NameCensus.

UK surname

Mackean

Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "mac Iain" meaning "son of John."

In the 1881 census there were 32 people recorded with the Mackean surname, ranking it #29,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 128, ranked #26,401, up from #29,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dunfermline Duloch North and Lynebank, Fareham and Kilmacolm Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mackean is 128 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 300.0%.

1881 census count

32

Ranked #29,082

Modern count

128

2016, ranked #26,401

Peak year

2016

128 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mackean had 32 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016, ranked #26,401.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 81 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mackean surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mackean surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mackean 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 37 #29,339
1881 historical 32 #29,082
1891 historical 61 #29,103
1901 historical 81 #25,130
1911 historical 49 #27,894
1997 modern 106 #26,057
1998 modern 104 #26,981
1999 modern 96 #28,326
2000 modern 99 #27,845
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 98 #28,243
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 101 #27,813
2005 modern 99 #28,177
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 96 #29,339
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 100 #30,225
2011 modern 100 #30,058
2012 modern 110 #28,514
2013 modern 122 #27,122
2014 modern 126 #26,781
2015 modern 124 #26,944
2016 modern 128 #26,401

Geography

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Where Mackeans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dunfermline Duloch North and Lynebank, Fareham, Kilmacolm Central, New Forest and Wiltshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dunfermline Duloch North and Lynebank Fife
2 Fareham 007 Fareham
3 Kilmacolm Central Inverclyde
4 New Forest 010 New Forest
5 Wiltshire 047 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mackean

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mackean

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

Mackean is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mackean

The surname MACKEAN has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "cian" meaning "ancient" or "old," suggesting a lineage that traces back to ancient times.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the MACKEAN name can be found in the Scottish parish records of Ayrshire, where a John MACKEAN was listed as a landowner in the late 16th century. The name also appears in various historical documents from the Scottish Highlands, indicating its prevalence among the clans and families of that region.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several notable individuals bearing the MACKEAN surname emerged. One such figure was Robert MACKEAN (1640-1718), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics. Another was William MACKEAN (1701-1779), a renowned Scottish scholar and theologian who served as a minister in the Church of Scotland.

In the 19th century, the MACKEAN name gained prominence through individuals like James MACKEAN (1811-1892), a Scottish-born Canadian politician and businessman who played a crucial role in the development of the Nova Scotia railway system. Additionally, there was John MACKEAN (1834-1911), a Scottish-American author and journalist who wrote extensively about the American Civil War.

One of the most notable figures with the MACKEAN surname was Sir Evan John MACKEAN (1876-1945), a British politician and diplomat who served as the Governor of Bengal and later as the Governor of North-West Frontier Province (now part of Pakistan) during the British Raj in India.

While the MACKEAN name has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread across various parts of the world, particularly due to Scottish emigration and the diaspora. Over the centuries, the surname has undergone various spellings, such as MacKean, MacKian, and McKean, reflecting regional variations and adaptations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mackean families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mackean 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. Middlesex leads with 12 Mackeans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.40x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 12 4.40x
Renfrewshire 7 33.10x
Ayrshire 4 19.59x
Lanarkshire 2 2.27x
Nottinghamshire 1 2.72x
Pembrokeshire 1 11.53x
Perthshire 1 8.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Paisley Middle Church in Renfrewshire leads with 5 Mackeans recorded in 1881 and an index of 406.50x.

Place Total Index
Paisley Middle Church 5 406.50x
Hammersmith London 4 59.52x
Paddington London 3 29.91x
Stevenston 3 566.04x
Abbey 2 61.92x
Barony 2 8.96x
Islington London 2 7.56x
Largs 1 208.33x
Logierait 1 454.55x
Orston 1 2000.00x
St George Hanover 1 28.09x
St George In East 1 53.76x
Tenby St Mary In 1 227.27x
Westminster St 1 99.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Jas. 1
Thomas 1
Wm 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 Mackean households.

FAQ

Mackean surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mackean surname in 1881?

In 1881, 32 people were recorded with the Mackean surname. That placed it at #29,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mackean surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016. That gives Mackean a modern rank of #26,401.

What does the Mackean surname mean?

Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "mac Iain" meaning "son of John."

What does the Mackean map show?

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