NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcclure

A Scottish occupational surname referring to a person who worked as a clerk or scribe.

In the 1881 census there were 1,324 people recorded with the Mcclure surname, ranking it #3,100 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,821, ranked #2,395, up from #3,100 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkmichael, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Riddrie and Hogganfield, South Lakeland and Greenock East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcclure is 2,839 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 113.1%.

1881 census count

1,324

Ranked #3,100

Modern count

2,821

2016, ranked #2,395

Peak year

2010

2,839 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcclure had 1,324 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,100 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,821 in 2016, ranked #2,395.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,548 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcclure surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcclure surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcclure 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 675 #3,842
1861 historical 797 #3,450
1881 historical 1,324 #3,100
1891 historical 1,282 #3,372
1901 historical 1,548 #3,329
1911 historical 566 #7,137
1997 modern 2,576 #2,463
1998 modern 2,664 #2,474
1999 modern 2,676 #2,480
2000 modern 2,648 #2,491
2001 modern 2,586 #2,495
2002 modern 2,667 #2,476
2003 modern 2,632 #2,462
2004 modern 2,621 #2,472
2005 modern 2,625 #2,443
2006 modern 2,655 #2,424
2007 modern 2,683 #2,426
2008 modern 2,717 #2,419
2009 modern 2,752 #2,435
2010 modern 2,839 #2,422
2011 modern 2,747 #2,458
2012 modern 2,691 #2,465
2013 modern 2,701 #2,496
2014 modern 2,785 #2,451
2015 modern 2,792 #2,422
2016 modern 2,821 #2,395

Geography

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Where Mcclures are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Riddrie and Hogganfield, South Lakeland, Greenock East and Greenock Town Centre and East Central. 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 Kirkmichael Ayr
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dumfries Dumfries
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Riddrie and Hogganfield Glasgow City
2 South Lakeland 013 South Lakeland
3 Greenock East Inverclyde
4 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde
5 South Lakeland 007 South Lakeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcclure

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcclure

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mcclure is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcclure 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcclure

The surname McClure is of Scottish origin, originating from the Lowlands region of Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is believed to derive from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "lùrach" meaning "mushy ground" or "marsh." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have resided near or been associated with a marshy area.

The McClure name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early recorded instances found in charters and legal documents from that era. One of the earliest known references appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of instruments recording the submission of Scottish noblemen and landholders to Edward I of England.

In the 14th century, the McClure name was associated with the lands of Clure in Ayrshire, Scotland. Records from this period mention individuals such as John de Clure and Robert de Clure, who were likely descendants of the original McClure family.

The McClure surname has undergone various spelling variations throughout its history, including MacClure, MacClour, and McClour. These variations reflect the evolution of language and regional dialects over time.

Notable individuals bearing the McClure surname include:

1. Sir Robert McClure (1807-1873), a British naval officer and explorer who led the HMS Investigator expedition in search of the Northwest Passage.

2. Archibald McClure (1865-1949), an American architect known for his work in designing Carnegie libraries and other public buildings in the early 20th century.

3. Michael McClure (born 1932), an American poet, playwright, and essayist, associated with the Beat Generation and the San Francisco Renaissance.

4. Sir Robert John Le Mesurier McClure (1853-1936), a British lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1917 to 1921.

5. Samuel McClure (1857-1949), an American publisher and founder of McClure's Magazine, which played a significant role in the muckraking movement of the early 20th century.

The McClure surname has a rich history deeply rooted in Scottish heritage, with its origins dating back to the Middle Ages. Over the centuries, the name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including explorers, architects, writers, politicians, and publishers, leaving an indelible mark on history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcclure families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcclure 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 31 Mcclures recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.71x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 31 2.71x
Ayrshire 12 16.61x
Cumberland 10 12.03x
Shropshire 8 9.59x
Nottinghamshire 7 5.38x
Yorkshire 7 0.73x
Derbyshire 4 2.65x
Durham 4 1.39x
Kent 3 0.91x
Staffordshire 3 0.92x
Cheshire 2 0.94x
Essex 2 1.05x
Flintshire 2 7.71x
Glamorgan 1 0.59x
Middlesex 1 0.10x
Renfrewshire 1 1.34x
Royal Navy 1 8.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Drayton In Hales in Shropshire leads with 8 Mcclures recorded in 1881 and an index of 465.12x.

Place Total Index
Drayton In Hales 8 465.12x
Liverpool 8 11.50x
Kilwinning 7 300.43x
Lenton 7 228.01x
West Derby 7 20.88x
Harrington 5 500.00x
Heaton Norris 5 76.69x
Workington 5 105.04x
Heanor 4 176.99x
Linthorpe 4 70.05x
Wigan 4 24.98x
Gateshead 3 13.95x
Newcastle Under Lyme 3 51.99x
Straiton 3 731.71x
Thornaby 3 83.80x
Colchester St Botolph 2 123.46x
Hawarden Saltney 2 555.56x
Hulme 2 8.36x
Kirkdale 2 10.38x
Latchford 2 140.85x
Woolwich 2 16.43x
Ayr 1 29.33x
Cardiff St Mary 1 10.80x
Everton 1 2.74x
Girvan 1 55.25x
Hanwell 1 58.48x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 8.04x
Manchester 1 1.94x
Sarre 1 1666.67x
Toxteth Park 1 2.58x
West Greenock 1 7.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 4
Ann 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Marion 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Carrie 1
Catherine 1
Cathleen 1
Constance 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Margt.J. 1
Phillis 1
Rosa 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
James 6
John 5
Samuel 4
David 2
George 2
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Bertie 1
Charles 1
Francis 1
Fredk 1
Jas. 1
Joseph 1
Maleshen 1
Patrick 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Mcclure surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcclure surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,324 people were recorded with the Mcclure surname. That placed it at #3,100 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcclure surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,821 in 2016. That gives Mcclure a modern rank of #2,395.

What does the Mcclure surname mean?

A Scottish occupational surname referring to a person who worked as a clerk or scribe.

What does the Mcclure map show?

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