UK surname

Mcdavid

A patronymic surname meaning "son of David," derived from the Gaelic "Mac Dhaibhidh" or "Mac Dhaibheid."

In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Mcdavid surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 130, ranked #26,152, down from #23,517 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Inveresk, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Largs Central and Cumbrae, Gatehouse and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcdavid is 146 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.1%.

1881 census count

Ranked #23,517

Modern count

130

2016, ranked #26,152

Peak year

1901

146 bearers

Map years

1891 to 2016

Key insights

• Mcdavid had 71 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,517 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016, ranked #26,152.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 146 in 1901.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Map

Mcdavid surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcdavid surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Mcdavid 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	62	#22,232
1861	historical	77	#23,975
1881	historical	71	#23,517
1891	historical	127	#20,496
1901	historical	146	#18,335
1911	historical	29	#30,190
1997	modern	104	#26,351
1998	modern	119	#24,918
1999	modern	111	#26,182
2000	modern	120	#24,950
2001	modern	111	#25,767
2002	modern	112	#26,165
2003	modern	118	#25,146
2004	modern	122	#24,812
2005	modern	123	#24,663
2006	modern	128	#24,267
2007	modern	133	#24,059
2008	modern	133	#24,350
2009	modern	136	#24,485
2010	modern	141	#24,460
2011	modern	134	#25,050
2012	modern	123	#26,561
2013	modern	122	#27,122
2014	modern	124	#27,049
2015	modern	124	#26,944
2016	modern	130	#26,152

Geography

Where Mcdavids are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Largs Central and Cumbrae, Gatehouse, Chichester, Sutton and Wirral. 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	Inveresk	Edinburgh
2	Govan Combination	Lanark
3	Edinburgh	Edinburgh
4	Dumfries	Dumfries
5	Glasgow	Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Largs Central and Cumbrae	North Ayrshire
2	Gatehouse	Dumfries and Galloway
3	Chichester 002	Chichester
4	Sutton 022	Sutton
5	Wirral 024	Wirral

Forenames

First names often paired with Mcdavid

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

Historical female names

Mary Margaret Agnes Elizabeth Isabella Jane Annie Helen Jessie Martha

Historical male names

John William James Robert George Thomas Charles Hugh Joseph Richard

Recent female names

Margaret Jane Helen Barbara Jean Elizabeth Gillian Bridget Myra Sheila

Recent male names

John James Gordon Mark William Joseph Robert Craig Scott Douglas

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Mcdavid

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Mcdavid surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mcdavid household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Mcdavid is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcdavid is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcdavid 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcdavid is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 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 - British

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Mcdavid

The surname McDavid is of Scottish origin, originating in the Highlands region of Scotland. It is a patronymic surname, derived from the given name David combined with the prefix 'Mc' or 'Mac', which means 'son of' in Gaelic.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, dated 1546, which mentions a 'Johnne McDavid'. This suggests that the surname was already well-established in Scotland by the mid-16th century.

The name McDavid is thought to have originated in the area around Loch Lomond, where the clan Davidson, from which the name likely derives, had strong historical ties. The name may also be related to the place name Davidston, a small village in Ayrshire, Scotland.

In the 17th century, the McDavid surname appears in various Scottish records, such as the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1691, which list several McDavid families in the counties of Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire.

One notable figure in Scottish history was Sir John McDavid, a prominent lawyer and politician who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1677 to 1688. He played a significant role in the political and legal affairs of the country during the turbulent period of the Glorious Revolution.

Another individual of note was William McDavid (1763-1841), a Scottish poet and writer who was born in Inveraray, Argyll. He is best known for his collection of poems titled "The Peasant's Lyre," which celebrated the beauty of the Scottish Highlands and the lives of its rural inhabitants.

In the 19th century, the McDavid surname spread beyond Scotland as families emigrated to other parts of the British Empire and the United States. One such individual was Alexander McDavid (1835-1915), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian Parliament for the riding of Winnipeg from 1887 to 1896.

Another notable figure was John McDavid (1870-1938), an Australian cricketer who played for the Australian national team in the late 19th century. He was a talented all-rounder and is remembered for his outstanding performances against England in the 1894-95 Ashes series.

In the 20th century, the McDavid surname continued to be represented in various fields. One example is Jack McDavid (1912-1995), an American football player who was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1930s and later became a successful businessman and philanthropist.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Mcdavid families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcdavid 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. Devon leads with 1 Mcdavids recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.94x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Devon	1	0.00%	24.94x
Royal Navy	1	0.00%	434.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth St Andrew in Devon leads with 1 Mcdavids recorded in 1881 and an index of 322.58x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Plymouth St Andrew	1	0.00%	322.58x

Top male names

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

Name	Count
Richard	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 Mcdavid households.

Occupation	Count
2nd Officer	1

FAQ

Mcdavid surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcdavid surname in 1881?

In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Mcdavid surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcdavid surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016. That gives Mcdavid a modern rank of #26,152.

What does the Mcdavid surname mean?