NameCensus.

UK surname

Madill

A habitational surname derived from a place name in Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 47 people recorded with the Madill surname, ranking it #27,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, down from #27,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pendle, West Dorset and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Madill is 136 in 2005. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 148.9%.

1881 census count

47

Ranked #27,019

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

2005

136 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Madill had 47 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 65 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Madill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Madill surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Madill 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 25 #28,853
1861 historical 34 #29,685
1881 historical 47 #27,019
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 65 #26,917
1911 historical 22 #31,030
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 128 #23,828
1999 modern 129 #23,907
2000 modern 129 #23,901
2001 modern 135 #22,945
2002 modern 128 #24,150
2003 modern 135 #23,155
2004 modern 129 #24,019
2005 modern 136 #23,205
2006 modern 136 #23,378
2007 modern 132 #24,166
2008 modern 136 #24,004
2009 modern 135 #24,594
2010 modern 122 #26,876
2011 modern 121 #26,789
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 122 #27,122
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Madills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pendle, West Dorset, Kensington and Chelsea, Doncaster and Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pendle 003 Pendle
2 West Dorset 005 West Dorset
3 Kensington and Chelsea 018 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Doncaster 004 Doncaster
5 Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Madill

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Madill

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Madill, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Madill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Madill household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Madill is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Madill 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

Madill falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Madill

The surname Madill is of Scottish origin, with roots tracing back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "magh" and "dail," which together translate to "field" or "meadow." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with people living in or near a particular field or meadow area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Madill surname can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1488, where a certain John Madill is mentioned. This historical record provides evidence of the name's existence during the late medieval period in Scotland.

In the 16th century, the Madill name appeared in various parish records and court documents across Scotland, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. These records often featured variations in spelling, such as Madill, Madell, and Maddill, which was common during that era due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

A notable figure bearing the Madill surname was Sir John Madill (1623-1695), a Scottish merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the development of the city of Glasgow. He served as a magistrate and was actively involved in the city's governance.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Thomas Madill (1760-1828), a Scottish-born soldier and politician who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. He later emigrated to Canada and became a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada.

In the 19th century, the Madill name made its way across the Atlantic, with several individuals bearing this surname settling in various parts of North America. One such person was Alexander Madill (1812-1890), a Scottish immigrant who became a successful farmer and landowner in Ontario, Canada.

Another notable figure was James Madill (1850-1925), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and played a role in the development of the city of Winnipeg.

Throughout history, the Madill surname has been associated with various occupations, including farming, trade, and public service, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who carried this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Madill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Madill 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. Lanarkshire leads with 32 Madills recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.59x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 32 21.59x
Cumberland 6 15.21x
Durham 4 2.93x
Dunbartonshire 3 24.35x
Lancashire 2 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 13 Madills recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.39x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 13 49.39x
Cambusnethan 8 243.16x
Govan 6 16.37x
Holme Low 6 5454.55x
Bishopwearmouth 4 34.16x
Dumbarton 3 175.44x
Hamilton 3 72.64x
Bothwell 2 49.75x
West Derby 2 12.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Margaret 1
Nancy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 2
William 2
Adam 1
James 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 Madill households.

FAQ

Madill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Madill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 47 people were recorded with the Madill surname. That placed it at #27,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Madill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Madill a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Madill surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name in Scotland.

What does the Madill map show?

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