UK surname
Son of the bald or tonsured (shaven-headed) man of Irish origin.
In the 1881 census there were 77 people recorded with the Mccale surname, ranking it #22,617 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 15, ranked #37,092, down from #22,617 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Manchester and Pontefract. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccale is 124 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 80.5%.
1881 census count
77
Ranked #22,617
Modern count
15
2016, ranked #37,092
Peak year
1891
124 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Mccale surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Mccale surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 98 | #17,383 |
| 1861 | historical | 104 | #20,477 |
| 1881 | historical | 77 | #22,617 |
| 1891 | historical | 124 | #20,818 |
| 1901 | historical | 75 | #25,852 |
| 1911 | historical | 76 | #25,221 |
| 1997 | modern | 18 | #36,053 |
| 1998 | modern | 18 | #36,135 |
| 1999 | modern | 19 | #36,041 |
| 2000 | modern | 20 | #35,915 |
| 2001 | modern | 18 | #35,961 |
| 2002 | modern | 19 | #35,991 |
| 2003 | modern | 20 | #35,915 |
| 2004 | modern | 21 | #35,969 |
| 2005 | modern | 20 | #36,165 |
| 2006 | modern | 19 | #36,323 |
| 2007 | modern | 18 | #36,537 |
| 2008 | modern | 16 | #36,766 |
| 2009 | modern | 15 | #36,942 |
| 2010 | modern | 18 | #36,774 |
| 2011 | modern | 20 | #36,587 |
| 2012 | modern | 15 | #36,982 |
| 2013 | modern | 15 | #37,046 |
| 2014 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2015 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2016 | modern | 15 | #37,092 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Manchester, Pontefract, Brancepeth and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton | Staffordshire |
| 2 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 3 | Pontefract | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 4 | Brancepeth | Durham |
| 5 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Mccale surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mccale, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Mccale surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Mccale household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Mccale is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mccale is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Mccale, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname McCale has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the medieval period. It is a variant of the Scottish surname McCall, which is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Cathal," meaning "mighty in battle" or "brave warrior." The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" signifies "son of" in Scottish and Irish naming traditions.
The earliest recorded instances of the McCale surname can be found in ancient Scottish records and charters dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is Sir Duncan McCale, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.
In the 16th century, the McCale surname appeared in the historic Ragman Rolls, a collection of instruments of homage and fealty to King Edward I of England from Scottish nobles and landowners during the late 13th century.
The McCale name has been associated with various regions in Scotland, particularly the Highlands and the Lowlands. Some of the earliest known locations where the McCale family settled include Argyll, Ayr, and Renfrewshire.
Notable individuals bearing the McCale surname throughout history include:
1. Robert McCale (c. 1520 - 1590), a Scottish scholar and clergyman who served as the Bishop of Brechin in the late 16th century. 2. James McCale (1761 - 1835), a Scottish-born American physician and politician who served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. 3. John McCale (1819 - 1899), a Scottish-born Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Canadian Parliament. 4. William McCale (1875 - 1942), a Scottish-American labor leader and activist who played a prominent role in the coal mining industry in the early 20th century. 5. Margaret McCale (1913 - 2004), a Scottish-born American author and poet known for her works exploring themes of identity and cultural heritage.
The McCale surname has also been associated with various place names and their older spellings, such as Calais (from the French "Cale") and Callander (derived from the Gaelic "Caladair"), both of which have connections to the Scottish roots of the name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccale surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Staffordshire leads with 5 Mccales recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.68x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Staffordshire | 5 | 11.68x |
| Lancashire | 3 | 1.99x |
| Warwickshire | 3 | 9.38x |
| Northumberland | 2 | 10.60x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 5 Mccales recorded in 1881 and an index of 151.98x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Wolverhampton | 5 | 151.98x |
| Birmingham | 3 | 28.14x |
| Oldham | 3 | 61.73x |
| Newcastle On Tyne All Sts | 2 | 176.99x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mccale surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mccale surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Mccale households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Bricklayers Labourer | 1 |
| Cotton Speed Tenter | 1 |
| Iron Foundry Labourer | 1 |
| Labourer In Iron Works | 1 |
| Labourer On Railway Station | 1 |
| Nut And Bolt Screwer | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 77 people were recorded with the Mccale surname. That placed it at #22,617 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 15 in 2016. That gives Mccale a modern rank of #37,092.
Son of the bald or tonsured (shaven-headed) man of Irish origin.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mccale bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.