NameCensus.

UK surname

Maclaurin

Scottish name derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "labhruinn" meaning "stammerer."

In the 1881 census there were 67 people recorded with the Maclaurin surname, ranking it #24,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 133, ranked #25,765, down from #24,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Elmbridge, Meadows and Southside and Canterbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maclaurin is 138 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 98.5%.

1881 census count

67

Ranked #24,104

Modern count

133

2016, ranked #25,765

Peak year

2015

138 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maclaurin had 67 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016, ranked #25,765.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 67 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Maclaurin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maclaurin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Maclaurin 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 57 #23,092
1861 historical 56 #26,864
1881 historical 67 #24,104
1891 historical 66 #28,541
1901 historical 57 #27,846
1911 historical 67 #26,152
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 132 #23,394
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 126 #24,220
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 113 #26,024
2003 modern 119 #25,026
2004 modern 114 #25,870
2005 modern 121 #24,947
2006 modern 117 #25,695
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 118 #26,212
2009 modern 113 #27,520
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 123 #26,512
2012 modern 136 #24,830
2013 modern 132 #25,789
2014 modern 136 #25,452
2015 modern 138 #25,103
2016 modern 133 #25,765

Geography

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Where Maclaurins 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 Elmbridge, Meadows and Southside, Canterbury, Copeland and Camden. 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 Elmbridge 013 Elmbridge
2 Meadows and Southside City of Edinburgh
3 Canterbury 001 Canterbury
4 Copeland 007 Copeland
5 Camden 021 Camden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Maclaurin

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Maclaurin

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Maclaurin is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Maclaurin is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Maclaurin

The surname MACLAURIN is of Scottish origin, originating from the Gaelic Mac Labhruinn, meaning "son of the freckled one" or "son of the talkative one." It is derived from the Gaelic words "labhair," meaning "to speak," and "rinn," meaning "a point or promontory."

The MACLAURIN name can be traced back to the 13th century in the Scottish Highlands. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name is in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where it appears as "Gillemichel Maclaueran."

In the 16th century, the MACLAURIN clan was prominent in the region of Argyll, where they held lands and played a significant role in the clan battles and feuds of the time. Notable early bearers of the name include John MACLAURIN, who was a witness to a charter in 1548, and Archibald MACLAURIN, who fought at the Battle of Glenlivet in 1594.

The MACLAURIN name is also associated with the village of Kilmun in Argyll, which was once known as "Kilmolaurin" or "Cill Mholaurin," meaning "the church of the MACLAURIN." This suggests that the clan may have had a strong presence in the area and possibly controlled the local church.

One of the most famous bearers of the MACLAURIN name was Colin MACLAURIN (1698-1746), a Scottish mathematician who made significant contributions to the development of calculus and the study of elliptic curves. He was born in Kilmodan, Argyll, and later became a professor at the University of Edinburgh.

Another notable MACLAURIN was John MACLAURIN (1734-1796), a Scottish philosopher and mathematician who was a friend of David Hume and Adam Smith. He served as the Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow and was a prominent figure in the Scottish Enlightenment.

In the 19th century, the MACLAURIN name was carried to other parts of the world by Scottish emigrants. John MACLAURIN (1819-1890), a Scottish-born lawyer, became a judge in New Zealand and played a significant role in the country's judicial system.

The MACLAURIN surname has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Laranemolerin (now Larenmuir) in Fife, and Molinrenach (now Millernoch) in Stirlingshire, both of which contain elements of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Maclaurin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maclaurin 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. Yorkshire leads with 24 Maclaurins recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.52x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 24 4.52x
Middlesex 9 1.68x
Essex 8 7.56x
Ayrshire 5 12.46x
Lanarkshire 3 1.73x
Sussex 3 3.32x
Midlothian 2 2.78x
Dunbartonshire 1 6.94x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ecclesall Bierlow in Yorkshire leads with 14 Maclaurins recorded in 1881 and an index of 129.51x.

Place Total Index
Ecclesall Bierlow 14 129.51x
Sheffield 10 59.10x
Walthamstow 8 209.97x
Hendon 7 362.69x
Ayr 5 264.55x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 155.44x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 6.92x
Glasgow 2 6.49x
Islington London 2 3.85x
Govan 1 2.33x
New Kilpatrick 1 72.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 4
Colin 2
Henry 2
Alfred 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Daniel 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
James 1
John 1
Leonard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 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 Maclaurin households.

FAQ

Maclaurin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maclaurin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 67 people were recorded with the Maclaurin surname. That placed it at #24,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maclaurin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016. That gives Maclaurin a modern rank of #25,765.

What does the Maclaurin surname mean?

Scottish name derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "labhruinn" meaning "stammerer."

What does the Maclaurin map show?

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