NameCensus.

UK surname

Wishart

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place in Angus, likely meaning "wise heart" or "wise wood."

In the 1881 census there were 2,353 people recorded with the Wishart surname, ranking it #1,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,615, ranked #2,546, down from #1,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness, Kirkcaldy Templehall East and Lerwick North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wishart is 2,807 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.1%.

1881 census count

2,353

Ranked #1,889

Modern count

2,615

2016, ranked #2,546

Peak year

1901

2,807 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wishart had 2,353 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,615 in 2016, ranked #2,546.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,807 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Wishart surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wishart surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wishart 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 1,749 #1,651
1861 historical 1,894 #1,531
1881 historical 2,353 #1,889
1891 historical 2,555 #1,862
1901 historical 2,807 #1,987
1911 historical 595 #6,883
1997 modern 2,434 #2,586
1998 modern 2,538 #2,574
1999 modern 2,546 #2,589
2000 modern 2,594 #2,527
2001 modern 2,498 #2,566
2002 modern 2,538 #2,580
2003 modern 2,465 #2,597
2004 modern 2,456 #2,609
2005 modern 2,487 #2,548
2006 modern 2,491 #2,553
2007 modern 2,508 #2,561
2008 modern 2,518 #2,574
2009 modern 2,578 #2,576
2010 modern 2,611 #2,599
2011 modern 2,579 #2,599
2012 modern 2,529 #2,597
2013 modern 2,549 #2,622
2014 modern 2,579 #2,603
2015 modern 2,567 #2,591
2016 modern 2,615 #2,546

Geography

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Where Wisharts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and Dunfermline. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness, Kirkcaldy Templehall East, Lerwick North, Shetland South and West Mainland. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Dunfermline Fife

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness Orkney Islands
2 Kirkcaldy Templehall East Fife
3 Lerwick North Shetland Islands
4 Shetland South Shetland Islands
5 West Mainland Orkney Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wishart

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wishart

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

Wishart 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

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

Meaning and origin of Wishart

The surname Wishart originated in Scotland, deriving its name from the parish of Wishart in Forfarshire. The earliest recorded spelling is Wischard, found in the records of the Abbey of Arbroath in 1204. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "wisc" meaning a meadow or low-lying fertile land, and "hard" meaning hardy or brave.

The name Wishart appeared in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish landowners and lairds who swore allegiance to Edward I of England. One notable bearer was Robert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow from 1272 to 1316, who played a significant role in the Scottish Wars of Independence.

In the 14th century, George Wishart (c.1513-1546) was a Protestant reformer and preacher who was a follower of John Knox. He was burned at the stake in St. Andrews for heresy, becoming a martyr of the Scottish Reformation. His execution is said to have influenced the young John Knox to join the Protestant cause.

The Wisharts were a prominent Scottish family, with several members holding important positions in the church and government. Sir John Wishart (c.1609-1676) was a Scottish judge and member of the Privy Council of Scotland during the reign of Charles II.

In the literary world, William Wishart (1691-1753) was a Scottish poet and playwright, best known for his tragedy "The Monk of Dingwall" and his satire "The Caledonian Bard". Another notable bearer was Robert Wishart (1758-1830), a Scottish minister and biographer who wrote a memoir of George Buchanan, a prominent Scottish humanist scholar.

The name Wishart has also been associated with places in Scotland, such as Wishart Hill in Aberdeenshire and the village of Wishart in Angus. The Wishart Arms, a public house in Edinburgh, was named after the family and has been a landmark since the 17th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wishart families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wishart 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. Fife leads with 422 Wisharts recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.15x.

