NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccoll

Derived from an Irish Gaelic phrase meaning "son of the bountiful one."

In the 1881 census there were 2,814 people recorded with the Mccoll surname, ranking it #1,585 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,275, ranked #2,074, down from #1,585 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lismore and Appin, Ardchattan and Muckairn and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ18, IZ12 and IZ15.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccoll is 3,347 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.4%.

1881 census count

2,814

Ranked #1,585

Modern count

3,275

2016, ranked #2,074

Peak year

1901

3,347 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccoll had 2,814 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,585 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,275 in 2016, ranked #2,074.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,347 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mccoll surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccoll surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mccoll 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 2,336 #1,270
1861 historical 2,256 #1,302
1881 historical 2,814 #1,585
1891 historical 2,891 #1,638
1901 historical 3,347 #1,667
1911 historical 484 #8,026
1997 modern 2,863 #2,255
1998 modern 2,964 #2,273
1999 modern 3,038 #2,230
2000 modern 3,023 #2,229
2001 modern 2,931 #2,246
2002 modern 2,984 #2,252
2003 modern 2,923 #2,244
2004 modern 2,941 #2,229
2005 modern 2,978 #2,173
2006 modern 3,015 #2,152
2007 modern 3,060 #2,138
2008 modern 3,060 #2,150
2009 modern 3,135 #2,156
2010 modern 3,240 #2,130
2011 modern 3,177 #2,148
2012 modern 3,150 #2,132
2013 modern 3,235 #2,120
2014 modern 3,286 #2,103
2015 modern 3,251 #2,103
2016 modern 3,275 #2,074

Geography

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Where Mccolls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lismore and Appin, Ardchattan and Muckairn, Govan Combination, Greenock and Kilmore and Kilbride. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ18, IZ12, IZ15, IZ17 and IZ16. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lismore and Appin Argyll
2 Ardchattan and Muckairn Argyll
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Kilmore and Kilbride Argyll

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ18 West Dunbartonshire
2 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire
3 IZ15 West Dunbartonshire
4 IZ17 West Dunbartonshire
5 IZ16 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mccoll

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mccoll

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mccoll, 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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mccoll surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mccoll household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mccoll 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

Mccoll 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mccoll

The surname McColl originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name Coll, which means "hazel" or "hazel-coloured." The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" means "son of."

The McColl surname is believed to have first appeared in the Argyll region of western Scotland, where the Clan MacDonald and its numerous offshoots were based. The name may have been adopted by descendants of a notable individual named Coll.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1296, where a John McColl is mentioned. In the 15th century, a Gillecrist McColl is recorded in the Black Book of Taymouth, a historical manuscript documenting the affairs of the Campbell clan.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various spellings, including MacColl, M'Coll, and McCoull. During this time, the McColl family held lands in Argyll and the Hebrides Islands.

A notable McColl was Sir John McColl (1738-1824), a Scottish soldier and landowner who served as the Governor of Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) from 1798 to 1805. Another distinguished individual was Dugald McColl (1859-1948), a Scottish theologian and author who wrote extensively on religious subjects.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the McColl surname was John McColl, who arrived in New York in 1738. Another early immigrant was Joseph McColl, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1773.

Other notable individuals throughout history with the McColl surname include Duncan McColl (1846-1923), a Canadian politician and farmer; Evan Walter McColl (1808-1855), a British naval officer and explorer; and Donald McColl (1858-1932), a Scottish-American journalist and author.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mccoll families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccoll 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 11 Mccolls recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.50x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 11 2.50x
Lanarkshire 8 6.68x
Cornwall 4 9.54x
Essex 4 5.47x
Northumberland 4 7.26x
Hampshire 2 2.63x
Kent 2 1.58x
Midlothian 2 4.03x
Durham 1 0.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 7 Mccolls recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.09x.

Place Total Index
Barony 7 23.09x
Little Bolton 7 123.89x
Elswick 4 90.91x
Manchester 4 20.23x
West Ham 4 24.78x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 10.02x
New Romney 2 1538.46x
Portsea 2 13.44x
St Gluvias Penryn 2 588.24x
Antony 1 250.00x
Glasgow 1 4.70x
Medomsley 1 196.08x
Mylor 1 357.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Anne 2
Jane 2
Frances 1
Jessie 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alexander 3
Edward 2
John 2
William 2
Duncan 1
Geo. 1
Henry 1
Ralph 1
Samuel 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 Mccoll households.

FAQ

Mccoll surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccoll surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,814 people were recorded with the Mccoll surname. That placed it at #1,585 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccoll surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,275 in 2016. That gives Mccoll a modern rank of #2,074.

What does the Mccoll surname mean?

Derived from an Irish Gaelic phrase meaning "son of the bountiful one."

What does the Mccoll map show?

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