NameCensus.

UK surname

Macbain

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "mac Bain" meaning "son of the fair one."

In the 1881 census there were 116 people recorded with the Macbain surname, ranking it #18,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 159, ranked #22,798, down from #18,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Inverness and Bona, Edinburgh and Aberdeen and Old Machar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Benbecula and North Uist, Ardler and St Marys and Barloch.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macbain is 168 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.1%.

1881 census count

116

Ranked #18,126

Modern count

159

2016, ranked #22,798

Peak year

1998

168 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macbain had 116 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016, ranked #22,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 130 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Macbain surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macbain surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macbain 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 47 #24,810
1861 historical 71 #24,765
1881 historical 116 #18,126
1891 historical 130 #20,173
1901 historical 123 #20,248
1911 historical 19 #31,416
1997 modern 164 #19,944
1998 modern 168 #20,181
1999 modern 154 #21,455
2000 modern 145 #22,259
2001 modern 145 #21,951
2002 modern 143 #22,595
2003 modern 142 #22,460
2004 modern 147 #22,094
2005 modern 150 #21,786
2006 modern 141 #22,833
2007 modern 149 #22,318
2008 modern 152 #22,225
2009 modern 162 #21,791
2010 modern 156 #22,886
2011 modern 150 #23,309
2012 modern 156 #22,645
2013 modern 157 #22,904
2014 modern 161 #22,728
2015 modern 158 #22,913
2016 modern 159 #22,798

Geography

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Where Macbains are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Inverness and Bona, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Old Machar, Duthill and Rothiemurcus and Urquart and Logie Wester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Benbecula and North Uist, Ardler and St Marys, Barloch, Badenoch and Strathspey South and Arran. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Inverness and Bona Inverness
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
4 Duthill and Rothiemurcus Inverness
5 Urquart and Logie Wester Ross And Cromarty

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Benbecula and North Uist Na h-Eileanan Siar
2 Ardler and St Marys Dundee City
3 Barloch East Dunbartonshire
4 Badenoch and Strathspey South Highland
5 Arran North Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macbain

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macbain

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Macbain, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Macbain surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Macbain household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Macbain 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

Macbain is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Macbain falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Macbain

The surname MACBAIN has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the medieval period. It is a Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "Bain" or "Baidne," which is a personal name. The name likely referred to the son of a man named Bain or Baidne.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists several individuals who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. Among them was Gillecrist Macbayn from Ayrshire.

In the 14th century, a branch of the MACBAIN family settled in the Highlands and is mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1366. The name was particularly prominent in the areas of Ross-shire and Inverness-shire.

During the 16th century, the MACBAIN name appeared in various historical records, such as the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland in 1548, where a certain Johne McBayn is mentioned. Another notable figure from this period was Donald MACBAIN, a member of the clan Mackenzie, who was involved in the Battle of Glenlivet in 1594.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname MACBAIN was Sir David MACBAIN, who lived in the 15th century and was a prominent landowner in Ross-shire. He was also known for his involvement in local affairs and served as a representative of the community.

Another notable figure was Evan MACBAIN, born in 1670, who was a Presbyterian minister and served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1720.

In the 18th century, the MACBAIN name gained further recognition with Alexander MACBAIN, born in 1784, who was a Scottish Gaelic scholar and author. He published several works on the Gaelic language and contributed significantly to its preservation.

During the 19th century, John MACBAIN, born in 1835, was a Scottish businessman and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the textile industry and used his wealth to support various charitable causes, including the establishment of educational institutions in his hometown of Dingwall.

The MACBAIN name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Banavie (meaning "town of the MACBAINS") in Lochaber and Achnahanaid (meaning "field of the MACBAINS") in Gairloch.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macbain families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macbain 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. Inverness-shire leads with 62 Macbains recorded in 1881 and an index of 206.67x.

County Total Index
Inverness-shire 62 206.67x
Aberdeenshire 9 9.67x
Morayshire 9 57.66x
Fife 7 11.77x
Lanarkshire 4 1.23x
Ross-shire 4 14.50x
Lancashire 3 0.25x
Angus 1 1.07x
Midlothian 1 0.74x
Northamptonshire 1 1.06x
Peeblesshire 1 21.14x
Perthshire 1 2.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alvie in Inverness-shire leads with 30 Macbains recorded in 1881 and an index of 12500.00x.

Place Total Index
Alvie 30 12500.00x
Inverness 23 304.64x
Rothes 8 1052.63x
Kinghorn 7 555.56x
Petty 6 1132.08x
Aberdeen Old Machar 5 25.73x
Barony 3 3.65x
Meldrum 3 384.62x
Tain 3 285.71x
Toxteth Park 3 7.43x
Abernethy Kincardine 1 188.68x
Dundee 1 2.88x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.85x
Elgin 1 32.89x
Govan 1 1.24x
Kennethmont 1 285.71x
Laggan 1 312.50x
Perth West Church 1 46.73x
Peterborough 1 14.62x
South Uist 1 47.85x
Urray 1 116.28x
West Linton 1 256.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 1
Christina 1
Margt. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Macbain households.

FAQ

Macbain surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macbain surname in 1881?

In 1881, 116 people were recorded with the Macbain surname. That placed it at #18,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macbain surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016. That gives Macbain a modern rank of #22,798.

What does the Macbain surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "mac Bain" meaning "son of the fair one."

What does the Macbain map show?

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