NameCensus.

UK surname

Macdowall

A surname of Scottish origin meaning "son of the brown stranger" or "foreigner".

In the 1881 census there were 37 people recorded with the Macdowall surname, ranking it #28,418 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, down from #28,418 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breich Valley, Tower Hamlets and West Calder and Polbeth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macdowall is 138 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 197.3%.

1881 census count

37

Ranked #28,418

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

1997

138 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macdowall had 37 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,418 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 62 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Macdowall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macdowall surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macdowall 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 40 #26,118
1861 historical 45 #28,296
1881 historical 37 #28,418
1891 historical 62 #28,991
1901 historical 35 #30,194
1911 historical 40 #28,913
1997 modern 138 #22,227
1998 modern 122 #24,556
1999 modern 110 #26,315
2000 modern 113 #25,843
2001 modern 113 #25,489
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 113 #25,999
2005 modern 107 #26,875
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 112 #26,800
2008 modern 114 #26,796
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 115 #27,874
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 107 #29,017
2013 modern 111 #28,856
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 110 #29,157
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

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Where Macdowalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breich Valley, Tower Hamlets, West Calder and Polbeth, Knowsley and Bathgate and Boghall. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breich Valley West Lothian
2 Tower Hamlets 019 Tower Hamlets
3 West Calder and Polbeth West Lothian
4 Knowsley 020 Knowsley
5 Bathgate and Boghall West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macdowall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macdowall

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Macdowall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Macdowall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Macdowall 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

Macdowall is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Macdowall falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Macdowall

The surname MACDOWALL has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to derive from the Gaelic Mac Dhuibhshithe, which means "son of the black man." The name is associated with the ancient lands of Garthland and Loch Dowall in Wigtownshire.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century, with references to individuals such as Gillebertus de Macdoual in 1263 and Fergus Macdowal in 1296. These early spellings highlight the evolution of the name over time.

One of the earliest and most notable individuals bearing the MACDOWALL name was Sir John MacDowalle (c. 1350-1428), a Scottish knight and diplomat who served as the Clerk of the Rolls of Scotland and was involved in negotiations with England during the Hundred Years' War.

In the 16th century, the MACDOWALL family played a significant role in Scottish history, with members such as Sir James MacDowale (c. 1500-1573), who was appointed Lord of Session in 1548 and participated in the Reformation Parliament of 1560.

Another prominent figure was Sir Patrick MacDowale (1566-1636), a Scottish poet and courtier who served as the Gentleman of the Bedchamber to King James VI of Scotland and later King James I of England.

During the 17th century, the MACDOWALL name continued to be associated with notable individuals, such as Sir Alexander MacDowale (1601-1666), a Scottish landowner and member of the Parliament of Scotland, and Sir James MacDowale (1635-1711), a Scottish judge and Lord of Session.

In the 18th century, the MACDOWALL family maintained their influential status, with individuals like William MacDowale (1718-1789), a Scottish writer and philosopher who was a member of the Scottish Enlightenment movement.

Throughout the centuries, the MACDOWALL surname has been associated with various locations in Scotland, including the regions of Galloway, Ayrshire, and the Scottish Borders, where the family held significant landholdings and played important roles in local affairs.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macdowall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macdowall 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. Lanarkshire leads with 11 Macdowalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.69x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 11 9.69x
Inverness-shire 6 57.20x
Renfrewshire 5 18.38x
Lancashire 3 0.72x
Angus 2 6.15x
Dumfriesshire 2 25.77x
Fife 2 9.62x
Midlothian 2 4.25x
Cheshire 1 1.29x
Dorset 1 4.34x
Surrey 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 10 Macdowalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.60x.

Place Total Index
Govan 10 35.60x
Inverness 6 227.27x
Lochwinnoch 5 1219.51x
West Derby 3 24.61x
Dunfermline 2 62.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 10.57x
Glencairn 2 952.38x
Strathmartine 2 1428.57x
Charminster 1 555.56x
Davenham 1 1428.57x
Lambeth 1 3.27x
Rutherglen 1 59.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizth. 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alan 1
Alf. 1
David 1
Samuel 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 Macdowall households.

FAQ

Macdowall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macdowall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 37 people were recorded with the Macdowall surname. That placed it at #28,418 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macdowall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Macdowall a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Macdowall surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin meaning "son of the brown stranger" or "foreigner".

What does the Macdowall map show?

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