NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccaskill

Scottish and Irish occupational surname denoting a person who thatched roofs using reeds or straw.

In the 1881 census there were 385 people recorded with the Mccaskill surname, ranking it #8,179 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 323, ranked #13,997, down from #8,179 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bracadale, Duirnish and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Muirhouse and Knowetop and Kelty West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccaskill is 419 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.1%.

1881 census count

385

Ranked #8,179

Modern count

323

2016, ranked #13,997

Peak year

1901

419 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccaskill had 385 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,179 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 323 in 2016, ranked #13,997.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 419 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mccaskill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccaskill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mccaskill 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 264 #8,419
1861 historical 333 #7,646
1881 historical 385 #8,179
1891 historical 399 #8,898
1901 historical 419 #9,191
1911 historical 28 #30,296
1997 modern 278 #14,210
1998 modern 274 #14,759
1999 modern 286 #14,412
2000 modern 293 #14,141
2001 modern 289 #14,069
2002 modern 308 #13,763
2003 modern 278 #14,540
2004 modern 292 #14,109
2005 modern 290 #14,140
2006 modern 281 #14,500
2007 modern 283 #14,579
2008 modern 300 #14,135
2009 modern 292 #14,700
2010 modern 289 #15,127
2011 modern 299 #14,631
2012 modern 288 #14,934
2013 modern 305 #14,577
2014 modern 309 #14,533
2015 modern 308 #14,463
2016 modern 323 #13,997

Geography

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Where Mccaskills are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Muirhouse and Knowetop, Kelty West and Callander and Trossachs. 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 Bracadale Inverness
2 Duirnish Inverness
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 057 County Durham
2 County Durham 058 County Durham
3 Muirhouse and Knowetop North Lanarkshire
4 Kelty West Fife
5 Callander and Trossachs Stirling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mccaskill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mccaskill

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

Mccaskill is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mccaskill falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mccaskill

The surname McCaskill has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "cas" meaning "twisted" or "curled," referring to someone with curly hair or a distinguishing physical feature.

The earliest recorded mention of the name dates back to the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "MacCaskill" in these records.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the McCaskills were a prominent clan in the Outer Hebrides islands of Scotland, particularly on the Isle of Lewis. They were known for their seafaring traditions and played a role in the historic battle of Gress in 1598, where they fought alongside the Morrisons against the MacKenzies.

In the 17th century, the McCaskills began to migrate to other parts of Scotland and Ireland, and the name took on various spellings, such as "McCaskill," "MacCaskill," and "MacAskill." One notable bearer of the name was Donald McCaskill (1700-1780), a Scottish poet and songwriter from the Isle of Lewis.

As the McCaskills spread throughout the British Isles, some members of the clan made their way to the Americas. John McCaskill (1761-1833) was a Scottish-born American soldier who served in the Revolutionary War and later settled in Tennessee.

Another prominent figure was Wilbur John McCaskill (1857-1939), a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for several terms in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In the United States, one of the most well-known individuals with the surname is Claire McCaskill (born 1953), a former United States Senator from Missouri who served from 2007 to 2019.

Other notable McCaskills include Rayburn McCaskill (1920-2003), an American football player and coach, and Carolyn McCaskill (1924-2018), an American poet and writer known for her works exploring African-American culture and history.

While the name has evolved over time, its Scottish roots and connection to the Outer Hebrides islands remain an integral part of the McCaskill surname's rich history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mccaskill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccaskill 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. Surrey leads with 5 Mccaskills recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.16x.

County Total Index
Surrey 5 21.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke in Surrey leads with 5 Mccaskills recorded in 1881 and an index of 4545.45x.

Place Total Index
Stoke 5 4545.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agnes 1
Jane 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Roland 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 Mccaskill households.

FAQ

Mccaskill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccaskill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 385 people were recorded with the Mccaskill surname. That placed it at #8,179 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccaskill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 323 in 2016. That gives Mccaskill a modern rank of #13,997.

What does the Mccaskill surname mean?

Scottish and Irish occupational surname denoting a person who thatched roofs using reeds or straw.

What does the Mccaskill map show?

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