UK surname

Mccullen

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Cuilinn, meaning "son of Cuilinn," a personal name of uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 75 people recorded with the Mccullen surname, ranking it #22,893 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, down from #22,893 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Trafford, Kilmaurs and Forest of Dean.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccullen is 142 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 86.7%.

1881 census count

Ranked #22,893

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

2010

142 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• Mccullen had 75 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,893 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 78 in 1851.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Map

Mccullen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccullen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Mccullen 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	78	#19,840
1861	historical	50	#27,636
1881	historical	75	#22,893
1891	historical	70	#28,073
1901	historical	73	#26,069
1911	historical	66	#26,249
1997	modern	128	#23,238
1998	modern	136	#23,013
1999	modern	131	#23,709
2000	modern	126	#24,220
2001	modern	131	#23,343
2002	modern	133	#23,585
2003	modern	133	#23,359
2004	modern	127	#24,224
2005	modern	129	#23,963
2006	modern	132	#23,834
2007	modern	131	#24,282
2008	modern	129	#24,790
2009	modern	139	#24,161
2010	modern	142	#24,352
2011	modern	136	#24,819
2012	modern	132	#25,289
2013	modern	135	#25,395
2014	modern	139	#25,093
2015	modern	138	#25,103
2016	modern	140	#24,865

Geography

Where Mccullens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Trafford, Kilmaurs, Forest of Dean and Lochaber East and North. 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	No data	No data

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Trafford 013	Trafford
2	Kilmaurs	East Ayrshire
3	Forest of Dean 008	Forest of Dean
4	Lochaber East and North	Highland
5	Trafford 019	Trafford

Forenames

First names often paired with Mccullen

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Karen Jacqueline Jennifer Angela Pauline Janine Helen Lisa Claire Amy

Recent male names

Paul Timothy James William Wesley Patrick Brian Thomas Bernard Ralph

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Mccullen

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Mccullen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mccullen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Mccullen is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mccullen is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mccullen falls in decile 3 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mccullen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - Irish

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Mccullen

The surname McCullen is of Scottish origin and is a variant of the Irish surname McCullen or MacCullen. The name is derived from the Gaelic Mac Cuilinn, meaning "son of Cuilenn," which is believed to be a personal name.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 16th century in Scotland. In 1510, a John McCullen is mentioned in the records of the Barony of Renfrew. Another early reference is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where a David McCullen is mentioned in 1532.

The McCullen surname was particularly prominent in the Scottish Highlands, especially in the regions of Argyll and Bute. Some records suggest that the name may have originated in the area around Loch Awe, where the family held lands.

In the 17th century, the McCullen name appears in various Scottish records, including the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland. In 1636, a John McCullen from Argyll was listed as a rebel against King Charles I.

One notable figure with the surname was Sir Archibald McCullen (1775-1853), a Scottish merchant and diplomat. He served as the British Consul-General in Tripoli and played a significant role in negotiating treaties with the Ottoman Empire and various North African states.

Another prominent McCullen was William McCullen (1807-1887), a Scottish-American businessman and politician. He served as the Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio, and was instrumental in the development of the city's iron and steel industries.

In the 19th century, the McCullen surname spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to Scottish immigration. One notable figure from this period was John McCullen (1828-1900), an Irish-born American politician who served as the Mayor of Brooklyn, New York.

Another individual of note was James McCullen (1845-1922), a Scottish-born Australian businessman and politician. He was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly and played a crucial role in the development of the mining industry in Victoria.

In the United States, the McCullen name can be found in various historical records, including the American Revolutionary War records. A John McCullen from Pennsylvania served as a private in the Continental Army during the war.

Overall, the surname McCullen has a rich history and can be traced back to its Scottish roots, with various prominent individuals bearing the name throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Mccullen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccullen 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 10 Mccullens recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.18x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Lancashire	10	0.00%	6.18x
Warwickshire	3	0.00%	8.72x
Middlesex	1	0.00%	0.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dilworth in Lancashire leads with 5 Mccullens recorded in 1881 and an index of 5000.00x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Dilworth	5	0.24%	5000.00x
Manchester	4	0.00%	54.95x
Birmingham	3	0.00%	26.16x
South Mimms	1	0.03%	526.32x
Toxteth Park	1	0.00%	18.25x

Top female names

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

Name	Count
Elizabeth	3
Mary	2
Anne	1
Ellen	1
Margaret	1

Top male names

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

Name	Count
Edward	2
Thomas	2
James	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 Mccullen households.

Occupation	Count
Cotton Weaver	2
Scholar	2
Bookbinder	1
Cork Cutter	1
Gen Serv	1
Hawker	1
Householder	1
Labourer In Stone Delph	1
Lodging House Keeper	1
Stoker	1

FAQ

Mccullen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccullen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 75 people were recorded with the Mccullen surname. That placed it at #22,893 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccullen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Mccullen a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Mccullen surname mean?