NameCensus.

UK surname

Macfie

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Duibhshíthe" meaning son of the dark stranger or son of the dark wanderer.

In the 1881 census there were 242 people recorded with the Macfie surname, ranking it #11,333 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 200, ranked #19,591, down from #11,333 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Bute and Rothesay, Duirnish and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Morningside, Loch Ness and Braidfauld.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macfie is 272 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.4%.

1881 census count

242

Ranked #11,333

Modern count

200

2016, ranked #19,591

Peak year

1891

272 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macfie had 242 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,333 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016, ranked #19,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 272 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Macfie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macfie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macfie 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 161 #12,288
1861 historical 193 #12,371
1881 historical 242 #11,333
1891 historical 272 #11,957
1901 historical 237 #13,574
1911 historical 73 #25,541
1997 modern 207 #17,267
1998 modern 206 #17,796
1999 modern 204 #18,021
2000 modern 214 #17,457
2001 modern 208 #17,513
2002 modern 207 #17,911
2003 modern 200 #18,139
2004 modern 197 #18,368
2005 modern 197 #18,339
2006 modern 199 #18,357
2007 modern 208 #18,013
2008 modern 206 #18,300
2009 modern 213 #18,284
2010 modern 214 #18,601
2011 modern 209 #18,730
2012 modern 195 #19,540
2013 modern 207 #19,093
2014 modern 206 #19,318
2015 modern 204 #19,331
2016 modern 200 #19,591

Geography

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Where Macfies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Bute and Rothesay, Duirnish, Govan Combination, Kirknewton and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Morningside, Loch Ness, Braidfauld, Rothesay Town and Bute. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 North Bute and Rothesay Bute
2 Duirnish Inverness
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Kirknewton Edinburgh
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Morningside City of Edinburgh
2 Loch Ness Highland
3 Braidfauld Glasgow City
4 Rothesay Town Argyll and Bute
5 Bute Argyll and Bute

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macfie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macfie

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Macfie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Macfie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Macfie is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Macfie 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

Macfie falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Macfie

The surname MACFIE is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Dhuibhshíthe, meaning "son of the dark stranger" or "son of the Duffy". It is believed to have originated in the Argyllshire region of western Scotland during the 13th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 15th century, when it appeared in various Scottish records and manuscripts. In 1494, a John Makfy was listed as a witness in a charter relating to lands in Kintyre, Argyll. The name was also recorded in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1503, where a Patrick Makfy was mentioned.

Over the centuries, the surname MACFIE has undergone various spellings, including Makfy, Makfie, Makphie, and Macphee, before settling on its current form. It is also worth noting that the name is sometimes anglicized as Duffie or Duffy, reflecting its Gaelic roots.

One of the earliest notable bearers of the MACFIE name was Angus MacFie, a Scottish clergyman born in 1609. He served as the Minister of Kilcalmonell and Kilberry in Argyll and played a significant role in the religious affairs of the region during the 17th century.

Another prominent figure associated with the surname was Sir Duncan MacFie (1794-1865), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord President of the Court of Session, the highest civil court in Scotland. He was born in Argyll and had a distinguished legal career, contributing significantly to the development of Scottish law.

In the late 19th century, John Macfie (1836-1901), a Scottish author and journalist, made a name for himself as a writer and editor. He wrote several books on Scottish history and culture, including "The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border" and "The Poetical Works of Robert Ferguson".

The MACFIE name also gained recognition in the field of medicine with Dr. Alexander MacFie (1876-1938), a Scottish physician and pioneer in the treatment of diabetes. He was born in Glasgow and made significant contributions to the understanding and management of the disease through his research and clinical practice.

In more recent times, the name has been associated with various fields, including sports, with Callum MacFie (born 1991), a Scottish professional rugby player who has represented Scotland at the international level.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macfie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macfie 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. Buteshire leads with 53 Macfies recorded in 1881 and an index of 415.04x.

County Total Index
Buteshire 53 415.04x
Renfrewshire 44 26.95x
Lanarkshire 37 5.43x
Midlothian 19 6.73x
Lancashire 11 0.44x
Aberdeenshire 8 4.10x
Inverness-shire 8 12.71x
Argyllshire 6 10.23x
Cheshire 6 1.29x
Wigtownshire 6 21.44x
Isle of Man 5 12.78x
Warwickshire 5 0.94x
Middlesex 4 0.19x
Ayrshire 1 0.63x
Dumfriesshire 1 2.15x
Surrey 1 0.10x
West Lothian 1 3.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rothesay in Buteshire leads with 38 Macfies recorded in 1881 and an index of 614.89x.

Place Total Index
Rothesay 38 614.89x
West Greenock 25 85.30x
Barony 20 11.60x
Cumbrae 15 1119.40x
Govan 14 8.31x
Aberdeen Old Machar 8 19.64x
Birkdale 8 126.38x
Middle Greenock 8 179.37x
Paisley High Church 8 61.54x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 6.16x
Inverness 7 44.22x
Lower Bebington 6 217.39x
Whithorn 6 281.69x
Bolehall Glascote 5 222.22x
Corstorphine 5 320.51x
Gorbals 3 74.26x
Kilbarchan 3 60.48x
Kilchoman 3 163.04x
Onchan 3 26.62x
South Leith 3 9.45x
Colinton 2 63.49x
Heriot 2 645.16x
St Marylebone London 2 1.78x
Ardchattan Muckairn 1 68.97x
Dumfries 1 21.79x
Everton 1 1.26x
Islington London 1 0.49x
Kilfinan 1 63.69x
Kilmore Kilbride 1 26.88x
Kilmuir 1 54.05x
Little Bolton 1 3.11x
Maughold 1 33.11x
Muirkirk 1 27.03x
Rushen 1 37.74x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.69x
Tooting Graveney 1 34.97x
Toxteth Park 1 1.18x
Uphall 1 28.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Helen 2
Jane 2
Mary 2
Ann 1
Elanora 1
Ella 1
Flora 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
Janet 1
Janett 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Mona 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Charles 2
Allen 1
Claud 1
Donald 1
Eleanor 1
James 1
Norman 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
William 1
Wm. 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 Macfie households.

FAQ

Macfie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macfie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 242 people were recorded with the Macfie surname. That placed it at #11,333 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macfie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016. That gives Macfie a modern rank of #19,591.

What does the Macfie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Duibhshíthe" meaning son of the dark stranger or son of the dark wanderer.

What does the Macfie map show?

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