Surnames

Our Family

Surnames Familiar to the North East of Scotland

SURNAMES

The Beginning

Surnames

The following excellent article appeared in the Fraserburgh Group 2001.

It is reproduced here for educational purposes and the copyright of the Author and of the Fraserburgh Group is acknowledged.

In the 1696 List of Pollable Persons there are 20 households listed for Broadsea of which 6 refer to Nobles (including 3 Alexanders), 6 refer to Watts ( including 2 James' and 2 Johns), 3 Lessells, a Steiven, a Ritchie, a Tayleor, a Martine, a Masson and a Glennie. This immediately proves how localised surnames were for in the rest of Fraserburgh there was only 1 Noble ( a seaman), 4 Watts, 3 Ritchies (all seamen), 8 Tayleors (2 seamen) and none of the other surnames.

The Barony Court record of 16th Jan. 1789 lists 42 Broadsea fishermen of whom 29 are Nobles, 5 are Watts, 1 is a Lessles, 1 is a Stephen, 2 are Taylors, 3 are Crawfords and there is 1 McLeman. So in 93 years the only 2 new surnames are McLeman and Crawford. Included within the Nobles are 9 Williams, 9 Andrews, 4 Alexanders, 3 Gilberts, 2 Johns and 2 James'. The Watts have 2 Andrews and 2 Johns. The need for tee-names is obvious, at least as far as the Nobles are concerned.

An 1818 list of Broadsea fishermen, in the Fraser of Philorth Papers, lists 47 Broadsea fishermen of whom 23 are Nobles, 9 are Watts, 6 are Crawfords, 6 are McLemans and 3 are Taylors.

There are 67 households recorded in the 1841 census. 27 are Nobles, 12 are Watts, 8 are Crawfords, 7 are McLemans and 6 are Taylors. New names as heads of households are McNab and Duthie.

Another list of Broadsea fishermen from the Fraser of Philorth Papers dated 1845 has 52 names of which 19 are Nobles, 9 are Watts, 8 are McLemans, 6 are Crawfords, 6 are Taylors, 3 are McNabs and 1 is a Duthie.

The 1851 Census for Broadsea has 71 Heads of Household listed, of these 23 are Nobles, 12 are Watts, 10 are McLemans, 10 are Crawfords, and 8 are Taylors. There are 2 McNabs, a McLean, a Duthie, a Masson, a Birdie , an Ogilvie and even a Smith.

So over a 150 year period, the Nobles and Watts continue to dominate the head of household surnames but dropping from 60% in 1696 to 49% in 1851. The Taylors have grown in numbers from 5% to 11% and the McLemans and Crawfords have established themselves. These 5 families represent over 88 % of all the heads of households in 1851.

Jumping forward to the 1891 census for Broadsea, 94 heads of household are listed. 30 are Nobles, 13 are Watts, 13 are Crawfords, 11 are Taylors and 9 are McLemans making up over 83% of the total. College Bounds, which effectively by this time, was the 'overspill' for Broadsea had 36 heads of household in the 1891 census. 80% were of the same 5 family surnames - 11 Nobles, 7 Watts, 6 McLemans, 3 Taylors and 2 Crawfords.

The 1905 Valuation Roll for Broadsea shows the same story. 86% of the 80 heads of households are from the usual 5 surnames- 28 Nobles, 12 Watts, 12 Taylors, 10 Crawfords and 7 McLemans.

Finally (as far as my database goes) the 1925 Valuation Roll for Broadsea has 84 heads of household. The 5 families now represent 'only' 70%- Nobles 24, Crawfords 12, Watts 8, McLemans 8 and Taylors 7.

In summary I have deliberately used a range of sources which, whilst not totally compatible, ( Fishermen's lists may include more than one member of a household whereas heads of households clearly do not) do, undoubtedly, confirm the surname uniqueness of a typical North East Scotland fishing village before, throughout and after the 19th century.

Peter Noble

Please email me. This site was complied by Linda Taylor as a historical record of the Taylor's of Broadsea. Any further information is most welcome please email me.

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