NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcbay

A Scottish surname derived from a location name meaning "bay" or "inlet."

In the 1881 census there were 107 people recorded with the Mcbay surname, ranking it #18,982 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 214, ranked #18,740, up from #18,982 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Monkwearmouth and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mearns South and Benholm, Mearns North and Inverbervie and Largs South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcbay is 222 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 100.0%.

1881 census count

107

Ranked #18,982

Modern count

214

2016, ranked #18,740

Peak year

2010

222 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcbay had 107 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,982 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 214 in 2016, ranked #18,740.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 191 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcbay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcbay surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcbay 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 109 #19,693
1881 historical 107 #18,982
1891 historical 125 #20,713
1901 historical 191 #15,579
1911 historical 46 #28,224
1997 modern 205 #17,370
1998 modern 213 #17,431
1999 modern 218 #17,258
2000 modern 210 #17,670
2001 modern 208 #17,513
2002 modern 218 #17,338
2003 modern 205 #17,851
2004 modern 210 #17,644
2005 modern 205 #17,838
2006 modern 212 #17,612
2007 modern 210 #17,904
2008 modern 213 #17,903
2009 modern 211 #18,377
2010 modern 222 #18,148
2011 modern 219 #18,145
2012 modern 202 #19,084
2013 modern 195 #19,857
2014 modern 207 #19,259
2015 modern 215 #18,659
2016 modern 214 #18,740

Geography

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Where Mcbays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Monkwearmouth, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and Craig. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mearns South and Benholm, Mearns North and Inverbervie, Largs South, Invergordon and Sunderland. 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 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
2 Monkwearmouth Durham
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Craig Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mearns South and Benholm Aberdeenshire
2 Mearns North and Inverbervie Aberdeenshire
3 Largs South North Ayrshire
4 Invergordon Highland
5 Sunderland 005 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcbay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcbay

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Mcbay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mcbay household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mcbay is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mcbay 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcbay

The surname McBay is of Scottish origin, originating in the western Highlands region of Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "baidh" meaning "bay" or "inlet of the sea." This suggests that the name likely referred to the descendants of an individual who lived near a particular bay or inlet.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the late 13th century, where it appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland as "Macbayth." This spelling variation indicates that the name may have initially been pronounced differently from its modern form.

In the 15th century, the name is found in various historical documents from the Argyll region of Scotland, including the Black Book of Taymouth and the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. These records mention individuals with the surname McBay, spelled as "Makbay" or "McBaith."

One notable historical figure with this surname was Donald McBay, a Scottish clansman from the Isle of Mull, who was involved in a clan feud with the Macleans in the late 16th century. Another notable bearer of the name was Archibald McBay, a merchant from Glasgow who traveled to the American colonies in the early 18th century and established a successful trading business.

The McBay surname is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Moidart, Ardnamurchan, and Lochaber, which were areas where the name was historically concentrated. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name is found in records from these regions, often spelled as "McBaith" or "McBay."

Other notable individuals with the surname McBay include:

1. John McBay (1720-1790), a Scottish-born American soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War. 2. William McBay (1810-1888), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician. 3. Alexander McBay (1855-1917), a Scottish-born Australian writer and journalist. 4. Isobel McBay (1875-1957), a Scottish-born Canadian educator and women's rights activist. 5. Duncan McBay (1892-1964), a Scottish-born Australian soldier who served in World War I and World War II.

While the surname McBay is relatively uncommon today, it remains a testament to the rich history and heritage of the Scottish Highlands and the individuals who bore this name throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcbay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcbay 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. Durham leads with 3 Mcbays recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.95x.

County Total Index
Durham 3 25.95x
Northumberland 1 17.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 3 Mcbays recorded in 1881 and an index of 303.03x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 3 303.03x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 285.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Elizabeth 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 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 Mcbay households.

FAQ

Mcbay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcbay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 107 people were recorded with the Mcbay surname. That placed it at #18,982 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcbay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 214 in 2016. That gives Mcbay a modern rank of #18,740.

What does the Mcbay surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a location name meaning "bay" or "inlet."

What does the Mcbay map show?

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