NameCensus.

UK surname

Mackie

A Scottish surname derived from the given name Macrath, meaning "son of grace" or "son of prosperity."

In the 1881 census there were 6,633 people recorded with the Mackie surname, ranking it #638 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10,027, ranked #639, down from #638 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ballingry, New Cumnock and Lochore and Crosshill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mackie is 10,044 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.2%.

1881 census count

6,633

Ranked #638

Modern count

10,027

2016, ranked #639

Peak year

2010

10,044 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mackie had 6,633 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #638 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 10,027 in 2016, ranked #639.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,341 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mackie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mackie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mackie 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 4,006 #710
1861 historical 4,636 #615
1881 historical 6,633 #638
1891 historical 7,117 #631
1901 historical 8,341 #640
1911 historical 2,014 #2,472
1997 modern 9,323 #674
1998 modern 9,609 #680
1999 modern 9,668 #680
2000 modern 9,644 #680
2001 modern 9,392 #682
2002 modern 9,559 #685
2003 modern 9,402 #680
2004 modern 9,474 #673
2005 modern 9,537 #658
2006 modern 9,607 #653
2007 modern 9,670 #652
2008 modern 9,822 #647
2009 modern 9,957 #655
2010 modern 10,044 #658
2011 modern 9,880 #659
2012 modern 9,712 #656
2013 modern 9,888 #658
2014 modern 9,993 #654
2015 modern 9,964 #649
2016 modern 10,027 #639

Geography

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Where Mackies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ballingry, New Cumnock, Lochore and Crosshill, Macduff and Turriff. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ballingry Fife
2 New Cumnock East Ayrshire
3 Lochore and Crosshill Fife
4 Macduff Aberdeenshire
5 Turriff Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mackie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mackie

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Mackie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mackie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mackie 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

Mackie 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

Mackie falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mackie

The surname Mackie has its origins in Scotland, emerging in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "MacEachaidh," which translates to "son of Eachaidh" or "son of the horse-man." This suggests that the name may have initially denoted someone who worked with horses or was skilled in horsemanship.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the late 12th century in various Scottish charters and records. One notable mention is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homages rendered to Edward I of England, which includes the name John Mackie from Perthshire.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Mackies were prominent landowners and clan members in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, and Lanarkshire. The name was often spelled in various ways, such as Makkie, Makie, and Makkye, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Robert Mackie (1302-1368), a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence. Another notable figure was William Mackie (1530-1592), a Scottish minister and theologian who played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Mackie surname appeared in several historical records, including the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland and the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. One notable entry is that of John Mackie, a merchant from Edinburgh, who was granted a charter for lands in Fife in 1610.

Over the centuries, the Mackie surname has been associated with various places and localities in Scotland, such as Mackie Hill in Renfrewshire, Mackie's Mill in Ayrshire, and Mackie's Castle in East Lothian. These place names reflect the historical presence and influence of the Mackie family in different regions of Scotland.

Other notable bearers of the Mackie surname include John Mackie (1748-1832), a Scottish philosopher and professor at the University of Glasgow; David Mackie (1836-1910), a Scottish engineer and inventor known for his improvements to the marine engine; and Alexander Mackie (1886-1971), a Scottish artist and painter renowned for his landscapes and portraits.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mackie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mackie 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 1,277 Mackies recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.08x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 1,277 22.08x
Lanarkshire 1,004 4.97x
Fife 585 15.82x
Angus 430 7.43x
Midlothian 423 5.06x
Ayrshire 322 6.89x
Middlesex 245 0.39x
Lancashire 221 0.30x
Banffshire 210 16.21x
Renfrewshire 176 3.64x
Kincardineshire 149 19.59x
Perthshire 118 4.21x
Durham 117 0.63x
Surrey 99 0.33x
Stirlingshire 98 4.25x
Kent 87 0.41x
West Lothian 77 8.19x
Yorkshire 66 0.11x
Morayshire 55 5.67x
Dunbartonshire 54 3.22x
Northumberland 53 0.57x
Dumfriesshire 34 2.46x
Warwickshire 32 0.20x
Clackmannanshire 30 5.82x
Essex 29 0.24x
Hampshire 24 0.19x
Worcestershire 24 0.29x
Gloucestershire 22 0.18x
Cheshire 20 0.15x
Berkshire 19 0.41x
East Lothian 18 2.18x
Wigtownshire 16 1.93x
Caithness 15 1.75x
Derbyshire 15 0.15x
Monmouthshire 15 0.33x
Nairnshire 15 7.87x
Cumberland 14 0.26x
Kinross-shire 14 8.87x
Kirkcudbrightshire 14 1.55x
Roxburghshire 14 1.24x
Somerset 12 0.12x
Channel Islands 11 0.59x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.13x
Glamorgan 10 0.09x
Westmorland 10 0.73x
Berwickshire 9 1.19x
Inverness-shire 9 0.48x
Staffordshire 8 0.04x
Norfolk 7 0.07x
Denbighshire 6 0.25x
Leicestershire 6 0.09x
Ross-shire 6 0.35x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.19x
Herefordshire 5 0.20x
Royal Navy 5 0.67x
Argyllshire 4 0.23x
Northamptonshire 4 0.07x
Sussex 4 0.04x
Bedfordshire 3 0.09x
Devon 3 0.02x
Suffolk 3 0.04x
Cornwall 2 0.03x
Dorset 2 0.05x
Hertfordshire 2 0.05x
Isle of Man 1 0.09x
Lincolnshire 1 0.01x
Peeblesshire 1 0.34x
Shetland 1 0.16x
Shropshire 1 0.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 253 Mackies recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.95x.

