NameCensus.

UK surname

Macrae

Son of grace, or son of the fortunate one.

In the 1881 census there were 2,433 people recorded with the Macrae surname, ranking it #1,823 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,818, ranked #1,407, up from #1,823 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gairloch, Glenshiel and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lochlash, Ross and Cromarty North West and Inverness West Rural.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macrae is 4,818 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 98.0%.

1881 census count

2,433

Ranked #1,823

Modern count

4,818

2016, ranked #1,407

Peak year

2016

4,818 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macrae had 2,433 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,823 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,818 in 2016, ranked #1,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,353 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Macrae surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macrae surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macrae 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 1,903 #1,521
1861 historical 1,362 #2,106
1881 historical 2,433 #1,823
1891 historical 2,777 #1,698
1901 historical 3,353 #1,663
1911 historical 424 #8,905
1997 modern 4,178 #1,549
1998 modern 4,333 #1,552
1999 modern 4,418 #1,538
2000 modern 4,583 #1,484
2001 modern 4,367 #1,518
2002 modern 4,439 #1,522
2003 modern 4,330 #1,524
2004 modern 4,325 #1,527
2005 modern 4,297 #1,520
2006 modern 4,324 #1,517
2007 modern 4,403 #1,503
2008 modern 4,434 #1,505
2009 modern 4,508 #1,512
2010 modern 4,613 #1,512
2011 modern 4,500 #1,524
2012 modern 4,584 #1,469
2013 modern 4,649 #1,479
2014 modern 4,736 #1,458
2015 modern 4,749 #1,434
2016 modern 4,818 #1,407

Geography

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Where Macraes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gairloch, Glenshiel, Edinburgh, Lochcarron and Stornoway. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lochlash, Ross and Cromarty North West, Inverness West Rural, Sutherland East and Skye South. 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 Glenshiel Ross And Cromarty
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Lochcarron Ross And Cromarty
5 Stornoway Ross And Cromarty

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lochlash Highland
2 Ross and Cromarty North West Highland
3 Inverness West Rural Highland
4 Sutherland East Highland
5 Skye South Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macrae

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macrae

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

Macrae 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

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

Meaning and origin of Macrae

The surname MACRAE has its origins in the Scottish Highlands, tracing back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic name "MacRath," which means "son of grace" or "son of fortune." The name is believed to have originated in the region of Ross-shire, particularly around the areas of Easter Ross and the Black Isle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homages rendered to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "MacRath," suggesting its ancient Gaelic roots. Over time, the spelling evolved into various forms, such as MacRae, MacRae, and MacCrae, before settling on the modern spelling of MACRAE.

The MACRAE name has been linked to several historical figures and events. In the 16th century, a branch of the clan played a prominent role in the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547, where they fought alongside the Scottish forces against the English army. One notable MACRAE from this period was Reverend Christopher MACRAE (1552-1622), a Scottish minister and author who wrote extensively on religious matters.

During the 17th century, the MACRAE clan was involved in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, with many members supporting the Royalist cause. One of the most famous figures from this era was Sir Colin MACRAE (1604-1689), a Scottish soldier and chief of the MACRAE clan, who fought alongside the Marquis of Montrose in the Scottish Civil War.

In the 18th century, the MACRAE name gained further prominence with the exploits of Gillies MACRAE (1734-1808), a Scottish soldier and adventurer who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. He is known for his daring escape from a British prison ship and his subsequent efforts to aid the patriot cause.

Another notable MACRAE was John MACRAE (1808-1892), a Scottish-born explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of natural history in Australia. He is renowned for his extensive collections of plant and animal specimens, as well as his detailed observations of the Australian landscape and indigenous cultures.

Throughout history, the MACRAE surname has been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Inverinate in Ross-shire, where the MACRAE clan had a significant presence. The name has also been linked to locations like Clachan Srath in Badenoch, which was once a MACRAE stronghold.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macrae families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macrae 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 1,215 Macraes recorded in 1881 and an index of 194.24x.

