NameCensus.

UK surname

Macbeth

A surname referring to a person who lived near the stream known as Macbeth or the son of a man named Macbeth.

In the 1881 census there were 317 people recorded with the Macbeth surname, ranking it #9,359 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 819, ranked #6,776, up from #9,359 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lochaber West, Black Isle South and Battlefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macbeth is 825 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 158.4%.

1881 census count

317

Ranked #9,359

Modern count

819

2016, ranked #6,776

Peak year

2014

825 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macbeth had 317 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,359 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 819 in 2016, ranked #6,776.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 634 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Macbeth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macbeth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macbeth 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 145 #13,223
1861 historical 215 #11,316
1881 historical 317 #9,359
1891 historical 484 #7,621
1901 historical 634 #6,768
1911 historical 368 #9,886
1997 modern 744 #6,926
1998 modern 799 #6,757
1999 modern 787 #6,888
2000 modern 800 #6,778
2001 modern 787 #6,733
2002 modern 804 #6,747
2003 modern 776 #6,825
2004 modern 785 #6,771
2005 modern 779 #6,746
2006 modern 783 #6,743
2007 modern 793 #6,741
2008 modern 792 #6,811
2009 modern 821 #6,733
2010 modern 818 #6,887
2011 modern 811 #6,853
2012 modern 811 #6,762
2013 modern 812 #6,860
2014 modern 825 #6,808
2015 modern 817 #6,815
2016 modern 819 #6,776

Geography

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Where Macbeths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lochaber West, Black Isle South, Battlefield, Badenoch and Strathspey South and South Oxfordshire. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lochaber West Highland
2 Black Isle South Highland
3 Battlefield Glasgow City
4 Badenoch and Strathspey South Highland
5 South Oxfordshire 005 South Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macbeth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macbeth

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Macbeth, 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 Macbeth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Macbeth 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, Macbeth 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

Macbeth 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

Macbeth falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Macbeth

The surname Macbeth has its origins in Scotland and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Bheathain," meaning "son of the life" or "son of the bard." This suggests that the name may have been associated with poets, storytellers, or other creative individuals in its early history.

One of the earliest known references to the name Macbeth can be found in the Scottish Gaelic notes appended to the 14th-century Book of Deer, an ancient manuscript containing the oldest examples of written Gaelic from Scotland. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

The name gained particular prominence due to its association with the legendary King Macbeth of Scotland, who ruled from 1040 to 1057. Macbeth's reign was immortalized in William Shakespeare's famous play "Macbeth," which was likely based on the accounts of the king found in Raphael Holinshed's "Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Macbeth can be found in the 13th-century Ragman Rolls, a collection of feudal homage rolls listing Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to Edward I of England. In these rolls, the name appears as "Macbethe" and "Makbeth."

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Macbeth. One of the earliest was Gillespie Macbeth, a Scottish warrior who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. Another notable figure was John Macbeth, a 16th-century Scottish Protestant reformer and writer who was involved in the translation of the Bible into Gaelic.

In the 17th century, James Macbeth was a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets and planetary orbits. In the 18th century, Robert Macbeth was a Scottish architect known for his work on several prominent buildings in Edinburgh, including the Register House.

In more recent times, one of the most famous bearers of the surname was Sir Norman Macbeth (1857-1936), a British diplomat and linguist who served as a British ambassador to various countries and was instrumental in deciphering ancient Hittite inscriptions, contributing to the understanding of that language and culture.