Place Total Index
Barony 253 4.95x
Govan 214 4.28x
Dundee 174 8.05x
Glasgow 174 4.85x
Aberdeen Old Machar 164 13.58x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 155 4.60x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 133 12.29x
Peterhead 99 32.36x
Hamilton 86 15.26x
Cupar 64 39.80x
South Leith 57 6.05x
Markinch 56 44.61x
Liff Benvie 54 6.15x
West Calder 53 32.13x
Lambeth 45 0.83x
Longside 45 65.14x
Ellon 43 54.05x
Newhills 42 35.46x
Fyvie 40 42.37x
Kilconquhar 40 90.91x
Stewarton 39 42.17x
West Greenock 39 4.49x
Dalserf 37 18.36x
Montrose 37 10.55x
Old Deer 37 33.75x
Stonehouse 37 54.00x
Bothwell 36 6.57x
St Andrews 36 21.40x
Benholm 34 104.07x
Udny 34 96.98x
Brechin 32 14.07x
Gamrie 31 21.43x
Rothiemay 30 102.11x
Dysart 29 11.65x
Liverpool 29 0.64x
New Deer 29 27.69x
Abbotshall 28 20.27x
Kirkcaldy 28 15.27x
Edinburgh St Stephens 27 16.39x
Kilmarnock 27 4.85x
Lonmay 27 51.42x
Blantyre 26 12.36x
Crail 26 68.89x
Gateshead 26 1.87x
Meldrum 26 53.36x
Beith 25 17.92x
Dunnottar 25 46.71x
Fraserburgh 25 15.35x
Kennethmont 25 116.33x
Kilbirnie 25 22.27x
Kilwinning 25 16.56x
Methlick 25 53.98x
Forgan 24 33.88x
Birmingham 23 0.44x
Carnbee 23 101.77x
Poplar London 23 1.95x
St Pancras London 23 0.46x
West Derby 23 1.06x
Abbey 22 2.98x
Bishopwearmouth 22 1.38x
Cruden 22 29.53x
Dalry 22 10.00x
Falkirk 22 4.08x
Keig 22 132.61x
Rathen 22 36.30x
Shoreditch London 22 0.81x
Rutherglen 21 7.09x
Chapel Of Garioch 20 48.59x
Crimond 20 112.30x
Dunfermline 20 3.52x
Keithhall 20 105.71x
Kemnay 20 57.05x
Leslie 20 21.36x
Boyndie 19 44.28x
King Edward 19 28.50x
Mortlach 19 30.03x
Whitburn 19 13.98x
Kilmaurs 18 22.63x
Kinghorn 18 22.93x
Old Monkland 18 2.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 84
John 79
James 57
George 35
Robert 29
David 27
Thomas 27
Alexander 24
Edward 20
Arthur 12
Joseph 10
Frederick 9
Andrew 8
Henry 8
Alfred 7
Peter 7
Charles 6
Walter 6
Duncan 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Herbert 4
Robt. 4
Adam 3
Albert 3
Alex. 3
Harry 3
Jas. 3
Richard 3
Alex 2
Alexr. 2
Archibald 2
Edwin 2
Ellis 2
Ernest 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Jno. 2
Lewis 2
Mark 2
Michael 2
Norman 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Donald 1
Earnest 1
Ed.R. 1
Harold 1
Wm.Geo. 1

FAQ

Mackie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mackie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,633 people were recorded with the Mackie surname. That placed it at #638 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mackie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 10,027 in 2016. That gives Mackie a modern rank of #639.

What does the Mackie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the given name Macrath, meaning "son of grace" or "son of prosperity."

What does the Mackie map show?

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