NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcclay

A Scottish topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a clay pit or clayey soil.

In the 1881 census there were 148 people recorded with the Mcclay surname, ranking it #15,611 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 363, ranked #12,777, up from #15,611 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bebbington, Edinburgh and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Preston, Telford and Wrekin and Bankton and Murieston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcclay is 375 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 145.3%.

1881 census count

148

Ranked #15,611

Modern count

363

2016, ranked #12,777

Peak year

2012

375 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcclay had 148 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,611 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016, ranked #12,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 185 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcclay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcclay surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcclay 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 102 #16,933
1861 historical 115 #18,880
1881 historical 148 #15,611
1891 historical 185 #15,803
1901 historical 174 #16,520
1911 historical 131 #19,404
1997 modern 305 #13,377
1998 modern 315 #13,452
1999 modern 311 #13,642
2000 modern 313 #13,541
2001 modern 309 #13,487
2002 modern 314 #13,589
2003 modern 318 #13,291
2004 modern 312 #13,532
2005 modern 310 #13,518
2006 modern 326 #13,128
2007 modern 335 #13,001
2008 modern 341 #12,958
2009 modern 354 #12,858
2010 modern 367 #12,775
2011 modern 374 #12,464
2012 modern 375 #12,292
2013 modern 367 #12,707
2014 modern 369 #12,745
2015 modern 364 #12,768
2016 modern 363 #12,777

Geography

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Where Mcclays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bebbington, Edinburgh, Greenock, Glasgow and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Preston, Telford and Wrekin, Bankton and Murieston, Solihull and Bellfield and Kirkstyle. 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 Bebbington Cheshire
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Preston 007 Preston
2 Telford and Wrekin 017 Telford and Wrekin
3 Bankton and Murieston West Lothian
4 Solihull 025 Solihull
5 Bellfield and Kirkstyle East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcclay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcclay

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

Mcclay 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

Mcclay 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 Mcclay 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 Mcclay, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcclay

The surname McClay is of Scottish origin and can be traced back to the late 16th century. It is a variant of the Gaelic surname "MacClaidh," which means "son of the bald one" or "son of the tonsured one." This suggests that the name may have been given to the son of a monk or clergy member who had a shaved or tonsured head.

The McClay name is most commonly associated with the Scottish Highlands and Islands, particularly in areas such as Argyll, where the name was first recorded. Early records show variations in spelling, including MacCloy, MacCloy, and McCloy, reflecting the phonetic transcription of the Gaelic name.

One of the earliest documented references to the McClay name can be found in the "Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland" from the late 16th century, which mentions a "John McClay" receiving a land grant in Argyll. Another notable early reference is in the "Records of the Presbytery of Lanark" from the mid-17th century, which mentions a "Robert McClay" serving as a minister in the region.

Among the notable individuals with the McClay surname throughout history are:

1. Sir Robert McClay (1654-1721), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh in the early 18th century. 2. John McClay (1732-1799), a Scottish-born American farmer and soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. 3. William McClay (1804-1879), a Scottish-born American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. 4. Rev. Andrew McClay (1815-1892), a Scottish minister and author who wrote extensively on religious and theological topics. 5. Thomas McClay (1855-1933), a Scottish-born American businessman and philanthropist who founded the McClay Foundation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The McClay surname has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as McClayholm in Dumfries and Galloway, and McClay's Hill in Argyll and Bute, further cementing its connection to the Scottish Highlands and Islands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcclay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcclay 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 6 Mcclays recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.44x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 6 4.44x
Cumberland 2 17.02x
Glamorgan 2 8.42x
Lancashire 2 1.24x
Hampshire 1 3.58x
Monmouthshire 1 10.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Thornaby in Yorkshire leads with 6 Mcclays recorded in 1881 and an index of 1176.47x.

Place Total Index
Thornaby 6 1176.47x
Swansea Town 2 102.56x
Whitehaven 2 317.46x
Holdenhurst 1 136.99x
Llantillio Pertholey 1 1666.67x
Toxteth Park 1 18.25x
West Derby 1 21.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Katherine 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Robert 2
George 1
James 1
Oliver 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 Mcclay households.

FAQ

Mcclay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcclay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 148 people were recorded with the Mcclay surname. That placed it at #15,611 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcclay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016. That gives Mcclay a modern rank of #12,777.

What does the Mcclay surname mean?

A Scottish topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a clay pit or clayey soil.

What does the Mcclay map show?

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