NameCensus.

UK surname

Macgregor

A Scottish surname referring to someone descended from Gregor or Gregory.

In the 1881 census there were 1,615 people recorded with the Macgregor surname, ranking it #2,642 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,040, ranked #1,115, up from #2,642 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Benderloch Trail, Inverness East Rural and Lochaber East and North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macgregor is 6,040 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 274.0%.

1881 census count

1,615

Ranked #2,642

Modern count

6,040

2016, ranked #1,115

Peak year

2016

6,040 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macgregor had 1,615 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,642 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,040 in 2016, ranked #1,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,060 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Macgregor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macgregor surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macgregor 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 806 #3,327
1861 historical 828 #3,329
1881 historical 1,615 #2,642
1891 historical 1,989 #2,318
1901 historical 3,060 #1,829
1911 historical 1,178 #3,972
1997 modern 5,392 #1,208
1998 modern 5,566 #1,219
1999 modern 5,624 #1,213
2000 modern 5,649 #1,207
2001 modern 5,537 #1,199
2002 modern 5,646 #1,201
2003 modern 5,485 #1,207
2004 modern 5,535 #1,189
2005 modern 5,568 #1,159
2006 modern 5,610 #1,155
2007 modern 5,749 #1,141
2008 modern 5,818 #1,136
2009 modern 5,878 #1,145
2010 modern 5,960 #1,154
2011 modern 5,896 #1,152
2012 modern 5,821 #1,141
2013 modern 5,911 #1,147
2014 modern 6,030 #1,137
2015 modern 6,027 #1,125
2016 modern 6,040 #1,115

Geography

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Where Macgregors are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Benderloch Trail, Inverness East Rural, Lochaber East and North, Thurso West and Highland. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Benderloch Trail Argyll and Bute
2 Inverness East Rural Highland
3 Lochaber East and North Highland
4 Thurso West Highland
5 Highland Stirling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macgregor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macgregor

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

Macgregor 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

Macgregor 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 Macgregor 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 Macgregor, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Macgregor

The surname MacGregor originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is a Clan name derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "Griogair" meaning "son of Gregor", a personal name itself derived from the Greek name "Gregorios" meaning "watchful". The name is associated with the Scottish Highlands, particularly the areas around Loch Lomond and Argyll.

The MacGregors were a prominent clan in 16th and 17th century Scotland, known for their involvement in various conflicts and feuds with rival clans such as the Campbells and the Colquhouns. In 1603, the entire clan was outlawed and proscribed by King James VI of Scotland, leading many MacGregors to adopt other surnames or disguise their identity.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England after his invasion of Scotland. The name appears as "Gregori filio Gregorii" and "Malcolmi MacGregor".

Notable individuals with the surname MacGregor include:

1. Rob Roy MacGregor (1671-1734), a famous Scottish folk hero, cattle trader, and outlaw who played a significant role in the Jacobite uprisings.

2. Sir Duncan MacGregor (1787-1881), a Scottish military officer who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars and later became the Governor of the British Virgin Islands.

3. John MacGregor (1825-1892), a Scottish explorer, travel writer, and philanthropist, known for his innovative use of the "Rob Roy" canoe for exploring rivers and waterways.

4. Gregor MacGregor (1786-1845), a Scottish soldier and adventurer who briefly established a short-lived Central American colony called "Poyais" and sold land grants to European settlers.

5. Ewan MacGregor (born 1971), a Scottish actor known for his roles in films such as "Trainspotting", "Moulin Rouge!", and the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy.

The name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Glengyle (from the Gaelic "Gleann Ghobhail", meaning "the MacGregor's Glen") and Loch Sloy, derived from the Gaelic "Slochd Sluaigh" meaning "the MacGregor's Host".

