NameCensus.

UK surname

Maclennan

A Highland Scottish surname meaning "son of the tonsured one" or "son of the bald one."

In the 1881 census there were 1,199 people recorded with the Maclennan surname, ranking it #3,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,690, ranked #1,850, up from #3,363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gairloch, Fodderty and Lochcarron. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harris, Inverness West Rural and Broadbay.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maclennan is 3,695 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 207.8%.

1881 census count

1,199

Ranked #3,363

Modern count

3,690

2016, ranked #1,850

Peak year

2014

3,695 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maclennan had 1,199 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,690 in 2016, ranked #1,850.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,753 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Maclennan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maclennan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Maclennan 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 914 #3,020
1861 historical 595 #4,454
1881 historical 1,199 #3,363
1891 historical 1,306 #3,322
1901 historical 1,753 #2,960
1911 historical 134 #19,131
1997 modern 3,026 #2,130
1998 modern 3,198 #2,098
1999 modern 3,208 #2,099
2000 modern 3,288 #2,050
2001 modern 3,219 #2,044
2002 modern 3,296 #2,044
2003 modern 3,292 #2,008
2004 modern 3,196 #2,052
2005 modern 3,211 #2,026
2006 modern 3,238 #2,022
2007 modern 3,317 #1,997
2008 modern 3,393 #1,961
2009 modern 3,400 #2,015
2010 modern 3,442 #2,031
2011 modern 3,335 #2,058
2012 modern 3,467 #1,946
2013 modern 3,578 #1,911
2014 modern 3,695 #1,866
2015 modern 3,656 #1,866
2016 modern 3,690 #1,850

Geography

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Where Maclennans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gairloch, Fodderty, Lochcarron, Urray and Kintail. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harris, Inverness West Rural, Broadbay, Ross and Cromarty North West and Ross and Cromarty South West. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Gairloch Ross And Cromarty
2 Fodderty Ross And Cromarty
3 Lochcarron Ross And Cromarty
4 Urray Ross And Cromarty
5 Kintail Ross And Cromarty

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harris Na h-Eileanan Siar
2 Inverness West Rural Highland
3 Broadbay Na h-Eileanan Siar
4 Ross and Cromarty North West Highland
5 Ross and Cromarty South West Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Maclennan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Maclennan

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

Maclennan 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

Maclennan falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Maclennan

The surname MacLennan is of Scottish origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Gille Fhinnan" which translates to "son of the servant of St. Finnan". St. Finnan was a 6th century Irish monk who established a monastery on the Island of Eilean Naomh in Loch Shiel, near the ancestral lands of the MacLennans in the western Highlands.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname is in a charter from 1292 where it is spelled "McGillennan". Over time, various spellings emerged such as MacLennan, MacGillennan, and MacLennen. The name is also associated with the village of Kintail, located in the Northwest Highlands, where many MacLennans resided.

In the 16th century, the MacLennans were part of the Clan Macrae and were considered a sept, or branch, of that larger clan. They were known for their involvement in the medieval clan wars and battles, including the Battle of Glenlivet in 1594 where they fought alongside the Clan Macrae against the Earl of Huntly.

One notable MacLennan was Allan MacLennan (c. 1610-1670), a Scottish Gaelic poet and soldier who served under the Marquis of Montrose during the Scottish Civil War. His poetry, written in the traditional Gaelic bardic style, provides a valuable insight into life and culture in 17th century Scotland.

In the 18th century, John MacLennan (1737-1805) was a Scottish Episcopalian minister and author who wrote several works on religion and theology. He was an influential figure in the Scottish Episcopal Church during a period of religious turmoil.

Another prominent MacLennan was Sir John Gordon MacLennan (1853-1935), a British lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of Bengal from 1907 to 1915. He played a significant role in the administration of British India during the colonial era.

During the 19th century, the surname MacLennan was also found in Canada, particularly in Nova Scotia and Ontario, where many Scottish immigrants had settled. One notable Canadian MacLennan was John Ferguson MacLennan (1827-1881), a politician and lawyer who served as the Mayor of Toronto from 1879 to 1881.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Maclennan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maclennan 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. Ross-shire leads with 715 Maclennans recorded in 1881 and an index of 238.75x.

County Total Index
Ross-shire 715 238.75x
Inverness-shire 326 100.10x
Renfrewshire 14 1.66x
Durham 10 0.31x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.89x
Lanarkshire 8 0.23x
Morayshire 7 4.13x
Sutherland 7 8.35x
Nairnshire 5 15.02x
Surrey 4 0.08x
Middlesex 3 0.03x
Midlothian 3 0.21x
Argyllshire 1 0.33x
Ayrshire 1 0.12x
Caithness 1 0.67x
Hampshire 1 0.04x
Perthshire 1 0.20x
West Lothian 1 0.61x
Yorkshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Inverness in Inverness-shire leads with 117 Maclennans recorded in 1881 and an index of 142.82x.

Place Total Index
Inverness 117 142.82x
Lochalsh 99 1285.71x
Fodderty 94 1241.74x
Harris 90 549.79x
Gairloch 83 480.88x
Lochcarron 64 1176.47x
Applecross 61 724.47x
Uig 41 301.91x
Kintail 39 1511.63x
Glenshiel 36 2264.15x
Kirkhill 32 578.66x
Urray 32 344.09x
Stornoway 30 76.84x
Rosskeen 27 191.49x
Lochbroom 23 147.15x
Cromarty 21 262.17x
South Uist 21 92.43x
Kilmorack 20 202.63x
Kiltearn 19 430.84x
Dingwall 15 177.94x
Logie Wester 15 278.81x
Knockbain 11 156.92x
Gateshead 10 4.12x
Alvie 8 303.03x
Portree 8 66.39x
Trumisgarry 8 243.16x
Aberdeen Old Machar 7 3.32x
Barony 7 0.78x
Elgin 7 21.24x
Paisley Low Church 7 26.16x
Urquhart Glenmoriston 6 65.15x
North Uist 5 39.34x
Chobham 4 42.64x
Golspie 4 68.85x
Kilmalcolm 4 39.49x
Laggan 4 116.28x
Abbey 3 2.33x
Ardclach 3 71.94x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 0.51x
Ardersier 2 25.61x
Bernera 2 117.65x
Lumphanan 2 47.17x
Nairn 2 9.90x
St Bride London 2 31.55x
Tain 2 17.64x
Alness 1 25.84x
Boness 1 4.42x
Bothwell 1 1.05x
Daviot Dunlichity 1 21.32x
Dornoch 1 10.58x
Duirinish 1 6.02x
Edderton 1 33.90x
Eddrachillis 1 17.54x
Glenorchy Inishail 1 28.49x
Kilbirnie 1 5.10x
Kilmonivaig 1 13.83x
Kincardine 1 18.15x
Kirkby Moorside 1 14.53x
Lairg 1 19.61x
Moulin 1 12.94x
Olrig 1 13.40x
St George Hanover 1 0.70x
Sway 1 33.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Isabella 2
Alice 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Helen 1
Jasmen 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 2
John 2
Alexander 1
Edward 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 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 Maclennan households.

FAQ

Maclennan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maclennan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,199 people were recorded with the Maclennan surname. That placed it at #3,363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maclennan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,690 in 2016. That gives Maclennan a modern rank of #1,850.

What does the Maclennan surname mean?

A Highland Scottish surname meaning "son of the tonsured one" or "son of the bald one."

What does the Maclennan map show?

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