NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcall

A Scottish surname meaning "son of the battle chief."

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Mcall surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 141, ranked #24,753, down from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Govan Combination and Astbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Tyneside, Conwy and Oldham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcall is 170 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.5%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

141

2016, ranked #24,753

Peak year

1851

170 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcall had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 141 in 2016, ranked #24,753.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 170 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Mcall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcall 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 170 #11,780
1861 historical 162 #14,310
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 120 #21,292
1901 historical 81 #25,130
1911 historical 61 #26,724
1997 modern 109 #25,650
1998 modern 126 #24,094
1999 modern 141 #22,702
2000 modern 144 #22,357
2001 modern 134 #23,037
2002 modern 133 #23,585
2003 modern 141 #22,549
2004 modern 139 #22,891
2005 modern 131 #23,737
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 148 #22,406
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 142 #23,791
2010 modern 152 #23,282
2011 modern 154 #22,886
2012 modern 149 #23,372
2013 modern 154 #23,210
2014 modern 145 #24,395
2015 modern 140 #24,836
2016 modern 141 #24,753

Geography

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Where Mcalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Govan Combination, Astbury, Edinburgh and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Tyneside, Conwy, Oldham, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Astbury Cheshire
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Tyneside 022 North Tyneside
2 Conwy 007 Conwy
3 Oldham 007 Oldham
4 Newcastle-under-Lyme 003 Newcastle-under-Lyme
5 Cheshire West and Chester 018 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcall

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Mcall is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mcall is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcall 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 Mcall is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcall

The surname McAll is of Scottish origin, derived from the Scottish Gaelic Mac Aille, meaning "son of Aille." The name Aille is an old personal name that may have originated from the Old Irish word "ail," meaning "rock" or "cliff." This surname is believed to have first emerged in the Highlands of Scotland, particularly in the regions of Argyll and Perthshire, during the 12th or 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McAll can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which date back to the late 13th century. In these rolls, the name is listed as "MacAyl" and "MacAyle," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time period. The name is also mentioned in several other historical documents, such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where it appears as "Makail."

The McAll surname has a rich history, with several notable individuals bearing this name throughout the centuries. One of the earliest recorded McAlls was John McAll, a Scottish clergyman who lived in the late 16th century and served as the minister of Kilmichael Glassary in Argyll. Another prominent figure was Alexander McAll (1644-1718), a Scottish Episcopalian minister who served as the Bishop of Caithness and later as the Bishop of Murray.

In the 18th century, Robert McAll (1734-1818) was a Scottish minister and author who published several works on religious subjects. He served as the minister of the Established Church of Scotland in Dalkeith, Midlothian. Another notable McAll from this period was John McAll (1770-1820), a Scottish-born merchant and landowner who settled in Nova Scotia, Canada, and played a significant role in the development of the region.

In the 19th century, Robert Stephenson McAll (1792-1838) was a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada. He was also involved in the construction of several canals and railways in Canada. Another prominent individual was Robert McAll (1806-1865), a Scottish Presbyterian minister and missionary who founded the McAll Mission in Paris, France, dedicated to evangelizing the working-class population of the city.

While the McAll surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, as a result of Scottish migration and settlement. The name has also undergone various spelling variations over time, such as McAul, McCall, and McCaull, reflecting the influence of regional dialects and individual preferences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcall 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. Surrey leads with 8 Mcalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.81x.

County Total Index
Surrey 8 4.81x
Northumberland 6 11.82x
Essex 4 5.94x
Middlesex 4 1.17x
Cheshire 3 3.98x
Hampshire 3 4.29x
Yorkshire 3 0.89x
Lancashire 2 0.49x
Durham 1 0.99x
Nottinghamshire 1 2.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Penge in Surrey leads with 7 Mcalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 321.10x.

Place Total Index
Penge 7 321.10x
Tynemouth 4 147.06x
Bocking 3 731.71x
Holdenhurst 3 163.93x
Sale 3 326.09x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 29.07x
Hackney London 2 10.45x
Hornsey 2 46.40x
Liverpool 2 8.13x
Longbenton 2 93.02x
Bermondsey 1 9.84x
Bishopwearmouth 1 11.48x
Ilkley 1 181.82x
Leyton 1 86.21x
Morton 1 10000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 4
Elizabeth 3
Ann 2
Agnes 1
Conslantial 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Rachel 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 3
Samuel 2
Alfred 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Gilbert 1
Henry 1
James 1
John 1
Partrick 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Robert 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 Mcall households.

FAQ

Mcall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Mcall surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 141 in 2016. That gives Mcall a modern rank of #24,753.

What does the Mcall surname mean?

A Scottish surname meaning "son of the battle chief."

What does the Mcall map show?

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