County Total Index
Ross-shire 1,215 194.24x
Inverness-shire 393 57.78x
Midlothian 120 3.93x
Lanarkshire 101 1.37x
Sutherland 67 38.25x
Middlesex 45 0.20x
Angus 33 1.56x
Caithness 32 10.26x
Lancashire 29 0.11x
Renfrewshire 26 1.47x
Banffshire 24 5.08x
Aberdeenshire 23 1.09x
Surrey 23 0.21x
Argyllshire 22 3.47x
Yorkshire 20 0.09x
Ayrshire 13 0.76x
Perthshire 10 0.98x
Kent 9 0.12x
Nairnshire 9 12.95x
Durham 8 0.12x
Sussex 8 0.21x
Orkney 7 2.79x
West Lothian 7 2.04x
Cheshire 6 0.12x
Derbyshire 6 0.17x
Dunbartonshire 6 0.98x
Morayshire 6 1.70x
Northumberland 6 0.18x
Clackmannanshire 5 2.66x
Fife 5 0.37x
Warwickshire 5 0.09x
Kincardineshire 4 1.44x
Shetland 4 1.72x
Worcestershire 4 0.13x
Denbighshire 3 0.35x
Dorset 3 0.20x
East Lothian 3 0.99x
Isle of Man 3 0.71x
Roxburghshire 3 0.73x
Somerset 3 0.08x
Devon 2 0.04x
Selkirkshire 2 0.97x
Stirlingshire 2 0.24x
Berwickshire 1 0.36x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.07x
Cornwall 1 0.04x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Hampshire 1 0.02x
Hertfordshire 1 0.06x
Northamptonshire 1 0.05x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.37x
Shropshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kintail in Ross-shire leads with 244 Macraes recorded in 1881 and an index of 4526.90x.

Place Total Index
Kintail 244 4526.90x
Lochalsh 227 1411.69x
Glenshiel 159 4789.16x
Inverness 136 79.49x
Gairloch 116 321.78x
Stornoway 105 128.79x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 78 6.35x
Applecross 49 278.73x
Lochbroom 46 140.89x
Kilmorack 45 218.23x
Lochcarron 44 386.98x
Fodderty 42 265.49x
Barony 38 2.04x
Golspie 35 288.30x
Rosskeen 32 108.70x
Govan 29 1.59x
Duirinish 28 80.76x
Clyne 25 177.05x
Cromarty 25 149.34x
Glasgow 25 1.91x
Kirkhill 20 173.16x
Urray 18 92.69x
Petty 17 142.38x
Portree 16 63.57x
South Uist 16 33.71x
Bracadale 14 189.70x
Kincardine 14 121.63x
Knockbain 14 95.69x
Logie Wester 14 124.56x
Urquhart Glenmoriston 14 72.80x
Duddingston 13 21.22x
Edinburgh St Stephens 13 21.64x
Dingwall 12 68.18x
Strath 12 58.03x
Tain 12 50.65x
Croydon 11 1.79x
Kiltearn 11 119.31x
Olrig 11 70.60x
Watten 11 100.37x
Boleskine Abertarff 10 88.65x
Daviot Dunlichity 10 102.15x
Alvah 9 84.59x
Contin 9 79.23x
Dundee 9 1.14x
Great Little Marsden 9 7.27x
Harris 9 26.32x
North Uist 9 33.90x
Rathven 9 10.14x
Brighton 8 1.03x
Kilbarchan 8 14.92x
Liff Benvie 8 2.50x
Snizort 8 47.14x
Uig 8 28.21x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 7 1.77x
Kirkwall St Ola 7 18.65x
Nairn 7 16.59x
Paddington London 7 0.84x
Southend 7 93.96x
St Pancras London 7 0.38x
Abbey 6 2.23x
Islington London 6 0.27x
Kensington London 6 0.47x
Kildalton 6 35.84x
Kilmarnock 6 2.96x
Laggan 6 83.57x
Richmond 6 3.86x
Tarbat 6 40.60x
Thurso 6 12.34x
Uphall 6 15.91x
Westoe 6 1.56x
Aberdeen Old Machar 5 1.14x
Barra 5 29.45x
Edinburgh St Georges 5 7.90x
Everton 5 0.58x
Grassington 5 103.09x
Liverpool 5 0.30x
Nether Hallam 5 1.64x
West Greenock 5 1.58x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 4 5.54x
Moy Dalarossie 4 62.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 10
George 8
Alexander 7
Charles 4
Colin 4
Donald 4
Finlay 4
William 3
Albert 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Henry 2
James 2
Kenneth 2
A.J. 1
Alix 1
Allan 1
Andrew 1
Anne 1
Anqur 1
Arthur 1
Douglas 1
Duncan 1
Francis 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Johnny 1
Margaret 1
Marshall 1
Michael 1
Phillip 1
Robt.C. 1
Stewart 1
Thomas 1
W.John 1
Wilkinson 1
Wm.Angus 1

FAQ

Macrae surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macrae surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,433 people were recorded with the Macrae surname. That placed it at #1,823 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macrae surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,818 in 2016. That gives Macrae a modern rank of #1,407.

What does the Macrae surname mean?

Son of grace, or son of the fortunate one.

What does the Macrae map show?

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