NameCensus.

UK surname

Macintyre

Son of the carpenter, builder, or craftsman.

In the 1881 census there were 846 people recorded with the Macintyre surname, ranking it #4,458 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,817, ranked #2,397, up from #4,458 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kilmallie and Ardgour, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barra and South Uist, Oban South and Lochaber East and North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macintyre is 2,817 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 233.0%.

1881 census count

846

Ranked #4,458

Modern count

2,817

2016, ranked #2,397

Peak year

2016

2,817 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macintyre had 846 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,458 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,817 in 2016, ranked #2,397.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,430 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Macintyre surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macintyre surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macintyre 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 893 #3,078
1861 historical 744 #3,665
1881 historical 846 #4,458
1891 historical 1,254 #3,442
1901 historical 1,430 #3,554
1911 historical 218 #14,177
1997 modern 2,456 #2,557
1998 modern 2,542 #2,571
1999 modern 2,548 #2,585
2000 modern 2,591 #2,530
2001 modern 2,512 #2,551
2002 modern 2,605 #2,528
2003 modern 2,561 #2,505
2004 modern 2,525 #2,551
2005 modern 2,529 #2,521
2006 modern 2,566 #2,484
2007 modern 2,575 #2,496
2008 modern 2,574 #2,521
2009 modern 2,688 #2,472
2010 modern 2,728 #2,499
2011 modern 2,664 #2,523
2012 modern 2,712 #2,447
2013 modern 2,752 #2,459
2014 modern 2,809 #2,435
2015 modern 2,786 #2,427
2016 modern 2,817 #2,397

Geography

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Where Macintyres are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kilmallie and Ardgour, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Barra and South Uist. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

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

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kilmallie and Ardgour Inverness
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Barra Inverness
5 South Uist Inverness

Top modern areas

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

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macintyre

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macintyre

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

Macintyre 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

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

Meaning and origin of Macintyre

The surname MacIntyre is of Scottish origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac an t-sair," meaning "son of the carpenter" or "son of the wright." This occupational name suggests that the first bearer was likely a skilled carpenter or woodworker.

The name MacIntyre is believed to have originated in the Highlands of Scotland, particularly in the regions of Argyll and the Western Isles. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the late 13th century, where a Donald McIntyir is mentioned.

In the 16th century, the MacIntyres were known to be a prominent clan in the Highlands, with a strong presence in the areas around Loch Lomond and Loch Awe. The clan is said to have played a significant role in the Scottish Wars of Independence against the English.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname MacIntyre was Dougall MacIntyre, a renowned Highland warrior who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He is said to have fought alongside the legendary Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

In the 17th century, the MacIntyres were involved in the Covenanting struggle against Charles I. Duncan McIntyre, born in 1602, was a prominent Covenanter and minister who played a key role in the conflict.

Another notable figure was Duncan Ban MacIntyre, a Gaelic poet and bard who lived from 1724 to 1812. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets in the Scottish Gaelic language and is celebrated for his vivid descriptions of nature and Highland life.

In the 19th century, John MacIntyre (1822-1892) was a Scottish-Australian explorer and surveyor who played a significant role in the exploration and mapping of Australia's interior. He is credited with discovering several important rivers and establishing routes that facilitated further exploration and settlement.

The surname MacIntyre has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Inverinan, which is derived from the Gaelic "Inbhir nan t-Sair," meaning "the confluence of the carpenters' stream." This suggests that the MacIntyres may have had a strong presence in this area and influenced the naming of local landmarks.

Overall, the surname MacIntyre has a rich history deeply rooted in the Scottish Highlands, with notable bearers who have made significant contributions to various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macintyre families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macintyre 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. Inverness-shire leads with 242 Macintyres recorded in 1881 and an index of 111.21x.

