NameCensus.

UK surname

Mackrell

An occupational surname derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "macrail" meaning a miller or keeper of a mill.

In the 1881 census there were 436 people recorded with the Mackrell surname, ranking it #7,485 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 442, ranked #10,943, down from #7,485 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Halifax and Betchworth, Buckland. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Winchester and Worthing.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mackrell is 525 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.4%.

1881 census count

436

Ranked #7,485

Modern count

442

2016, ranked #10,943

Peak year

2000

525 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mackrell had 436 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,485 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 442 in 2016, ranked #10,943.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 444 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Mackrell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mackrell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mackrell 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 326 #7,136
1861 historical 225 #10,843
1881 historical 436 #7,485
1891 historical 412 #8,653
1901 historical 444 #8,792
1911 historical 428 #8,827
1997 modern 466 #9,809
1998 modern 492 #9,715
1999 modern 488 #9,846
2000 modern 525 #9,284
2001 modern 504 #9,413
2002 modern 502 #9,601
2003 modern 498 #9,512
2004 modern 476 #9,861
2005 modern 461 #10,022
2006 modern 448 #10,269
2007 modern 442 #10,495
2008 modern 450 #10,416
2009 modern 462 #10,444
2010 modern 481 #10,332
2011 modern 466 #10,495
2012 modern 465 #10,422
2013 modern 465 #10,569
2014 modern 452 #10,857
2015 modern 444 #10,935
2016 modern 442 #10,943

Geography

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Where Mackrells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Halifax, Betchworth, Buckland, Clifton 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 Cheshire East, Winchester, Worthing, Kilsyth East and Croy and East Hampshire. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Betchworth, Buckland Surrey
4 Clifton Gloucestershire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 028 Cheshire East
2 Winchester 004 Winchester
3 Worthing 003 Worthing
4 Kilsyth East and Croy North Lanarkshire
5 East Hampshire 003 East Hampshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mackrell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mackrell

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Mackrell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mackrell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mackrell 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

Mackrell 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

Mackrell 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 Mackrell 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 - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mackrell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mackrell

The surname Mackrell is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Devon. It likely dates back to the 12th or 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "maec" meaning "son" and "rel" meaning "reed," which suggests it may have been an occupational surname for someone who harvested or worked with reeds.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mackrell can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which listed a Richard Mackreel in Devon. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 mentioned a Walter Mackrell, also from Devon. These early records indicate the name's long-standing presence in the region.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Makrell, Makrell, and Mackrell. One notable figure from this period was John Makrell, a merchant from Devon who lived from around 1520 to 1590. He was involved in the wool trade and held several civic positions in the town of Tiverton.

During the 17th century, the surname Mackrell continued to be prevalent in Devon. One individual of note was William Mackrell, born in 1625, who served as a member of Parliament for the borough of Tiverton from 1679 to 1681.

In the 18th century, the name Mackrell was found in various parts of England, including London and the counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire. A notable figure was Thomas Mackrell (1741-1812), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from Bristol. He was involved in the West Indies trade and left a significant portion of his estate to establish a school for the education of poor children.

The 19th century saw the Mackrell surname spread further across England and into other parts of the British Isles. One prominent individual was James Mackrell (1819-1892), a British naval officer who served during the Crimean War and later became a rear admiral.

Throughout its history, the surname Mackrell has been associated with various place names, such as Mackrell's Court in Somerset and Mackrell's Farm in Devon. While not a particularly common surname, it has left its mark on the history and geography of England, particularly in the southwestern region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mackrell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mackrell 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. Surrey leads with 89 Mackrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.29x.

