NameCensus.

UK surname

Macleod

Son of Leod, a Gaelic name meaning "poet," likely referring to an ancestor with that given name.

In the 1881 census there were 4,695 people recorded with the Macleod surname, ranking it #947 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17,509, ranked #352, up from #947 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lochs, Barvas and Carloway and Kilmuir. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northwest Lewis, Stornoway East and Point.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macleod is 17,509 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 272.9%.

1881 census count

4,695

Ranked #947

Modern count

17,509

2016, ranked #352

Peak year

2016

17,509 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macleod had 4,695 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #947 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 17,509 in 2016, ranked #352.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,633 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Macleod surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macleod surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macleod 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 3,752 #759
1861 historical 3,250 #886
1881 historical 4,695 #947
1891 historical 5,723 #824
1901 historical 6,633 #835
1911 historical 719 #5,942
1997 modern 14,632 #415
1998 modern 15,297 #411
1999 modern 15,372 #412
2000 modern 15,768 #403
2001 modern 15,247 #405
2002 modern 15,669 #404
2003 modern 15,489 #399
2004 modern 14,670 #416
2005 modern 14,860 #409
2006 modern 14,956 #407
2007 modern 15,053 #406
2008 modern 15,237 #404
2009 modern 15,468 #407
2010 modern 15,803 #407
2011 modern 15,678 #404
2012 modern 16,201 #379
2013 modern 16,843 #374
2014 modern 17,271 #367
2015 modern 17,296 #359
2016 modern 17,509 #352

Geography

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Where Macleods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lochs, Barvas and Carloway, Kilmuir, Lochbroom and Stornoway. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northwest Lewis, Stornoway East, Point, Stornoway West and Broadbay. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lochs Ross And Cromarty
2 Barvas and Carloway Ross And Cromarty
3 Kilmuir Inverness
4 Lochbroom Ross And Cromarty
5 Stornoway Ross And Cromarty

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northwest Lewis Na h-Eileanan Siar
2 Stornoway East Na h-Eileanan Siar
3 Point Na h-Eileanan Siar
4 Stornoway West Na h-Eileanan Siar
5 Broadbay Na h-Eileanan Siar

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macleod

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macleod

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

Macleod is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Macleod

The surname MacLeod is of Scottish origin, originating from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. It is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Leòid," meaning "son of Leod," with Leod being an old Norse personal name. The name first appeared in records during the 13th century.

The MacLeods were a powerful clan in the Scottish Highlands, with their ancestral home being Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye. The clan played a significant role in various conflicts and battles throughout history, including the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 13th and 14th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MacLeod can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where Tormod MacLeod is mentioned as the chief of the clan. In the 15th century, the Clan MacLeod was divided into two branches: the MacLeods of Harris and the MacLeods of Lewis.

The MacLeods of Harris were led by Alasdair Crotach (Alexander the Hunchback), who was born around 1457 and played a crucial role in the feuds between the clans of the Western Isles. The MacLeods of Lewis were led by Torquil MacLeod, who was born in the late 15th century and fought alongside the MacDonalds in various conflicts.

Notable individuals with the surname MacLeod include:

1. John MacLeod (1759-1801), a Scottish merchant and colonist in Nova Scotia, Canada. 2. Sir Reginald MacLeod (1847-1935), a British lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of Bombay. 3. William Macleod Raine (1871-1954), an American novelist known for his Western fiction. 4. Alistair MacLeod (1936-2014), a Canadian novelist and short story writer, best known for his book "No Great Mischief." 5. Mary Elizabeth MacLeod (1912-2000), the mother of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who was born on the Isle of Lewis.

The MacLeod surname has maintained its strong presence throughout history, with various branches and individuals leaving their mark across different regions and fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macleod families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macleod 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 1,562 Macleods recorded in 1881 and an index of 137.88x.