The name Macbeth has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Macbeth's Hillock near Fife and Macbeth's Stone in Perthshire, further cementing its historical significance in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macbeth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macbeth 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. Lancashire leads with 76 Macbeths recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.35x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 76 2.35x
Lanarkshire 34 3.86x
Aberdeenshire 16 6.35x
Surrey 16 1.21x
Northumberland 14 3.46x
Middlesex 12 0.44x
Midlothian 12 3.29x
Caithness 11 29.52x
Perthshire 11 9.01x
Derbyshire 8 1.88x
Worcestershire 8 2.25x
Yorkshire 7 0.26x
Angus 6 2.38x
Cheshire 6 1.00x
Durham 6 0.74x
Staffordshire 6 0.65x
Morayshire 4 9.46x
Ayrshire 3 1.47x
Berkshire 3 1.47x
Glamorgan 3 0.63x
Gloucestershire 3 0.56x
Renfrewshire 3 1.42x
Devon 2 0.35x
Essex 2 0.37x
Argyllshire 1 1.32x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.37x
Fife 1 0.62x
Inverness-shire 1 1.23x
Kent 1 0.11x
Selkirkshire 1 4.06x
Westmorland 1 1.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 16 Macbeths recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.18x.

Place Total Index
Barony 16 7.18x
Glasgow 16 10.24x
Hulme 14 20.77x
Byker 12 59.94x
Aberdeen Old Machar 10 19.00x
Moulin 9 466.32x
North Meols 9 28.47x
Gorton 8 26.35x
Kidderminster Foreign 8 159.05x
Reay 8 392.16x
Nether Hallam 7 19.18x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 12.78x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 6 280.37x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 4.09x
Hammersmith London 6 8.95x
Stretford 6 33.76x
Tooting Graveney 6 162.60x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 10.60x
Birkenhead 5 10.44x
Halewood 5 289.02x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 5.13x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 7.80x
Claylane 4 67.57x
Elgin 4 48.60x
Manchester 4 2.75x
Southwick 4 52.15x
Warrington 4 10.45x
Wirksworth 4 103.36x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 16.85x
Cardiff St John 3 19.38x
Cheetham 3 12.45x
Dalrymple 3 234.38x
Edinburgh Greenside 3 62.24x
Everton 3 2.91x
Halkirk 3 119.05x
Hurst 3 112.36x
Inverkeillor 3 192.31x
Bishopwearmouth Panns 2 1176.47x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 7.80x
Broadwoodwidger 2 312.50x
Dundee 2 2.12x
Edinburgh St Georges 2 26.42x
Govan 2 0.92x
Hackney London 2 1.31x
Lambeth 2 0.84x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 9.53x
St Marylebone London 2 1.38x
St Pancras London 2 0.91x
West Greenock 2 5.28x
Withington 2 19.23x
Accrington 1 3.41x
Bollin Fee 1 37.59x
Clapham 1 2.94x
Drumoak 1 114.94x
Dunblane 1 34.25x
Dunnichen 1 75.19x
Dunoon Kilmun 1 16.92x
Eastwood 1 7.70x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 1 11.60x
Epping 1 45.87x
Heaton Norris 1 5.44x
Inverness 1 4.89x
Kidbrooke 1 192.31x
Leslie 1 24.51x
Liverpool 1 0.51x
Logie 1 22.83x
Rainford 1 28.65x
Rocester 1 87.72x
Row 1 10.57x
Rusholme 1 11.61x
Selkirk 1 14.41x
Strickland Roger 1 250.00x
Toxteth Park 1 0.91x
Wanstead 1 10.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 10
Charles 7
Arthur 4
James 4
Robert 4
Thomas 4
Alexander 3
Andrew 3
George 3
Henry 3
Alfred 2
Donald 2
Harold 2
Hugh 2
Leighton 2
Albert 1
Alydon 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Hector 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Joseph 1
Kenneth 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Rowland 1
Stanley 1
Sutherland 1
Sydney 1
Thos.A. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Macbeth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macbeth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 317 people were recorded with the Macbeth surname. That placed it at #9,359 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macbeth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 819 in 2016. That gives Macbeth a modern rank of #6,776.

What does the Macbeth surname mean?

A surname referring to a person who lived near the stream known as Macbeth or the son of a man named Macbeth.

What does the Macbeth map show?

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