x
Bethnal Green London 6 4.16x
Dalserf 6 56.07x
East Greenock 6 24.72x
Macclesfield 6 18.44x
Polmont 6 132.74x
St Pancras London 6 2.25x
West Calder 6 68.49x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 8.70x
Bromley London 5 6.85x
Chelsea London 5 5.00x
Felkington 5 4166.67x
Maryhill 5 23.81x
South Leith 5 10.00x
Biggar 4 164.61x
Derby St Werburgh 4 13.34x
Dunoon Kilmun 4 55.56x
Falkirk 4 13.97x
Birmingham 3 1.08x
Hulme 3 3.65x
Mortlach 3 89.29x
Toxteth Park 3 2.25x
West Linton 3 236.22x
East Chevington 2 121.95x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.12x
Edinburgh St Marys 2 23.15x
Hamilton 2 6.68x
Kirknewton 2 156.25x
Lesmahagow 2 17.64x
Newbattle 2 52.63x
Newlands 2 215.05x
North Leith 2 9.73x
Peebles 2 43.38x
Swinton 2 181.82x
Trevethin 2 8.83x
Westbury On Trym 2 9.07x
Ardrossan 1 11.64x
Aston 1 0.43x
Ayton 1 42.92x
Blairgowrie 1 16.98x
Byker 1 4.10x
Camberwell 1 0.47x
Dalkeith 1 11.40x
Dalry 1 8.56x
Eastwood 1 6.32x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.58x
Lanark 1 11.59x
Leckhampton 1 24.94x
Margate St John Baptist 1 4.83x
Morpeth 1 17.24x
Shoreditch London 1 0.70x
Stirling 1 6.49x
Wilton 1 15.17x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Walkinshaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Walkinshaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 347 people were recorded with the Walkinshaw surname. That placed it at #8,811 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Walkinshaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 495 in 2016. That gives Walkinshaw a modern rank of #10,052.

What does the Walkinshaw surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname referring to someone from Walkinshaw near Glasgow.

What does the Walkinshaw map show?

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