County Total Index
Surrey 89 4.29x
Yorkshire 69 1.64x
Lancashire 53 1.05x
Hampshire 43 4.93x
Dorset 23 8.24x
Middlesex 23 0.54x
Lanarkshire 22 1.60x
Norfolk 21 3.21x
Berkshire 14 4.39x
Gloucestershire 11 1.32x
Durham 10 0.79x
Renfrewshire 9 2.73x
Staffordshire 8 0.56x
Wiltshire 7 1.86x
Banffshire 6 6.80x
Cheshire 6 0.64x
Suffolk 6 1.16x
Sussex 6 0.84x
Kent 5 0.34x
Devon 2 0.23x
Essex 2 0.24x
Cumberland 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 21 Mackrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.85x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 21 6.85x
New Monkland 21 51.65x
Clifford Cum Boston 14 369.39x
Elland Cum Greetland 12 63.19x
Lambeth 12 3.24x
Richmond 12 41.32x
Crondall 11 235.04x
Farnham 11 68.28x
Halifax 11 17.78x
Betchworth 9 351.56x
Clifton 9 21.34x
Battersea 8 5.11x
Edmonton 8 23.34x
Leek Lowe 8 41.88x
Lochwinnoch 8 162.93x
Poole St James 8 76.26x
Usworth 8 119.05x
Burnley 7 16.47x
Dorking 7 50.32x
Everton 7 4.35x
Kirkdale 7 8.25x
Reigate Borough 7 146.44x
Warminster 7 84.95x
Banff 6 78.33x
Chertsey 6 44.81x
Christchurch 6 31.75x
Iwerne Courtnay 6 319.15x
Mulbarton 6 800.00x
Newbury 6 58.65x
Potter Newton 6 80.75x
Weybourne 6 1764.71x
Bergh Apton 5 724.64x
Hampreston 5 246.31x
Kintbury 5 202.43x
Old Newton 5 500.00x
Skircoat 5 30.08x
Aldershot 4 13.70x
Fareham 4 38.17x
Hampton Wick London 4 128.21x
Holy Trinity 4 3.95x
Leeds 4 1.68x
Manchester 4 1.76x
Monks Coppenhall 4 11.29x
Romsey Extra 4 77.22x
Witley 4 273.97x
Ash Normandy 3 106.38x
Camberwell 3 1.10x
Euxton 3 179.64x
Hastings Holy Trinity 3 56.82x
Portsmouth 3 14.95x
Southampton St Mary 3 5.47x
Southowram 3 23.33x
West Derby 3 2.03x
Barnstaple 2 14.39x
Bristol St Augustine 2 14.86x
Clapham 2 3.76x
Ditchingham 2 128.21x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 2.33x
Hinton Martel 2 363.64x
Holdenhurst 2 8.75x
Monk Bretton 2 46.84x
Norland 2 69.20x
Northfleet 2 15.65x
Reading St Giles 2 6.39x
Sheffield 2 1.49x
St Gabriel Fenchurch 2 1176.47x
St Pancras London 2 0.58x
Twickenham 2 10.96x
Wimborne 2 59.17x
Wisborough Green 2 82.99x
East Ham 1 6.42x
Frimley 1 16.95x
Fulwood 1 18.35x
Hackney London 1 0.42x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 75.76x
Kings Somborne 1 54.64x
Lodsworth 1 101.01x
Reigate Foreign 1 4.46x
Rochester St Margaret 1 6.54x
Vernham Dean 1 114.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 11
Sarah 10
Margaret 9
Ellen 8
Emma 8
Ann 7
Hannah 7
Emily 6
Jane 6
Alice 5
Annie 5
Harriet 5
Martha 5
Edith 4
Louisa 4
Beatrice 3
Bessie 3
Catherine 3
Fanny 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Rose 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Florence 2
Helen 2
Lily 2
Maria 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Amie 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Dianah 1
Elizh. 1
Esther 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Honora 1
Isabella 1
Janat 1
Jessie 1
Lenna 1
Lilly 1
Lish 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
William 21
George 20
Thomas 19
James 14
Charles 8
Henry 8
Alfred 6
Frank 5
Joseph 5
Arthur 4
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Edward 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Jack 2
Joe 2
Mark 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Bartholomew 1
Benjamin 1
Bertie 1
Clarence 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Ely 1
Ernest 1
Harold 1
Hy. 1
Issac 1
Joshua 1
Luke 1
Michael 1
Percey 1
Randel 1
Sarah 1
Sidney 1
Tom 1
Victor 1
Willie 1
Willm. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Mackrell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mackrell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 436 people were recorded with the Mackrell surname. That placed it at #7,485 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mackrell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 442 in 2016. That gives Mackrell a modern rank of #10,943.

What does the Mackrell surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "macrail" meaning a miller or keeper of a mill.

What does the Mackrell map show?

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