NameCensus.

UK surname

Maccuish

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cuish" meaning son of the footman or messenger.

In the 1881 census there were 96 people recorded with the Maccuish surname, ranking it #20,248 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 268, ranked #16,003, up from #20,248 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Barra, South Uist and Kilbrandon and Kilchattan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Benbecula and North Uist, Oban South and Harris.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maccuish is 268 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 179.2%.

1881 census count

96

Ranked #20,248

Modern count

268

2016, ranked #16,003

Peak year

2016

268 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maccuish had 96 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,248 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 268 in 2016, ranked #16,003.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 130 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Maccuish surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maccuish surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Maccuish 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 41 #25,926
1861 historical 56 #26,864
1881 historical 96 #20,248
1891 historical 122 #21,053
1901 historical 130 #19,649
1997 modern 207 #17,267
1998 modern 224 #16,888
1999 modern 220 #17,160
2000 modern 237 #16,331
2001 modern 226 #16,620
2002 modern 231 #16,677
2003 modern 226 #16,766
2004 modern 230 #16,643
2005 modern 231 #16,529
2006 modern 238 #16,288
2007 modern 244 #16,186
2008 modern 242 #16,432
2009 modern 255 #16,183
2010 modern 254 #16,604
2011 modern 252 #16,543
2012 modern 244 #16,793
2013 modern 251 #16,734
2014 modern 259 #16,509
2015 modern 263 #16,224
2016 modern 268 #16,003

Geography

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Where Maccuishs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Barra, South Uist, Kilbrandon and Kilchattan, Resolis and Harris. 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, Oban South, Harris, Ross and Cromarty South West and Benderloch Trail. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Barra Inverness
2 South Uist Inverness
3 Kilbrandon and Kilchattan Argyll
4 Resolis Ross And Cromarty
5 Harris Inverness

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Benbecula and North Uist Na h-Eileanan Siar
2 Oban South Argyll and Bute
3 Harris Na h-Eileanan Siar
4 Ross and Cromarty South West Highland
5 Benderloch Trail Argyll and Bute

Forenames

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First names often paired with Maccuish

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Maccuish

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Maccuish is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Maccuish is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Maccuish falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Maccuish 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 - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Maccuish, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Maccuish

The surname MacCuish has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the late 16th century. It is a variant of the Gaelic name "MacCuish," which means "son of Cuish" or "son of the slender one." The name is believed to have originated in the Hebrides Islands, particularly on the Isle of Skye.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MacCuish can be found in the Clan Donald records from the late 16th century. These records mention a John MacCuish who was a prominent member of the clan and held a position of authority on the Isle of Skye.

Another notable historical reference to the name is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the early 17th century, where a Donald MacCuish is listed as a tenant farmer in Argyll. This suggests that the name had spread to the mainland of Scotland by this time.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure bearing the name was Angus MacCuish, who served as a captain in the British Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in 1742 on the Isle of Skye and died in 1810.

The MacCuish name is also connected to several place names in Scotland, such as MacCuish's Point and MacCuish's Bay on the Isle of Skye, further cementing the family's historical ties to the island.

Other notable individuals with the surname MacCuish include:

1. Donald MacCuish (1792-1870), a Scottish poet and writer from the Isle of Skye. 2. Alasdair MacCuish (1832-1901), a prominent businessman and landowner from Argyll. 3. Iain MacCuish (1879-1945), a Scottish historian and scholar who specialized in the study of Gaelic language and culture. 4. Mary MacCuish (1905-1988), a Scottish artist and painter known for her landscapes of the Hebrides Islands. 5. Angus MacCuish (1920-2002), a Scottish politician and member of the UK Parliament, representing the Western Isles constituency.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Maccuish families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maccuish 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 69 Maccuishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 343.28x.

County Total Index
Inverness-shire 69 343.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Uist in Inverness-shire leads with 35 Maccuishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4487.18x.

Place Total Index
North Uist 35 4487.18x
Trumisgarry 13 6500.00x
Harris 11 1089.11x
Barra 8 1600.00x
South Uist 2 142.86x

FAQ

Maccuish surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maccuish surname in 1881?

In 1881, 96 people were recorded with the Maccuish surname. That placed it at #20,248 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maccuish surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 268 in 2016. That gives Maccuish a modern rank of #16,003.

What does the Maccuish surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cuish" meaning son of the footman or messenger.

What does the Maccuish map show?

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