NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Macgregor

Gaelic name meaning "son of the tall grizzled one".

Macgregor is a boy's name in the UK records.

We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Macgregor. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Macgregor ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #584 in 2006.
  • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Macgregor as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

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Births in -

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Peak year

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Estimated living

3

2026

Meaning

What does Macgregor mean?

The name Macgregor is of Scottish origin and has its roots in the Gaelic language. It is a patronymic name, meaning "son of Gregor" or "son of a Greek man." The prefix "Mac" means "son of" in Gaelic.

The name is believed to have originated in the 12th century, during the Middle Ages in Scotland. It is derived from the ancient personal name Gregor, which is the Scottish form of the Greek name Gregorios, meaning "watchful" or "vigilant."

The Macgregor clan was a prominent Highland Scottish clan that played a significant role in the history of Scotland. The clan's ancestral lands were located in the regions of Argyll and Perthshire. The name Macgregor is closely associated with this clan and its rich cultural heritage.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Macgregor can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of documents from the late 13th century that recorded the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name "Gregore Makgregre" appears in these rolls.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Macgregor. One of the most famous was Rob Roy Macgregor (1671-1734), a Scottish folk hero and outlaw who fought against the Duke of Montrose's oppressive policies. Another notable figure was Sir Duncan Macgregor (1787-1881), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became the Governor of the British Virgin Islands.

Sir Evan John Macgregor (1828-1892) was a Scottish-born Australian politician and colonial administrator who served as the Chief Secretary of Queensland. John Macgregor (1825-1892) was a Scottish explorer and colonial administrator who explored parts of West Africa and served as the Lieutenant-Governor of the British territories in the region.

Lastly, Gregor Macgregor (1786-1845), a Scottish adventurer and soldier, gained fame for his attempts to establish a colony in Central America, which he called the "Territory of Poyais." Despite his exploits being considered fraudulent, his name has become associated with the concept of utopian schemes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Geography

Where Macgregor is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Macgregor. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Macgregor ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #584 in 2006.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Macgregor in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#584 in 2006

1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Macgregor

  • Macgregor Laird

    explorer

    British explorer (1808–1861)

    1808-1861

Related

Names similar to Macgregor

FAQ

Macgregor: questions and answers

What is the meaning and origin of Macgregor?

Gaelic name meaning "son of the tall grizzled one".

Where is Macgregor most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Macgregor ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #584 in 2006. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.