NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcbean

Originally a nickname meaning "son of the small bean (i.e. person)".

In the 1881 census there were 1,117 people recorded with the Mcbean surname, ranking it #3,570 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 788, ranked #7,006, down from #3,570 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Daviot and Dunlichty, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Black Isle North, Hartlepool and Deans Village.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcbean is 1,117 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 29.5%.

1881 census count

1,117

Ranked #3,570

Modern count

788

2016, ranked #7,006

Peak year

1881

1,117 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcbean had 1,117 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,570 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 788 in 2016, ranked #7,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,117 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcbean surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcbean surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcbean 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 1,017 #2,746
1861 historical 929 #2,990
1881 historical 1,117 #3,570
1891 historical 1,046 #4,002
1901 historical 1,007 #4,733
1911 historical 313 #11,108
1997 modern 715 #7,136
1998 modern 726 #7,277
1999 modern 742 #7,208
2000 modern 715 #7,383
2001 modern 700 #7,367
2002 modern 726 #7,299
2003 modern 712 #7,279
2004 modern 733 #7,141
2005 modern 749 #6,964
2006 modern 737 #7,081
2007 modern 760 #6,978
2008 modern 758 #7,050
2009 modern 779 #7,031
2010 modern 774 #7,206
2011 modern 755 #7,266
2012 modern 772 #7,066
2013 modern 778 #7,133
2014 modern 792 #7,060
2015 modern 779 #7,082
2016 modern 788 #7,006

Geography

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Where Mcbeans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Daviot and Dunlichty, London parishes, Edinburgh, Duthill and Rothiemurcus and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Black Isle North, Hartlepool, Deans Village and East Hampshire. 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 Daviot and Dunlichty Inverness
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Duthill and Rothiemurcus Inverness
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Black Isle North Highland
2 Hartlepool 012 Hartlepool
3 Deans Village City of Edinburgh
4 Hartlepool 009 Hartlepool
5 East Hampshire 011 East Hampshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcbean

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcbean

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcbean, 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 Mcbean surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcbean 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, Mcbean 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

Mcbean is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcbean 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 Mcbean 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcbean

The surname McBean is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Beathain, meaning "son of the life" or "son of the beath (birch tree)." It is believed to have originated in the Highlands of Scotland, particularly in the area around Inverness-shire, where the surname was first recorded.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of documents that recorded the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. In these rolls, the name appears as "Macbethane."

In the 16th century, the McBean clan was prominent in the regions around Loch Arkaig and Loch Lochy in the Scottish Highlands. The clan was known for their involvement in various feuds and battles with neighboring clans, such as the Camerons and the MacDonalds.

A notable figure in McBean history is Sir Gillies McBean, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a renowned warrior and leader of the McBean clan, and is said to have played a significant role in the Battle of Glenlivet in 1594, where he fought alongside the Earl of Huntly against the forces of the Earl of Argyll.

Another prominent McBean was John McBean, a Scottish soldier who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in 1718 and became a notable figure in the conflict, serving as a lieutenant colonel in the King's Royal Regiment of New York.

In the 19th century, the McBean surname was also found in Canada, where many Scottish emigrants settled. One such individual was Archibald McBean, a Scottish-born fur trader and explorer who worked for the North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was born in 1776 and is known for his explorations in the Canadian Northwest Territories.

The McBean name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as McBean's Point and McBean's Creek, which are located in the Highlands region. These place names reflect the historical presence of the McBean clan in that area.

Throughout history, the McBean surname has undergone various spelling variations, including MacBean, MacBane, and MacBayne, among others. These variations reflect the evolution of the name over time and the regional dialects of the Scottish Highlands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcbean families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcbean 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. Middlesex leads with 19 Mcbeans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.19x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 19 3.19x
Yorkshire 16 2.71x
Lanarkshire 7 3.64x
Durham 5 2.83x
Surrey 5 1.73x
Hampshire 4 3.28x
Kent 2 0.99x
Lancashire 1 0.14x
Northumberland 1 1.13x
Sussex 1 1.00x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Scarborough in Yorkshire leads with 13 Mcbeans recorded in 1881 and an index of 242.54x.

Place Total Index
Scarborough 13 242.54x
Lanark 7 451.61x
Bishopwearmouth 5 32.92x
Islington London 5 8.67x
St Luke London 5 52.41x
St Pancras London 5 10.44x
Portsea 4 16.74x
Kingston On Thames 3 43.10x
Nether Hallam 3 37.64x
Camberwell 2 5.26x
Kensington London 2 6.05x
Ash Next Sandwich 1 222.22x
Hampstead London 1 10.80x
Harrietsham 1 714.29x
Hove 1 22.73x
St George Bloomsbury 1 29.33x
Toxteth Park 1 4.18x
Tynemouth 1 21.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Alice 3
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Donaldina 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Hannah 1
Isabel 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Lilley 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Rebecca 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

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 Mcbean households.

FAQ

Mcbean surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcbean surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,117 people were recorded with the Mcbean surname. That placed it at #3,570 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcbean surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 788 in 2016. That gives Mcbean a modern rank of #7,006.

What does the Mcbean surname mean?

Originally a nickname meaning "son of the small bean (i.e. person)".

What does the Mcbean map show?

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