NameCensus.

UK surname

Machan

A Scottish and northern English surname derived from the old English word "macian" meaning to make or fashion.

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Machan surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, down from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and Wath-on-Dearn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Alva, Wakefield and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Machan is 217 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.8%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

1901

217 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Machan had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 217 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Machan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Machan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Machan 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 167 #11,936
1861 historical 180 #13,057
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 196 #15,163
1901 historical 217 #14,381
1911 historical 130 #19,504
1997 modern 127 #23,352
1998 modern 126 #24,094
1999 modern 131 #23,709
2000 modern 124 #24,469
2001 modern 113 #25,489
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 109 #26,361
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 114 #25,837
2006 modern 121 #25,133
2007 modern 128 #24,632
2008 modern 123 #25,505
2009 modern 124 #25,957
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 131 #25,430
2012 modern 134 #25,059
2013 modern 136 #25,252
2014 modern 139 #25,093
2015 modern 138 #25,103
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Machans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow, Wath-on-Dearn, Sheffield and Huddersfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Alva, Wakefield, County Durham and South Oxfordshire. 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 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
2 Glasgow Lanark
3 Wath-on-Dearn Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Alva Clackmannanshire
2 Wakefield 006 Wakefield
3 County Durham 052 County Durham
4 South Oxfordshire 013 South Oxfordshire
5 Wakefield 007 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Machan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Machan

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Machan is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Machan 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

Machan 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 Machan 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Machan

The surname MACHAN has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "machann," which means a man who dwells or lives near the shore or the coast. The name was predominantly found in the coastal regions of Scotland, particularly in the Highlands and the Western Isles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MACHAN can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. In this document, the name appears as "Machan de Bute," indicating an individual from the Isle of Bute.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name MACHAN was prevalent in the Isle of Skye and the surrounding areas. Several historical records, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland and the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, mention individuals bearing this surname.

Notable figures throughout history with the surname MACHAN include Alasdair MACHAN (c. 1580-1650), a renowned Scottish bard and poet from the Isle of Skye, renowned for his compositions in Gaelic. Another notable figure was Iain MACHAN (1720-1790), a prominent Highland chieftain and landowner from the Isle of Mull.

In the 18th century, the MACHAN surname was associated with the Clan Donald, one of the largest and most influential Scottish clans. The name was found in various clan records and histories, such as the "History of the Clan Donald" by Alexander Mackenzie.

Other notable individuals with the surname MACHAN include Angus MACHAN (1810-1890), a Scottish immigrant to Canada who became a successful businessman and landowner in Nova Scotia, and Mairi MACHAN (1855-1930), a renowned Gaelic singer and tradition-bearer from the Isle of Lewis.

The MACHAN surname has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Machanbeg and Machanmore, which derive from the Gaelic words "machann beag" and "machann mòr," meaning "little" and "large" shore or coast, respectively.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Machan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Machan 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. Yorkshire leads with 71 Machans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.00x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 71 5.00x
Lanarkshire 15 3.23x
Middlesex 11 0.77x
Angus 7 5.27x
Durham 7 1.64x
Lancashire 6 0.35x
Midlothian 6 3.12x
Renfrewshire 6 5.40x
West Lothian 5 23.16x
Cheshire 3 0.95x
Cambridgeshire 2 2.20x
Kent 2 0.41x
Perthshire 2 3.11x
Ayrshire 1 0.93x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.52x
Shropshire 1 0.81x
Surrey 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 21 Machans recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.17x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 21 26.17x
Glasgow 11 13.36x
Huddersfield 8 38.65x
Dundee 7 14.12x
Isleworth 7 109.89x
Huddleston Cum Lumby 6 5000.00x
Inveresk 6 115.38x
Monk Frystone 6 2400.00x
Trimdon 6 397.35x
Keighley 5 33.03x
Kirkliston 5 396.83x
Middle Greenock 5 165.02x
Barony 4 3.41x
Bowling 4 28.43x
Wigginton 4 2000.00x
Bollin Fee 3 214.29x
Towthorpe In York 3 10000.00x
Wortley In Bramley 3 26.67x
Bradford 2 5.81x
Openshaw 2 25.09x
Sheffield 2 4.42x
Soothill 2 38.99x
St Andrewthe Less 2 19.27x
Acomb 1 135.14x
Barrow In Furness 1 4.32x
Chelsea London 1 2.31x
Conside Knitsley 1 30.12x
Coxwold 1 666.67x
Dundonald 1 25.25x
Greasbrough 1 53.19x
Liverpool 1 0.97x
Manchester 1 1.31x
Margate St John Baptist 1 11.16x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.00x
Paddington London 1 1.90x
Penge 1 10.92x
Perth East Church 1 16.47x
Perth West Church 1 32.79x
Rawdon 1 59.88x
Renfrew 1 27.25x
Shrewsbury St Chad 1 22.99x
St George In East 1 10.26x
St Mary Le Bow London 1 1666.67x
St Peters 1 44.25x
Toxteth Park 1 1.74x
York St Giles In 1 74.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Sarah 9
Margaret 5
Elizabeth 3
Catherine 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Ada 1
Adah 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Alma 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Clera 1
Constant 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Kate 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Rebecca 1
Tamer 1
Thurza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 4
John 4
Joseph 4
Patrick 4
Harry 3
Henry 3
James 3
Thomas 3
William 3
Abraham 2
Abram 2
Hugh 2
Albertus 1
Alonza 1
Edwin 1
Herbert 1
Joe 1
Matthew 1
Morgan 1
Richard 1
Robinson 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Machan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Machan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Machan surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Machan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Machan a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Machan surname mean?

A Scottish and northern English surname derived from the old English word "macian" meaning to make or fashion.

What does the Machan map show?

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