NameCensus.

UK surname

Macmaster

Scottish surname derived from Mac-a-mhaighstir meaning "son of the master".

In the 1881 census there were 92 people recorded with the Macmaster surname, ranking it #20,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 360, ranked #12,867, up from #20,709 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kilmallie and Ardgour, Torosay and Kinlochspervie and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lochaber West, Fort William South and Fort William North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macmaster is 385 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 291.3%.

1881 census count

92

Ranked #20,709

Modern count

360

2016, ranked #12,867

Peak year

1998

385 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macmaster had 92 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,709 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 360 in 2016, ranked #12,867.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 194 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Macmaster surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macmaster surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macmaster 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 133 #14,106
1861 historical 68 #25,196
1881 historical 92 #20,709
1891 historical 141 #19,108
1901 historical 194 #15,425
1911 historical 63 #26,537
1997 modern 371 #11,645
1998 modern 385 #11,698
1999 modern 353 #12,522
2000 modern 348 #12,614
2001 modern 335 #12,759
2002 modern 341 #12,864
2003 modern 324 #13,135
2004 modern 327 #13,094
2005 modern 330 #12,939
2006 modern 321 #13,258
2007 modern 328 #13,196
2008 modern 332 #13,207
2009 modern 330 #13,513
2010 modern 341 #13,477
2011 modern 362 #12,773
2012 modern 364 #12,564
2013 modern 362 #12,843
2014 modern 366 #12,823
2015 modern 364 #12,768
2016 modern 360 #12,867

Geography

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Where Macmasters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kilmallie and Ardgour, Torosay and Kinlochspervie, Edinburgh, Kilninian and Kilmore and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lochaber West, Fort William South, Fort William North, Gwynedd and Westhill North and South. 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 Kilmallie and Ardgour Inverness
2 Torosay and Kinlochspervie Argyll
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Kilninian and Kilmore Argyll
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lochaber West Highland
2 Fort William South Highland
3 Fort William North Highland
4 Gwynedd 013 Gwynedd
5 Westhill North and South Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macmaster

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macmaster

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

Macmaster 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

Macmaster falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Macmaster is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Macmaster

The surname MacMaster is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "maighstir" meaning "master" or "champion." This name likely originated in the 12th or 13th century in the Highlands of Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 14th century, with the mention of a Duncan MacMaster in the region of Argyll. The name was particularly prevalent in the Western Isles and the Scottish Highlands, where it was associated with various clans and families.

In the 16th century, the MacMasters were recorded as a sept (branch) of the powerful Clan Campbell. This connection suggests that some MacMasters may have served as skilled warriors or leaders within the Campbell clan. The name is also found in various Scottish records and charters from this period, such as the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland.

Notable individuals with the surname MacMaster include John MacMaster (1570-1640), a Scottish Presbyterian minister who played a significant role in the religious conflicts of the early 17th century. Another notable figure was Donald MacMaster (1780-1854), a Scottish soldier and explorer who served in the British Army and participated in the exploration of Western Australia.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the MacMasters were among the many Scottish families who emigrated to various parts of the British Empire, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This diaspora helped to spread the name across the globe.

Other notable MacMasters include William MacMaster (1811-1887), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada, and John Bach MacMaster (1820-1896), an American historian and professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

Throughout its history, the surname MacMaster has been spelled in various ways, including McMaster, MacMaister, and McMaister, reflecting the fluidity of Scottish naming traditions and the influence of regional dialects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macmaster families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macmaster 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. Inverness-shire leads with 19 Macmasters recorded in 1881 and an index of 85.86x.

County Total Index
Inverness-shire 19 85.86x
Argyllshire 18 87.25x
Midlothian 9 9.06x
Yorkshire 7 0.95x
Lanarkshire 6 2.50x
Cheshire 3 1.83x
Middlesex 3 0.40x
Dumfriesshire 2 12.22x
Hampshire 2 1.32x
Renfrewshire 2 3.48x
Surrey 2 0.55x
Berkshire 1 1.80x
Perthshire 1 3.01x
Sutherland 1 17.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kilmonivaig in Inverness-shire leads with 14 Macmasters recorded in 1881 and an index of 2857.14x.

Place Total Index
Kilmonivaig 14 2857.14x
Torosay 9 4285.71x
Ardnamurchan 6 571.43x
Edinburgh St Stephens 6 307.69x
Inverness 5 89.77x
Manningham 5 55.25x
Govan 3 5.06x
Kilmallie 3 283.02x
Annan 2 141.84x
Barony 2 3.30x
Congleton 2 70.67x
Edinburgh St Georges 2 97.09x
Leeds 2 4.82x
West Tytherley 2 1818.18x
Clewer 1 43.86x
Eastwood 1 28.25x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 2.50x
Liscard 1 33.90x
New Monkland 1 14.10x
Perth St Pauls 1 129.87x
Richmond 1 19.76x
Rogart 1 322.58x
St Pancras London 1 1.68x
Staines 1 85.47x
Stanwell 1 181.82x
West Greenock 1 9.70x
West Moulsey 1 588.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Annalexy 1
Annie 1
Emily 1
Harriet 1
Hester 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
J. 1
Matthew 1
Peter 1
R. 1
R.P. 1
Willm.Henry 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 Macmaster households.

FAQ

Macmaster surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macmaster surname in 1881?

In 1881, 92 people were recorded with the Macmaster surname. That placed it at #20,709 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macmaster surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 360 in 2016. That gives Macmaster a modern rank of #12,867.

What does the Macmaster surname mean?

Scottish surname derived from Mac-a-mhaighstir meaning "son of the master".

What does the Macmaster map show?

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