NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcaulay

An Anglicized form of the Gaelic name MacDhùghaill meaning "son of the brown-haired lad."

In the 1881 census there were 1,930 people recorded with the Mcaulay surname, ranking it #2,264 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,733, ranked #3,609, down from #2,264 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lochs, Govan Combination and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Greenock Town Centre and East Central, IZ18 and Campbeltown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcaulay is 2,258 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.2%.

1881 census count

1,930

Ranked #2,264

Modern count

1,733

2016, ranked #3,609

Peak year

1891

2,258 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcaulay had 1,930 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,264 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,733 in 2016, ranked #3,609.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,258 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcaulay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcaulay surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcaulay 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 1,444 #1,993
1861 historical 1,536 #1,850
1881 historical 1,930 #2,264
1891 historical 2,258 #2,069
1901 historical 1,983 #2,676
1911 historical 78 #25,013
1997 modern 1,594 #3,711
1998 modern 1,651 #3,731
1999 modern 1,687 #3,683
2000 modern 1,669 #3,695
2001 modern 1,638 #3,693
2002 modern 1,690 #3,666
2003 modern 1,661 #3,653
2004 modern 1,658 #3,656
2005 modern 1,652 #3,635
2006 modern 1,681 #3,580
2007 modern 1,679 #3,614
2008 modern 1,728 #3,546
2009 modern 1,746 #3,588
2010 modern 1,767 #3,617
2011 modern 1,745 #3,612
2012 modern 1,686 #3,669
2013 modern 1,701 #3,704
2014 modern 1,732 #3,664
2015 modern 1,731 #3,628
2016 modern 1,733 #3,609

Geography

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Where Mcaulays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lochs, Govan Combination, Greenock, Glasgow and Stornoway. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Greenock Town Centre and East Central, IZ18, Campbeltown, Braidfauld and City Centre East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lochs Ross And Cromarty
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Stornoway Ross And Cromarty

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde
2 IZ18 West Dunbartonshire
3 Campbeltown Argyll and Bute
4 Braidfauld Glasgow City
5 City Centre East Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcaulay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcaulay

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mcaulay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcaulay household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcaulay 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

Mcaulay 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

Mcaulay falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mcaulay

The surname McAulay is of Scottish origin, dating back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic personal name Amhalghaidh, which means "servant of St. Amalghaidh" or "unfortunate". The name is believed to have originated in the area of Argyll and the Hebrides islands off the western coast of Scotland.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of documents recording the swearing of fealty to King Edward I of England by Scottish noblemen and landowners. The name appears in various spellings, including McAulay, McAuley, and McAwley.

One of the most notable historical figures with this surname was Aulay Macaulay, a Scottish chieftain who lived in the late 15th century. He was a member of the powerful Clan Macaulay and played a significant role in the power struggles between the Lords of the Isles and the Scottish Crown.

Another prominent individual was Kenneth Macaulay (1723-1779), a Scottish minister and writer. He was born in the Isle of Lewis and is best known for his work "The History of St. Kilda," which provides a detailed account of the remote Scottish island.

In the 19th century, Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1859) gained fame as a British historian, essayist, and politician. His most notable work, "The History of England," was widely acclaimed and influenced the writing of history during that period.

Austen Henry Layard (1817-1894), an English traveler and archaeologist, also bore the surname Macaulay. He is renowned for his excavations in Assyria and his influential book "Nineveh and Its Remains," which sparked widespread interest in Mesopotamian archaeology.

Another notable figure was James Buchanan Macaulay (1793-1859), a Scottish lawyer and politician who served as a member of parliament for the Edinburgh district and played a significant role in the Reform Act of 1832.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcaulay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcaulay 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. Kent leads with 5 Mcaulays recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.83x.

County Total Index
Kent 5 6.83x
Northumberland 5 15.67x
Cheshire 4 8.45x
Ayrshire 2 12.46x
Lancashire 2 0.79x
Hampshire 1 2.28x
Middlesex 1 0.47x
Royal Navy 1 39.06x
Surrey 1 0.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gillingham in Kent leads with 5 Mcaulays recorded in 1881 and an index of 331.13x.

Place Total Index
Gillingham 5 331.13x
Longbenton 5 370.37x
Congleton 4 487.80x
Ardrossan 2 357.14x
Liverpool 2 12.95x
Clapham 1 37.31x
South Stoneham 1 105.26x
St Pancras London 1 5.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 3
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Margeret 1
Mary 1
Robina 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alexander 2
John 2
Adam 1
Donald 1
Francis 1
Samuel 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 Mcaulay households.

FAQ

Mcaulay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcaulay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,930 people were recorded with the Mcaulay surname. That placed it at #2,264 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcaulay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,733 in 2016. That gives Mcaulay a modern rank of #3,609.

What does the Mcaulay surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Gaelic name MacDhùghaill meaning "son of the brown-haired lad."

What does the Mcaulay map show?

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