NameCensus.

UK surname

Machray

In the 1881 census there were 116 people recorded with the Machray surname, ranking it #18,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 197, ranked #19,777, down from #18,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kincardine O'Neil, Old Deer and Udny. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Friockheim, Cowdenbeath North and Inverurie North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Machray is 205 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 69.8%.

1881 census count

116

Ranked #18,126

Modern count

197

2016, ranked #19,777

Peak year

2009

205 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Machray had 116 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016, ranked #19,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 127 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Machray surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Machray surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Machray 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 98 #17,383
1861 historical 127 #17,469
1881 historical 116 #18,126
1891 historical 114 #22,006
1901 historical 119 #20,624
1911 historical 37 #29,263
1997 modern 175 #19,161
1998 modern 174 #19,729
1999 modern 186 #19,073
2000 modern 191 #18,752
2001 modern 193 #18,334
2002 modern 195 #18,590
2003 modern 198 #18,252
2004 modern 204 #17,992
2005 modern 198 #18,279
2006 modern 202 #18,160
2007 modern 192 #18,975
2008 modern 201 #18,584
2009 modern 205 #18,722
2010 modern 205 #19,140
2011 modern 197 #19,483
2012 modern 189 #19,949
2013 modern 189 #20,273
2014 modern 199 #19,775
2015 modern 196 #19,840
2016 modern 197 #19,777

Geography

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Where Machrays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kincardine O'Neil, Old Deer, Udny, St. Ninians and Nigg. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Friockheim, Cowdenbeath North, Inverurie North, Kilsyth Bogside and Inverurie South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kincardine O'Neil Aberdeen
2 Old Deer Aberdeen
3 Udny Aberdeen
4 St. Ninians Stirling
5 Nigg Kincardine

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Friockheim Angus
2 Cowdenbeath North Fife
3 Inverurie North Aberdeenshire
4 Kilsyth Bogside North Lanarkshire
5 Inverurie South Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Machray

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Machray

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

Machray is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Machray falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Machray families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Machray 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 74 Machrays recorded in 1881 and an index of 70.62x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 74 70.62x
Angus 19 18.13x
Kincardineshire 5 36.28x
Sutherland 5 57.47x
East Lothian 4 26.68x
Stirlingshire 4 9.59x
Cheshire 3 1.20x
Monmouthshire 2 2.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 17 Machrays recorded in 1881 and an index of 77.70x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 17 77.70x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 11 56.09x
Forfar 8 140.85x
Old Deer 7 351.76x
Skene 7 1014.49x
Midmar 6 1500.00x
Eddrachillis 5 847.46x
Birse 4 952.38x
Haddington 4 181.00x
Logie Pert 4 1025.64x
Abroath St Vigeans 3 697.67x
Keithhall 3 882.35x
Kintore 3 329.67x
Newhills 3 139.53x
Nigg 3 263.16x
St Ninians 3 72.46x
Tranmere 3 32.68x
Belhelvie 2 277.78x
Duffryn 2 2000.00x
Lumphanan 2 454.55x
St Vigeans 2 35.34x
Tarland 2 444.44x
Udny 2 312.50x
Crathie Braemar 1 158.73x
Falkirk 1 10.24x
Fetteresso 1 46.30x
Fordoun 1 129.87x
Glenmuick Tullich 1 131.58x
Kincardine O Neil 1 133.33x
Monifieth 1 27.03x
Monquhitter 1 92.59x
Montrose 1 15.75x
Slains 1 204.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Hannah 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 2
John 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 Machray households.

FAQ

Machray surname: questions and answers

How common was the Machray surname in 1881?

In 1881, 116 people were recorded with the Machray surname. That placed it at #18,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Machray surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016. That gives Machray a modern rank of #19,777.

What does the Machray map show?

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