County Total Index
Ross-shire 1,562 137.88x
Inverness-shire 1,413 114.69x
Sutherland 445 140.28x
Lanarkshire 166 1.24x
Caithness 163 28.86x
Midlothian 123 2.23x
Middlesex 40 0.10x
Argyllshire 32 2.79x
Lancashire 32 0.07x
Roxburghshire 26 3.48x
Renfrewshire 24 0.75x
Cheshire 23 0.25x
Fife 22 0.90x
Kent 12 0.09x
Warwickshire 12 0.12x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.29x
Sussex 11 0.16x
Shropshire 9 0.25x
Morayshire 8 1.25x
Perthshire 8 0.43x
Ayrshire 7 0.23x
Hampshire 7 0.08x
Surrey 7 0.03x
Yorkshire 7 0.02x
Banffshire 5 0.58x
Durham 5 0.04x
West Lothian 5 0.80x
Devon 4 0.05x
Nairnshire 4 3.18x
Somerset 4 0.06x
Angus 3 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 3 0.27x
Royal Navy 3 0.61x
Staffordshire 3 0.02x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.08x
Derbyshire 2 0.03x
Gloucestershire 2 0.02x
Northamptonshire 2 0.05x
Northumberland 2 0.03x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.04x
Berkshire 1 0.03x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.04x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
East Lothian 1 0.18x
Hertfordshire 1 0.04x
Lincolnshire 1 0.02x
Stirlingshire 1 0.07x
Suffolk 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. Stornoway in Ross-shire leads with 573 Macleods recorded in 1881 and an index of 388.03x.

Place Total Index
Stornoway 573 388.03x
Harris 542 875.32x
Lochs 272 301.59x
Lochbroom 265 448.09x
Kilmuir 179 494.20x
Stoer Assynt 129 653.50x
Assynt 128 660.82x
Uig 125 243.38x
Inverness 116 37.43x
Bernera 109 1695.18x
Duirinish 96 152.87x
Rosskeen 86 161.29x
South Uist 84 97.72x
Govan 74 2.24x
Tongue 69 251.73x
Portree 66 144.80x
Barony 65 1.93x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 61 2.74x
Snizort 46 149.69x
Gairloch 45 68.91x
Trumisgarry 43 345.66x
Kincardine 37 177.54x
Latheron 35 37.04x
Clyne 34 132.97x
Reay 32 103.33x
Barvas 30 39.66x
Bracadale 28 209.42x
North Uist 27 56.16x
Thurso 24 27.24x
Cromarty 23 75.86x
Ardersier 22 74.48x
Strath 22 58.75x
Wick 21 11.51x
Watten 20 100.76x
Glasgow 18 0.76x
Olrig 18 63.81x
Tyree 18 46.07x
Golspie 16 72.76x
Dingwall 15 47.07x
Wilton 15 18.29x
Tain 14 32.63x
Creich 13 41.14x
Lairg 13 67.36x
Eddrachillis 12 55.68x
Glenshiel 12 199.34x
North Leith 12 4.69x
South Leith 12 1.93x
Urray 12 34.11x
West Greenock 12 2.09x
Birmingham 11 0.32x
Edinburgh St Georges 11 9.59x
Rogart 11 62.82x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 10 7.65x
Jedburgh 10 13.66x
Kildonan 10 36.40x
Lochalsh 10 34.34x
Cheetham 9 2.46x
Dornoch 9 25.18x
Fodderty 9 31.41x
Pendleton In Salford 9 1.54x
Barra 8 26.01x
Aberdeen Old Machar 7 0.88x
Hornsey 7 1.34x
Perth St Pauls 7 16.33x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 7 6.68x
St Pancras London 7 0.21x
Tranmere 7 2.09x
Alness 6 40.98x
Elgin 6 4.81x
Falkland 6 15.62x
Halkirk 6 15.70x
Hastings St Mary 6 3.47x
Lewisham 6 0.80x
Logie Easter 6 50.59x
Oldham 6 0.38x
Dalmeny 5 21.05x
Kirkhill 5 23.91x
Logie Wester 5 24.57x
Oxton 5 9.71x
Shrewsbury St Mary 5 3.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 16
Donald 8
William 8
Malcolm 5
Alexander 4
Robert 3
Roderick 3
Charles 2
David 2
Ernest 2
George 2
Hugh 2
Norman 2
Achibald 1
Alex 1
Alexandra 1
Angus 1
Archibald 1
Colin 1
D. 1
Edward 1
Ewan 1
Gillespie 1
Harold 1
James 1
Kenneth 1
Mackenzie 1
Murdo 1
Neil 1
Peter 1
Ronald 1
Simon 1
Torquill 1

FAQ

Macleod surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macleod surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,695 people were recorded with the Macleod surname. That placed it at #947 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macleod surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 17,509 in 2016. That gives Macleod a modern rank of #352.

What does the Macleod surname mean?

Son of Leod, a Gaelic name meaning "poet," likely referring to an ancestor with that given name.

What does the Macleod map show?

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