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macgregor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macgregor 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 178 Macgregors recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.51x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 178 4.51x
Midlothian 175 10.70x
Ross-shire 118 35.21x
Inverness-shire 116 31.83x
Renfrewshire 84 8.88x
Middlesex 75 0.61x
Angus 61 5.40x
Perthshire 52 9.49x
Caithness 48 28.73x
Lancashire 42 0.29x
Aberdeenshire 36 3.19x
Surrey 24 0.40x
Yorkshire 23 0.19x
Fife 21 2.91x
Argyllshire 19 5.59x
Kent 17 0.41x
Morayshire 17 8.97x
Cumberland 11 1.05x
Devon 11 0.43x
Staffordshire 9 0.22x
Cheshire 8 0.30x
Essex 8 0.33x
Nairnshire 8 21.48x
Peeblesshire 8 13.94x
Stirlingshire 7 1.56x
Sutherland 7 7.46x
Northumberland 6 0.33x
Channel Islands 5 1.38x
Hampshire 5 0.20x
Gloucestershire 4 0.17x
Orkney 4 2.98x
Oxfordshire 4 0.53x
Banffshire 3 1.19x
Dunbartonshire 3 0.91x
Kincardineshire 3 2.02x
Shetland 3 2.41x
West Lothian 3 1.63x
Berkshire 2 0.22x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.27x
Buteshire 2 2.70x
East Lothian 2 1.24x
Flintshire 2 0.61x
Lincolnshire 2 0.10x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.72x
Sussex 2 0.10x
Ayrshire 1 0.11x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
Durham 1 0.03x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.12x
Isle of Man 1 0.44x
Kinross-shire 1 3.24x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 109 Macgregors recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.57x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 109 16.57x
Govan 97 9.94x
Inverness 68 74.19x
Dundee 36 8.53x
Barony 30 3.00x
Gairloch 24 124.22x
Abbey 22 15.25x
Applecross 22 233.55x
Dull 21 191.26x
New Monkland 19 16.29x
Alvie 18 608.11x
Kincardine 18 291.73x
Toxteth Park 18 3.67x
South Leith 17 9.24x
Lochbroom 15 85.76x
Knockbain 14 178.57x
Wick 13 24.09x
Glasgow 12 1.71x
Houston Killallan 12 131.15x
Latheron 12 42.93x
St Vigeans 12 19.67x
Caldewgate 11 19.11x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 11 28.45x
Cambusnethan 10 11.41x
Cathcart 10 19.54x
Fodderty 10 117.92x
St Marylebone London 10 1.53x
Carshalton 9 39.56x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 3.91x
Daviot Dunlichity 9 171.76x
Kincardine 9 159.57x
Kinellar 9 371.90x
Ratcliffe London 9 13.36x
Thurso 9 34.54x
Watten 9 153.32x
West Greenock 9 5.30x
Crathie Braemar 8 118.34x
Dysart 8 16.44x
Lismore Appin 8 70.80x
Peebles 8 47.17x
Renfrew 8 25.62x
Alrewas 7 175.44x
Beddington 7 30.43x
Kensington London 7 1.03x
Kilmalcolm 7 61.78x
Newton 7 127.27x
Westminster St James 7 5.58x
Alves 6 127.39x
Ardclach 6 128.48x
Blair Athole 6 82.19x
Blantyre 6 14.60x
Edinburgh St Georges 6 17.68x
Edinburgh St Marys 6 18.88x
Halifax 6 3.38x
Hampton London 6 29.91x
Inverkip 6 26.92x
Kemnay 6 87.59x
Kilbarchan 6 20.88x
Liscard 6 12.36x
Montrose 6 8.76x
Rothes 6 64.86x
Shoreditch London 6 1.13x
Blairgowrie 5 23.08x
Chigwell 5 21.99x
Forgan 5 36.13x
Golspie 5 76.92x
Gorton 5 3.67x
Inverurie 5 39.12x
Kilmorack 5 45.25x
Lambeth 5 0.47x
Lewisham 5 2.25x
St Helier 5 4.25x
Buchanan 4 173.91x
Charlton Next Woolwich 4 9.21x
Dawlish 4 21.11x
Folkestone 4 4.95x
Kinghorn 4 26.09x
Kirkwall St Ola 4 19.89x
Leeds 4 0.59x
St George Hanover 4 2.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 25
James 17
William 11
Alexander 6
Charles 6
Duncan 5
David 4
Hugh 4
Robert 4
Thomas 4
George 3
Robt. 3
Wm. 3
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alexender 1
Alfred 1
Alistair 1
Alxr. 1
Andrew 1
Angus 1
Arther 1
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
Douglas 1
Dugald 1
Edgar 1
Evan 1
Fairley 1
Fredrick 1
Gregor 1
Henry 1
Leslie 1
Louis 1
M. 1
Malcolm 1
Patrick 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Roderick 1
Ronald 1
Simon 1
W. 1
Wilbaham 1
Willie 1
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Macgregor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macgregor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,615 people were recorded with the Macgregor surname. That placed it at #2,642 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macgregor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,040 in 2016. That gives Macgregor a modern rank of #1,115.

What does the Macgregor surname mean?

A Scottish surname referring to someone descended from Gregor or Gregory.

What does the Macgregor map show?

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