NameCensus.

UK surname

Macisaac

Son of a pebble brook or of one who lived by a stony brook.

In the 1881 census there were 90 people recorded with the Macisaac surname, ranking it #20,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 306, ranked #14,543, up from #20,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Killean and Kilchenzie, Arisaig and Moidart and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Benbecula and North Uist, Barra and South Uist and Fort William North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macisaac is 306 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 240.0%.

1881 census count

90

Ranked #20,965

Modern count

306

2016, ranked #14,543

Peak year

2016

306 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macisaac had 90 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016, ranked #14,543.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 100 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Macisaac surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macisaac surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macisaac 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 54 #23,577
1861 historical 68 #25,196
1881 historical 90 #20,965
1891 historical 100 #24,045
1901 historical 36 #30,099
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 239 #15,718
1998 modern 250 #15,675
1999 modern 250 #15,802
2000 modern 264 #15,191
2001 modern 256 #15,273
2002 modern 262 #15,327
2003 modern 254 #15,454
2004 modern 261 #15,274
2005 modern 270 #14,822
2006 modern 267 #15,042
2007 modern 269 #15,123
2008 modern 261 #15,597
2009 modern 263 #15,843
2010 modern 277 #15,595
2011 modern 262 #16,098
2012 modern 290 #14,838
2013 modern 300 #14,744
2014 modern 302 #14,772
2015 modern 303 #14,646
2016 modern 306 #14,543

Geography

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Where Macisaacs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Killean and Kilchenzie, Arisaig and Moidart, Govan Combination, Ardnamurchan 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 Benbecula and North Uist, Barra and South Uist, Fort William North, Lochaber West and Oban South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Killean and Kilchenzie Argyll
2 Arisaig and Moidart Inverness
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Ardnamurchan Argyll
5 South Uist Inverness

Top modern areas

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

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macisaac

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macisaac

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Macisaac is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Macisaac is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Macisaac falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Macisaac

The surname MacIsaac originated in Scotland and is a variant of the Gaelic name MacIosaig, derived from the personal name Isaac or Iosaig, meaning "he will laugh." The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 15th century on the Isle of Islay in the Inner Hebrides.

MacIsaac is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname, with various spellings like MacIsaack, MacIssac, and MacIssack appearing in historical records. The name was also found in the neighboring islands of Colonsay and Jura, suggesting a possible migration from Islay.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Donald McIssac, who was recorded in the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland in 1546. Another early reference comes from the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1613, which mention John McIssac from the Isle of Colonsay.

In the 17th century, the MacIsaacs were part of the Clan Donald, one of the largest Scottish clans. During this period, many MacIsaacs were involved in the Jacobite risings, supporting the restoration of the Stuart monarchy.

Notable individuals with the surname MacIsaac include Angus MacIsaac (1826-1895), a Scottish-born Canadian merchant and politician who served as a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. Another prominent figure was Donald MacIsaac (1875-1960), a Canadian politician and judge who served as the 19th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.

Other historical figures include John MacIsaac (1818-1899), a Scottish-born Canadian entrepreneur and shipbuilder, and Alasdair MacIsaac (1879-1952), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name was John MacIsaac, who arrived in New York from Scotland in 1799. Over time, the surname has spread across various parts of North America, with concentrations in Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island, and other areas with strong Scottish heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macisaac families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macisaac 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 68 Macisaacs recorded in 1881 and an index of 288.26x.

County Total Index
Inverness-shire 68 288.26x
Argyllshire 13 59.12x

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 60 Macisaacs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3636.36x.

Place Total Index
South Uist 60 3636.36x
Ardnamurchan 13 1160.71x
North Uist 8 869.57x

FAQ

Macisaac surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macisaac surname in 1881?

In 1881, 90 people were recorded with the Macisaac surname. That placed it at #20,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macisaac surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016. That gives Macisaac a modern rank of #14,543.

What does the Macisaac surname mean?

Son of a pebble brook or of one who lived by a stony brook.

What does the Macisaac map show?

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