NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcdermid

A Scottish surname meaning "son of the tonsured one" or "son of the priest."

In the 1881 census there were 954 people recorded with the Mcdermid surname, ranking it #4,059 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 989, ranked #5,852, down from #4,059 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ14, Greenock Upper Central and IZ18.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcdermid is 1,001 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.7%.

1881 census count

954

Ranked #4,059

Modern count

989

2016, ranked #5,852

Peak year

2010

1,001 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcdermid had 954 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,059 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 989 in 2016, ranked #5,852.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 994 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcdermid surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcdermid surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcdermid 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 702 #3,715
1861 historical 786 #3,507
1881 historical 954 #4,059
1891 historical 921 #4,487
1901 historical 994 #4,789
1911 historical 123 #20,128
1997 modern 914 #5,906
1998 modern 938 #5,966
1999 modern 932 #6,040
2000 modern 919 #6,085
2001 modern 933 #5,899
2002 modern 985 #5,770
2003 modern 978 #5,693
2004 modern 965 #5,767
2005 modern 963 #5,720
2006 modern 953 #5,781
2007 modern 959 #5,801
2008 modern 967 #5,798
2009 modern 993 #5,794
2010 modern 1,001 #5,880
2011 modern 985 #5,888
2012 modern 960 #5,927
2013 modern 973 #5,955
2014 modern 995 #5,885
2015 modern 981 #5,899
2016 modern 989 #5,852

Geography

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Where Mcdermids are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to IZ14, Greenock Upper Central, IZ18, Greenock West and Central and IZ17. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Killarow and Kilmeny Argyll
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ14 West Dunbartonshire
2 Greenock Upper Central Inverclyde
3 IZ18 West Dunbartonshire
4 Greenock West and Central Inverclyde
5 IZ17 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcdermid

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcdermid

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcdermid, 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 Mcdermid surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcdermid 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Mcdermid is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

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

Mcdermid 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcdermid

The surname McDermid originated in Scotland, with the earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. It is a variant of the Gaelic name MacDiarmaid, which means "son of Dermid" or "son of Diarmid". Diarmid was a male given name derived from the Celtic elements "di" meaning "free" and "armet" meaning "army" or "warrior".

The McDermid name is believed to have its roots in the ancient Scottish kingdom of Dál Riata, which spanned parts of western Scotland and northeastern Ireland. The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Argyll and the Isles, as well as parts of the Scottish Highlands.

One of the earliest known references to the McDermid name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a series of medieval documents that recorded acts of homage paid to King Edward I of England. The name is listed as "Macthermet" in these rolls, reflecting the variation in spelling that was common during that time.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the McDermid name was Sir Diarmid McDermid, a Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Another prominent McDermid was John McDermid, a 16th-century scholar and theologian who served as the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral in England.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the McDermid name was also found in various parts of Ireland, particularly in counties Antrim and Down, where some Scottish settlers had established themselves.

In the 18th century, a notable McDermid was Alexander McDermid, a Scottish merchant and landowner who owned properties in Argyll and the Isles. He was also involved in the trade between Scotland and the Caribbean colonies.

In the 19th century, James McDermid (1824-1890) was a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

Another notable figure was John McDermid (1856-1931), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and played a significant role in the development of the Australian coal mining industry.

Throughout history, the McDermid name has been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as McDermid's Hill in Argyll, and McDermid's Glen in the Scottish Highlands. The name has also been subject to various spellings, including MacDermid, McDermitt, and McDiarmid, reflecting the diversity of Scottish and Irish dialects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcdermid families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcdermid 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. Inverness-shire leads with 8 Mcdermids recorded in 1881 and an index of 98.16x.

County Total Index
Inverness-shire 8 98.16x
Cumberland 6 25.54x
Middlesex 6 2.20x
Glamorgan 5 10.52x
Cheshire 1 1.66x
Hampshire 1 1.79x
Yorkshire 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Uist in Inverness-shire leads with 8 Mcdermids recorded in 1881 and an index of 2500.00x.

Place Total Index
North Uist 8 2500.00x
Harrington 6 2142.86x
Hornsey 6 173.91x
Cardiff St John 5 322.58x
Aldershot 1 53.48x
Killinghall 1 1666.67x
Little Budworth 1 2000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Frances 2
Bridget 1
Fanny 1
Katherine 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Maggie 1
Rosina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Alexander 1
Barney 1
Charles 1
Colin 1
Duncan 1
James 1
Patrick 1
Sydney 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 Mcdermid households.

FAQ

Mcdermid surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcdermid surname in 1881?

In 1881, 954 people were recorded with the Mcdermid surname. That placed it at #4,059 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcdermid surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 989 in 2016. That gives Mcdermid a modern rank of #5,852.

What does the Mcdermid surname mean?

A Scottish surname meaning "son of the tonsured one" or "son of the priest."

What does the Mcdermid map show?

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