NameCensus.

UK surname

Maceachen

Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Eachainn meaning "son of Eachainn".

In the 1881 census there were 82 people recorded with the Maceachen surname, ranking it #21,957 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 213, ranked #18,785, up from #21,957 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Henley-on-Thames, Kilmallie and Ardgour and Arisaig and Moidart. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lochaber West, Oban North and Barra and South Uist.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maceachen is 213 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 159.8%.

1881 census count

82

Ranked #21,957

Modern count

213

2016, ranked #18,785

Peak year

2016

213 bearers

Map years

4

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maceachen had 82 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,957 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 213 in 2016, ranked #18,785.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 157 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Maceachen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maceachen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Maceachen 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 157 #12,504
1861 historical 90 #22,312
1881 historical 82 #21,957
1891 historical 64 #28,781
1901 historical 34 #30,281
1911 historical 5 #33,427
1997 modern 140 #22,031
1998 modern 138 #22,814
1999 modern 139 #22,884
2000 modern 154 #21,415
2001 modern 150 #21,482
2002 modern 153 #21,609
2003 modern 151 #21,574
2004 modern 161 #20,840
2005 modern 167 #20,296
2006 modern 171 #20,131
2007 modern 173 #20,243
2008 modern 182 #19,800
2009 modern 185 #20,010
2010 modern 204 #19,200
2011 modern 200 #19,280
2012 modern 200 #19,207
2013 modern 209 #18,984
2014 modern 208 #19,194
2015 modern 212 #18,842
2016 modern 213 #18,785

Geography

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Where Maceachens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Henley-on-Thames, Kilmallie and Ardgour, Arisaig and Moidart, Astbury and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lochaber West, Oban North, Barra and South Uist, Oban South and Fort William North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire
2 Kilmallie and Ardgour Inverness
3 Arisaig and Moidart Inverness
4 Astbury Cheshire
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lochaber West Highland
2 Oban North Argyll and Bute
3 Barra and South Uist Na h-Eileanan Siar
4 Oban South Argyll and Bute
5 Fort William North Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Maceachen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Maceachen

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

Maceachen 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

Maceachen falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Maceachen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 20-25 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

4
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Maceachen

The surname Maceachen originates from the Scottish Highlands, dating back to the 16th century. It is a variant spelling of the Gaelic name "MacEachan," which means "son of Eachan." Eachan is a diminutive form of the Gaelic name Eoghann, derived from the Greek name Eugenius, meaning "well-born" or "noble."

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Clan MacDougall territories of Argyll and Lorn, where the MacEachans were a sept or branch of the larger clan. In the 16th century, the MacEachans were known as skilled archers and warriors, serving as part of the clan's military forces.

One notable historical figure bearing the name was John Maceachen, a Scottish soldier who fought in the Jacobite Risings of the early 18th century. He was born in Argyll around 1690 and participated in the Battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715, where he was captured and later released.

Another prominent individual was Reverend Donald Maceachen (1778-1857), a Scottish minister and author from the Isle of Islay. He wrote several works on Highland history and culture, including "The Gaelic Names of Beasts, Birds, and Fishes" and "The Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland."

In the 19th century, the name appeared in various records and documents related to the Highland Clearances, when many MacEachans were forced to emigrate from their ancestral lands. Some settled in Canada, particularly in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, where the name is still found today.

One famous Canadian with the surname was John Maceachen (1849-1922), a politician and lawyer from Prince Edward Island. He served as the Premier of Prince Edward Island from 1899 to 1900 and was instrumental in the province's entry into Canadian Confederation.

Another notable figure was Angus Maceachen (1759-1835), a Scottish soldier and explorer who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. He later became a fur trader and explorer in the Canadian Northwest, working for the North West Company.

While the Maceachen name is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history rooted in the Scottish Highlands and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Maceachen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maceachen 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. Argyllshire leads with 44 Maceachens recorded in 1881 and an index of 216.11x.

County Total Index
Argyllshire 44 216.11x
Inverness-shire 30 137.30x
Midlothian 1 1.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ardnamurchan in Argyllshire leads with 44 Maceachens recorded in 1881 and an index of 4271.84x.

Place Total Index
Ardnamurchan 44 4271.84x
South Uist 29 1907.89x
Barra 1 181.82x
Edinburgh St Stephens 1 51.81x

FAQ

Maceachen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maceachen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 82 people were recorded with the Maceachen surname. That placed it at #21,957 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maceachen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 213 in 2016. That gives Maceachen a modern rank of #18,785.

What does the Maceachen surname mean?

Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Eachainn meaning "son of Eachainn".

What does the Maceachen map show?

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