NameCensus.

UK surname

Macvicar

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "Fhidhair" meaning "freckled person."

In the 1881 census there were 149 people recorded with the Macvicar surname, ranking it #15,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 520, ranked #9,720, up from #15,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manor, Kilmichael Glassary and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Benbecula and North Uist, Greater Lochgilphead and Harris.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macvicar is 537 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 249.0%.

1881 census count

149

Ranked #15,551

Modern count

520

2016, ranked #9,720

Peak year

2010

537 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macvicar had 149 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 520 in 2016, ranked #9,720.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 169 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Macvicar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macvicar surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macvicar 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 128 #14,474
1861 historical 109 #19,693
1881 historical 149 #15,551
1891 historical 169 #16,885
1901 historical 157 #17,577
1911 historical 31 #29,952
1997 modern 494 #9,384
1998 modern 508 #9,473
1999 modern 502 #9,634
2000 modern 518 #9,366
2001 modern 499 #9,483
2002 modern 529 #9,255
2003 modern 498 #9,512
2004 modern 492 #9,616
2005 modern 481 #9,702
2006 modern 485 #9,691
2007 modern 487 #9,753
2008 modern 484 #9,877
2009 modern 509 #9,712
2010 modern 537 #9,543
2011 modern 529 #9,555
2012 modern 506 #9,776
2013 modern 527 #9,652
2014 modern 522 #9,778
2015 modern 524 #9,678
2016 modern 520 #9,720

Geography

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Where Macvicars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manor, Kilmichael Glassary, Edinburgh, South Uist and Barkwith, East. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Benbecula and North Uist, Greater Lochgilphead, Harris, Wishaw North and Cowal South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Manor Peebles
2 Kilmichael Glassary Argyll
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 South Uist Inverness
5 Barkwith, East Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Benbecula and North Uist Na h-Eileanan Siar
2 Greater Lochgilphead Argyll and Bute
3 Harris Na h-Eileanan Siar
4 Wishaw North North Lanarkshire
5 Cowal South Argyll and Bute

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macvicar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macvicar

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Macvicar is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Macvicar 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

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

Meaning and origin of Macvicar

The surname MACVICAR is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "fhiogair" meaning "vicar" or "priest's son". This suggests that the name likely originated from a family line descended from a religious leader or member of the clergy in medieval Scotland.

The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the regions of Argyll and Perthshire, Scotland. Historical records from this period show variations in spelling, including MacVicquhar, MacVicar, and MacVicker, reflecting the evolution of the name over time.

One notable early reference to the MACVICAR name is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1264, which mentions a "Gillebride MacVicquhar" who held lands in Argyll. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the mid-13th century.

In the 16th century, the MACVICAR name became closely associated with the Clan Campbell, a powerful Scottish clan based in Argyll. Several individuals with the MACVICAR surname are recorded as holding positions of responsibility within the clan, indicating their influential status.

One prominent figure bearing the MACVICAR name was Archibald MACVICAR (c. 1670-1738), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Principal of St. Mary's College, St. Andrews, from 1718 until his death. He was a renowned scholar and author of several works on theology and philosophy.

Another notable MACVICAR was John MACVICAR (1718-1790), a Scottish Gaelic poet and songwriter. He is best known for his collection of songs and poems titled "Orain Ghaidhealach" (Gaelic Songs), which was published posthumously in 1801.

In the 19th century, John Gibson MACVICAR (1800-1884) was a renowned Scottish physicist and philosopher. He served as the Professor of Natural Philosophy at St. Andrews University and made significant contributions to the fields of optics and wave theory.

The MACVICAR surname also has a historical connection to the Isle of Islay, where a family of that name held lands and positions of influence. One such individual was Angus MACVICAR (c. 1780-1856), who served as the factor (estate manager) for the Islay estates of the Campbells of Shawfield.

Another notable MACVICAR was Stevenson MACVICAR (1809-1896), a Scottish clergyman and historian. He served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and authored several works on church history and theology.

Overall, the MACVICAR surname has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with a strong association with the Clan Campbell and the regions of Argyll and Perthshire. The name has been carried by individuals of notable distinction in various fields, including religion, literature, academia, and estate management, reflecting its enduring presence throughout Scottish history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macvicar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macvicar 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 79 Macvicars recorded in 1881 and an index of 218.72x.

County Total Index
Inverness-shire 79 218.72x
Banffshire 9 35.87x
Dumfriesshire 8 29.94x
Lincolnshire 8 4.14x
Midlothian 5 3.09x
Cheshire 4 1.50x
Lanarkshire 3 0.77x
Argyllshire 2 5.94x
Middlesex 2 0.17x
Sussex 2 0.98x
East Lothian 1 6.24x
West Lothian 1 5.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Uist in Inverness-shire leads with 47 Macvicars recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
North Uist 47 3333.33x
Trumisgarry 16 4444.44x
Ordiquhill 9 3000.00x
Harris 7 384.62x
Kilmuir 7 660.38x
East Barkwith 6 4285.71x
Moffat 6 491.80x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 7.67x
Higher Bebington 4 233.92x
Eastbourne 2 21.32x
Govan 2 2.07x
Kilmallie 2 115.61x
Kirkmahoe 2 384.62x
Kirkmond Le Mire 2 3333.33x
St Marylebone London 2 3.10x
Abercorn 1 277.78x
Barony 1 1.01x
Dirleton 1 158.73x
Portree 1 74.63x
South Uist 1 39.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Euphemia 1
Florence 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Martha 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Neil 3
Arthur 1
Charles 1
George 1
John 1
Thomas 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 Macvicar households.

FAQ

Macvicar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macvicar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 149 people were recorded with the Macvicar surname. That placed it at #15,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macvicar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 520 in 2016. That gives Macvicar a modern rank of #9,720.

What does the Macvicar surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "Fhidhair" meaning "freckled person."

What does the Macvicar map show?

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