NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccall

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cathmhaoil," meaning "son of Cathmhaol" (a personal name meaning "battle chief").

In the 1881 census there were 3,305 people recorded with the Mccall surname, ranking it #1,371 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,192, ranked #1,300, up from #1,371 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Sanquhar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cumnock North, Cumnock South and Craigens and Bellfield and Kirkstyle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccall is 5,210 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.1%.

1881 census count

3,305

Ranked #1,371

Modern count

5,192

2016, ranked #1,300

Peak year

2010

5,210 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccall had 3,305 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,371 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,192 in 2016, ranked #1,300.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,120 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mccall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mccall 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 1,777 #1,623
1861 historical 2,142 #1,361
1881 historical 3,305 #1,371
1891 historical 3,559 #1,348
1901 historical 4,120 #1,365
1911 historical 1,505 #3,204
1997 modern 4,786 #1,369
1998 modern 4,992 #1,368
1999 modern 5,042 #1,366
2000 modern 5,019 #1,357
2001 modern 4,945 #1,345
2002 modern 5,009 #1,356
2003 modern 4,876 #1,355
2004 modern 4,886 #1,348
2005 modern 4,868 #1,335
2006 modern 4,863 #1,342
2007 modern 4,912 #1,343
2008 modern 4,966 #1,340
2009 modern 5,080 #1,343
2010 modern 5,210 #1,335
2011 modern 5,110 #1,341
2012 modern 5,059 #1,326
2013 modern 5,152 #1,327
2014 modern 5,206 #1,320
2015 modern 5,146 #1,321
2016 modern 5,192 #1,300

Geography

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Where Mccalls are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Cumnock North, Cumnock South and Craigens, Bellfield and Kirkstyle, Paisley North East and Greenock Town Centre and East Central. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Sanquhar Dumfries
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cumnock North East Ayrshire
2 Cumnock South and Craigens East Ayrshire
3 Bellfield and Kirkstyle East Ayrshire
4 Paisley North East Renfrewshire
5 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mccall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mccall

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mccall, 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 Mccall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mccall 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mccall 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

Mccall 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

Mccall 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 Mccall 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.

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Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mccall

The surname McCall has its origins in Scotland, emerging in the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Cail', which means 'son of Cail'. Cail was an old personal name that was relatively common in medieval Scotland.

The name McCall first appeared in Argyllshire, a historic county in western Scotland. Over time, it spread to other regions of Scotland and Ireland. Variations in spelling emerged, including MacCall, MacCaull, and MacCaul.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage renderings to King Edward I of England. The entry "Gillecrist Makkal" likely refers to a bearer of the name McCall.

In the 16th century, a notable figure was John McCall (c.1522-1586), a Scottish prelate who served as Bishop of Galloway. Around the same time, the McCall family established themselves as landowners in the Parish of Carsphairn in Kirkcudbrightshire.

Another prominent McCall was Sir Mungo McCall (1603-1674), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1641 to 1660. He played a significant role in the political and legal affairs of Scotland during the turbulent years of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

In the 18th century, Hugh McCall (1737-1824) was a Scottish-born American merchant and politician who served as a member of the Georgia State Assembly. He was also a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1785.

A more recent figure was John McCall (1849-1920), a Scottish-born American businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the New York Life Insurance Company and made significant contributions to various educational and charitable institutions in New York City.

The surname McCall has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, such as McCall's Hill in Dumfries and Galloway, and McCall's Bridge in Aberdeenshire. These place names likely derived from individuals with the surname McCall who resided in or owned land in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mccall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccall 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. Lancashire leads with 43 Mccalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.20x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 43 2.20x
Cumberland 19 13.39x
Middlesex 17 1.03x
Hampshire 14 4.14x
Northumberland 12 4.89x
Glamorgan 11 3.83x
Cheshire 8 2.20x
Ayrshire 7 5.67x
Staffordshire 7 1.26x
Yorkshire 6 0.37x
Isle of Man 5 16.33x
Denbighshire 4 6.42x
Durham 4 0.82x
Warwickshire 4 0.96x
Leicestershire 3 1.64x
Kent 2 0.36x
Hertfordshire 1 0.88x
Lanarkshire 1 0.19x
Sussex 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Thomas Winchester in Hampshire leads with 12 Mccalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 502.09x.

Place Total Index
St Thomas Winchester 12 502.09x
Llangeinor 11 650.89x
Islington London 10 6.26x
Stanwix 10 869.57x
Birkenhead 6 20.68x
Cowpen 6 106.19x
Kirkdale 6 18.23x
Maybole 6 159.57x
German Peel 5 284.09x
Habergham Eaves 5 27.96x
Leek Lowe 5 67.57x
Liverpool 5 4.21x
Manchester 5 5.68x
Preston In Tynemouth 5 520.83x
Salford 5 8.69x
Workington 5 61.50x
Barrow In Furness 4 15.03x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 18.83x
Coventry St Michael 3 22.47x
Everton 3 4.81x
Leeds 3 3.25x
Westminster St 3 49.34x
Wrexham Regis 3 64.94x
Dover St Mary Virgin 2 36.76x
Harrington 2 116.96x
Hulme 2 4.90x
Leicester St Margaret 2 4.49x
Thornton In Fylde 2 46.73x
Wolverhampton 2 4.67x
Aldershot 1 8.83x
Altofts 1 55.56x
Ashton In Makerfield 1 17.95x
Barony 1 0.74x
Birmingham 1 0.72x
Blackburn 1 1.92x
Chadderton 1 10.46x
Cheshunt 1 25.19x
Cleator 1 16.92x
Cummersdale 1 208.33x
Farnborough 1 28.17x
Hackney London 1 1.08x
Hastings St Mary 1 14.45x
Kirkoswald 1 99.01x
Leicester St Mary 1 6.77x
Liscard 1 15.24x
Llanrwst Capel Garmon 1 200.00x
Middlesbrough 1 4.70x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 6.83x
Northallerton 1 47.85x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 1 23.87x
St Botolph Aldersgate 1 52.91x
Stoke Newington London 1 7.79x
Toxteth Park 1 1.51x
West Derby 1 1.75x
Whitechapel London 1 6.15x
Withington 1 15.87x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
James 11
Thomas 7
William 6
Samuel 5
Bernard 4
Peter 3
Edward 2
George 2
Joseph 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Alex 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Charles 1
Felix 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Henry 1
Hepzebah 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Jame 1
Jas. 1
Moses 1
Patrick 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Robt.A. 1
Vincent 1

FAQ

Mccall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,305 people were recorded with the Mccall surname. That placed it at #1,371 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,192 in 2016. That gives Mccall a modern rank of #1,300.

What does the Mccall surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cathmhaoil," meaning "son of Cathmhaol" (a personal name meaning "battle chief").

What does the Mccall map show?

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