County Total Index
Fife 422 31.15x
Midlothian 337 10.99x
Lanarkshire 285 3.85x
Angus 248 11.70x
Aberdeenshire 177 8.35x
Orkney 100 39.72x
Durham 82 1.20x
Shetland 78 33.37x
Renfrewshire 68 3.83x
Perthshire 56 5.45x
Lancashire 49 0.18x
Middlesex 47 0.21x
Northumberland 39 1.15x
Ayrshire 30 1.75x
Kincardineshire 28 10.05x
Buteshire 23 16.59x
Yorkshire 21 0.09x
Inverness-shire 19 2.78x
Ross-shire 18 2.86x
Stirlingshire 18 2.13x
Cumberland 17 0.86x
Dunbartonshire 17 2.76x
West Lothian 17 4.93x
Surrey 14 0.13x
Clackmannanshire 13 6.88x
East Lothian 11 3.63x
Dumfriesshire 10 1.98x
Kinross-shire 10 17.29x
Roxburghshire 10 2.41x
Selkirkshire 8 3.86x
Argyllshire 7 1.10x
Devon 7 0.15x
Hampshire 6 0.13x
Kent 6 0.08x
Suffolk 6 0.22x
Essex 5 0.11x
Nairnshire 5 7.16x
Royal Navy 5 1.83x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.22x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 0.91x
Sussex 3 0.08x
Banffshire 2 0.42x
Berwickshire 2 0.72x
Glamorgan 2 0.05x
Peeblesshire 2 1.86x
Sutherland 2 1.14x
Berkshire 1 0.06x
Cheshire 1 0.02x
Cornwall 1 0.04x
Lincolnshire 1 0.03x
Monmouthshire 1 0.06x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Shropshire 1 0.05x
Staffordshire 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. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 139 Wisharts recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.27x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 139 11.27x
Govan 109 5.95x
Barony 94 5.02x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 77 19.42x
Abbotshall 50 98.78x
Montrose 49 38.14x
Dundee 45 5.69x
Aberdeen Old Machar 41 9.27x
South Leith 40 11.59x
Dunfermline 37 17.76x
Burntisland 34 89.76x
Glasgow 34 2.59x
Orphir 34 425.53x
Leslie 32 93.29x
Markinch 31 67.41x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 30 41.37x
Cramond 29 124.84x
Forfar 27 23.52x
Cadder 20 36.59x
Stromness 20 105.88x
Arbroath 19 27.04x
Coupar Angus 19 94.72x
Byker 18 10.69x
Cumbrae 18 123.37x
Dysart 18 19.73x
Kinghorn 18 62.59x
Pelton 18 55.57x
Largo 17 96.65x
Liff Benvie 17 5.28x
St Andrews 16 25.96x
Walls 16 141.09x
Eastwood 15 13.73x
Kirkwall St Ola 15 39.78x
Sandwick 15 158.90x
Abbey 14 5.17x
Dingwall 14 79.19x
Everton 14 1.62x
South Ronaldshay 14 53.74x
Edinburgh Canongate 13 16.66x
Lerwick Gulberwick 13 35.93x
Newburgh 13 75.54x
Alloa 12 13.09x
Bathgate 12 16.04x
Cathcart 12 12.51x
Dalserf 12 16.25x
Gateshead 12 2.35x
Northmavine 12 67.42x
Scoonie 12 40.90x
Carnock 11 132.69x
Chopwell 11 86.96x
Dunnichen 11 98.39x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 11 61.66x
Forgan 11 42.39x
Kennoway 11 89.29x
Kilmarnock 11 5.40x
Monifieth 11 14.69x
Insch 10 82.92x
Inverness 10 5.82x
Kirkden 10 75.41x
Sandsting Aitsting 10 47.21x
Auchtermuchty 9 49.45x
Beath 9 21.02x
Kirkcaldy 9 13.39x
Leuchars 9 52.54x
Stirling 9 8.46x
Yell South 9 158.17x
Abdie 8 103.76x
Auchterderran 8 23.49x
Bermondsey 8 1.17x
Edinburgh St Stephens 8 13.26x
Falkland 8 37.54x
Forgue 8 42.02x
Haddington 8 17.88x
Kirkintilloch 8 9.58x
Loudoun 8 19.42x
Marykirk 8 69.63x
Medomsley 8 25.19x
Melrose 8 15.35x
Melrose 8 22.32x
Westgate 8 3.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 15
Jane 11
Margaret 11
Sarah 7
Alice 6
Ann 6
Annie 5
Catherine 4
Ellen 4
Eleanor 3
Hannah 3
Anne 2
Dorothy 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Harriet 2
Isabella 2
Janet 2
Margret 2
Marion 2
Martha 2
May 2
Rhoda 2
Alace 1
Alicia 1
Amelia 1
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Cathrine 1
Christian 1
E. 1
E.Senest 1
Elizebth 1
Elizth. 1
Evangline 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Janett 1
Lota 1
Mable 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 26
James 23
Robert 18
William 18
David 11
George 11
Thomas 7
Joseph 5
Alexander 4
Edward 4
Richard 4
Charles 3
Davison 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Allan 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Basil 1
C. 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Duncan 1
Emmerson 1
Eric 1
Francis 1
Gordon 1
Hill 1
Kenneth 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Robson 1
Septamus 1
Sidney 1
W. 1
Wm.L. 1

FAQ

Wishart surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wishart surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,353 people were recorded with the Wishart surname. That placed it at #1,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wishart surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,615 in 2016. That gives Wishart a modern rank of #2,546.

What does the Wishart surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place in Angus, likely meaning "wise heart" or "wise wood."

What does the Wishart map show?

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