County Total Index
Inverness-shire 242 111.21x
Argyllshire 133 65.57x
Lanarkshire 127 5.39x
Renfrewshire 46 8.15x
Middlesex 33 0.45x
Ross-shire 29 14.49x
Perthshire 15 4.59x
Lancashire 14 0.16x
Midlothian 14 1.43x
Yorkshire 11 0.15x
Buteshire 9 20.39x
Stirlingshire 9 3.35x
Ayrshire 8 1.47x
Dunbartonshire 8 4.09x
Angus 7 1.04x
Staffordshire 5 0.20x
Cheshire 4 0.25x
Derbyshire 4 0.35x
Fife 4 0.93x
Nairnshire 4 17.99x
Wigtownshire 4 4.13x
Roxburghshire 2 1.52x
Surrey 2 0.06x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.15x
Brecknockshire 1 0.69x
Clackmannanshire 1 1.66x
Cornwall 1 0.12x
Durham 1 0.05x
Hampshire 1 0.07x
Hertfordshire 1 0.20x
Kent 1 0.04x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.60x
Morayshire 1 0.88x
Northumberland 1 0.09x
Selkirkshire 1 1.52x
West Lothian 1 0.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Uist in Inverness-shire leads with 148 Macintyres recorded in 1881 and an index of 974.97x.

Place Total Index
South Uist 148 974.97x
Govan 65 11.15x
Barony 36 6.04x
Kilmallie 35 335.57x
Barra 27 497.24x
Kilmore Kilbride 25 194.10x
Portree 24 298.14x
Sleat 20 386.10x
Dalavich 18 3214.29x
Glenorchy Inishail 16 683.76x
Eastwood 15 43.13x
Killean Kilchenzie 12 347.83x
Hackney London 11 2.69x
Kilninian Kilmore 11 176.85x
West Greenock 11 10.85x
Glasgow 9 2.15x
Rothesay 9 42.10x
North Uist 8 94.23x
Shoreditch London 8 2.53x
Urray 7 112.72x
Duirinish 6 54.10x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 6 25.99x
Fodderty 6 118.58x
Gorbals 6 42.89x
Houston Killallan 6 109.69x
Inverness 6 10.96x
Lochbroom 6 57.42x
Stirling 6 17.70x
Callander 5 92.76x
Dundee 5 1.98x
Gairloch 5 43.37x
Lismore Appin 5 74.07x
Lochwinnoch 5 59.38x
Maryhill 5 10.84x
Ormesby 5 25.76x
Alfreton 4 11.54x
Beith 4 24.59x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 1.02x
Kildalton 4 74.63x
Kirkcolm 4 86.21x
Nairn 4 29.63x
Ochiltree 4 106.67x
Paisley Middle Church 4 12.17x
St Marylebone London 4 1.03x
Westminster St John 4 4.51x
Bispham 3 428.57x
Blackburn 3 1.30x
Bothwell 3 4.69x
Dalserf 3 12.76x
Kensington London 3 0.74x
Kilmoden 3 357.14x
Leeds 3 0.74x
Liscard 3 10.35x
Roseneath 3 79.79x
St Andrews 3 15.28x
Ardoch 2 72.73x
Cardross 2 8.51x
Dull 2 30.49x
Edinburgh St Marys 2 10.54x
Glusburn 2 49.02x
Great Crosby 2 8.49x
Inverkip 2 15.03x
Kilchoman 2 31.40x
Kilmaronock 2 86.21x
Liverpool 2 0.38x
Newcastle Under Lyme 2 4.60x
Renfrew 2 10.72x
Rosskeen 2 21.23x
St Pancras London 2 0.34x
Tain 2 26.39x
Abbots Langley 1 13.40x
Birkenhead 1 0.78x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 3.86x
Crieff 1 8.22x
Duthil 1 24.10x
Hawick 1 3.39x
Hindley 1 2.71x
Kinclaven 1 67.57x
Polmont 1 10.08x
Row 1 3.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 7
William 4
Edward 3
Michael 3
Alexander 2
James 2
Thomas 2
Alxandra 1
Angus 1
Archibald 1
Charles 1
George 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
J.P. 1
Joseph 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Macintyre surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macintyre surname in 1881?

In 1881, 846 people were recorded with the Macintyre surname. That placed it at #4,458 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macintyre surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,817 in 2016. That gives Macintyre a modern rank of #2,397.

What does the Macintyre surname mean?

Son of the carpenter, builder, or craftsman.

What does the Macintyre map show?

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