NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccaul

Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic elements "mac" meaning son of and "Cathal" meaning a warrior.

In the 1881 census there were 184 people recorded with the Mccaul surname, ranking it #13,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 486, ranked #10,189, up from #13,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ12, Coatbridge West and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccaul is 487 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 164.1%.

1881 census count

184

Ranked #13,551

Modern count

486

2016, ranked #10,189

Peak year

2014

487 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccaul had 184 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 486 in 2016, ranked #10,189.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 261 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mccaul surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccaul surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mccaul 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 261 #8,490
1861 historical 211 #11,508
1881 historical 184 #13,551
1891 historical 161 #17,473
1901 historical 147 #18,270
1911 historical 81 #24,719
1997 modern 409 #10,818
1998 modern 434 #10,694
1999 modern 452 #10,422
2000 modern 454 #10,360
2001 modern 433 #10,561
2002 modern 451 #10,429
2003 modern 433 #10,614
2004 modern 425 #10,779
2005 modern 432 #10,531
2006 modern 442 #10,388
2007 modern 456 #10,221
2008 modern 453 #10,345
2009 modern 464 #10,407
2010 modern 472 #10,488
2011 modern 481 #10,244
2012 modern 468 #10,366
2013 modern 469 #10,492
2014 modern 487 #10,289
2015 modern 480 #10,311
2016 modern 486 #10,189

Geography

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Where Mccauls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, St Pancras, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ12, Coatbridge West, Wigan and Wyre. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ12 East Lothian
2 Coatbridge West North Lanarkshire
3 Wigan 034 Wigan
4 Wyre 001 Wyre
5 Wigan 029 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mccaul

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mccaul

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

Mccaul 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

Mccaul 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 Mccaul 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mccaul

The surname McCaul is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Cathal" meaning "warrior" or "powerful". The name first appeared in the regions of Argyll and the Western Isles of Scotland during the 11th century.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name was in the ancient manuscript the Book of Deer, a 9th-century Latin manuscript from the monastery of Old Deer in Aberdeenshire, where it appeared as "Cathel" in the year 1107. The name evolved over time, taking on various spellings such as MacCaull, McCauill, and McCaul before settling on the modern spelling of McCaul.

In the 13th century, the name McCaul was associated with the island of Islay, where several prominent families bore the name. One notable example is Duncan McCaul, who was recorded as the Seneschal or Governor of Islay in 1292.

During the 16th century, the McCauls were among the clans who allied themselves with the powerful Clan Donald, and their names were recorded in various charters and legal documents of the time. A notable figure from this period was Angus McCaul, a renowned warrior who fought alongside the MacDonalds in the Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart in 1598.

In the 17th century, the McCauls were part of the Scottish diaspora, with many members of the clan emigrating to Ireland and the American colonies. One notable bearer of the name was Reverend Thomas McCaul (1807-1887), an Irish clergyman and scholar who served as the Principal of University College, Toronto, and made significant contributions to the study of Hebrew and biblical literature.

Other notable individuals with the surname McCaul include:

1. John McCaul (1819-1889), a Canadian architect and civil engineer who designed many notable buildings in Toronto, including the Provincial Lunatic Asylum and the University College building.

2. Margaret McCaul (1788-1856), an Irish novelist and playwright known for her works such as "Bertram: A Tragedy" and "The Fate of the Green Dragon".

3. Robert McCaul (1799-1863), a British lawyer and member of parliament who served as the Attorney General of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in the 1840s.

4. Alexander McCaul (1799-1863), a Scottish-born Anglican clergyman and academic who served as the Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge from 1838 until his death.

5. Ethel McCaul (1887-1967), a Canadian artist and illustrator best known for her illustrations in children's books and magazines during the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mccaul families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccaul 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. Yorkshire leads with 9 Mccauls recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.11x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 9 3.11x
Kent 7 7.02x
Middlesex 7 2.39x
Lancashire 5 1.44x
Cumberland 1 3.97x
Durham 1 1.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eston in Yorkshire leads with 7 Mccauls recorded in 1881 and an index of 1111.11x.

Place Total Index
Eston 7 1111.11x
Charlton 6 909.09x
Liverpool 5 23.73x
St Pancras London 5 21.24x
Bowes 1 1428.57x
Chislehurst 1 185.19x
Islington London 1 3.53x
New Brentford 1 666.67x
Paythorne 1 10000.00x
St Cuthbert W O 1 81.30x
Stockton On Tees 1 23.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Patrick 3
Frank 2
Alice 1
Anthony 1
Bernard 1
John 1
Owen 1
Phillip 1
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 Mccaul households.

FAQ

Mccaul surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccaul surname in 1881?

In 1881, 184 people were recorded with the Mccaul surname. That placed it at #13,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccaul surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 486 in 2016. That gives Mccaul a modern rank of #10,189.

What does the Mccaul surname mean?

Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic elements "mac" meaning son of and "Cathal" meaning a warrior.

What does the Mccaul map show?

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