NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcdowell

Derived from the Gaelic "Mac Dubhghaill," meaning "son of Dubhghall," a personal name meaning "dark stranger" or "dark-haired foreigner."

In the 1881 census there were 1,331 people recorded with the Mcdowell surname, ranking it #3,083 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,854, ranked #1,756, up from #3,083 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, Whitburn Central and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcdowell is 3,924 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 189.6%.

1881 census count

1,331

Ranked #3,083

Modern count

3,854

2016, ranked #1,756

Peak year

2010

3,924 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcdowell had 1,331 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,083 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,854 in 2016, ranked #1,756.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,637 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcdowell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcdowell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcdowell 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 440 #5,586
1861 historical 565 #4,654
1881 historical 1,331 #3,083
1891 historical 1,414 #3,086
1901 historical 1,637 #3,152
1911 historical 1,306 #3,651
1997 modern 3,441 #1,884
1998 modern 3,638 #1,854
1999 modern 3,741 #1,814
2000 modern 3,649 #1,857
2001 modern 3,578 #1,844
2002 modern 3,676 #1,839
2003 modern 3,589 #1,838
2004 modern 3,594 #1,838
2005 modern 3,597 #1,815
2006 modern 3,550 #1,842
2007 modern 3,597 #1,831
2008 modern 3,612 #1,831
2009 modern 3,761 #1,813
2010 modern 3,924 #1,771
2011 modern 3,861 #1,775
2012 modern 3,816 #1,759
2013 modern 3,868 #1,773
2014 modern 3,874 #1,775
2015 modern 3,852 #1,762
2016 modern 3,854 #1,756

Geography

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Where Mcdowells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, London parishes, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, Whitburn Central, Allerdale and South Tyneside. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 London parishes London 3
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 001 Copeland
2 Whitburn Central West Lothian
3 Allerdale 009 Allerdale
4 Copeland 004 Copeland
5 South Tyneside 009 South Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcdowell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcdowell

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcdowell 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

Mcdowell is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mcdowell

The surname McDowell is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic phrase "mac Dughail," meaning "son of Dougal." Dougal is a diminutive form of the name Dugald, which itself is a Scottish variation of the Irish name Dúnchad. The prefix "mac" or "mc" is a common patronymic in Scottish and Irish surnames, indicating "son of."

The McDowell name can be traced back to the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and Lochaber. The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century, with a mention of "Dugallus Laumansun" in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document containing the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

In the 14th century, the McDowells were prominent landowners in the Lochaber region. A notable figure from this era was John McDowell, who was granted lands in Lochaber by King Robert II in 1389. The name also appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the 15th century, which recorded various transactions and payments made to individuals with the surname McDowell.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the McDowell name in North America dates back to the late 17th century, when several members of the clan immigrated to the American colonies. Among them was Ephraim McDowell, a Scottish-Irish immigrant who settled in Virginia in the 1730s and later became a prominent figure in the American Revolutionary War.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname McDowell. One of the most famous is Ephraim McDowell (1771-1830), an American physician who performed the world's first successful abdominal surgery in 1809. Another prominent figure was Irvin McDowell (1818-1885), a Union general during the American Civil War who commanded forces at the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861.

Other notable McDowells include:

1. Brendan McDowell (born 1965), a Scottish actor known for his roles in films like "Braveheart" and "Trainspotting."

2. Robert McDowell (1768-1842), an Irish politician and judge who served as the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland.

3. Sir James McDowell (1824-1898), a British military officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration awarded for valor in the British and Commonwealth forces.

4. Mary Ann McDowell (1857-1936), an American educator and social worker who founded the first free kindergarten in the southern United States.

The surname McDowell continues to be widely used today, with significant populations bearing the name in Scotland, Ireland, England, and various parts of North America.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcdowell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcdowell 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 47 Mcdowells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.16x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 47 2.16x
Middlesex 39 2.13x
Yorkshire 32 1.76x
Northumberland 14 5.13x
Hampshire 11 2.93x
Cumberland 10 6.33x
Cornwall 9 4.34x
Kent 7 1.12x
Bedfordshire 3 3.16x
Essex 3 0.83x
Surrey 3 0.34x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.72x
Denbighshire 2 2.89x
Hertfordshire 2 1.58x
Berkshire 1 0.73x
Devon 1 0.26x
Glamorgan 1 0.31x
Wiltshire 1 0.62x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromley London in Middlesex leads with 14 Mcdowells recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.71x.

Place Total Index
Bromley London 14 34.71x
Portsea 9 12.22x
Everton 8 11.54x
Falmouth 8 108.84x
Liverpool 8 6.05x
Long Riston 8 3478.26x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 14.72x
Heckmondwike 7 119.86x
Kensington London 7 6.87x
Manchester 7 7.15x
Eshott 6 6666.67x
Harrington 6 314.14x
Bradford 5 11.37x
Chelsea London 5 9.05x
Chatham 4 23.24x
Mile End Old Town 4 13.82x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 24.54x
Saddleworth 4 28.53x
St Pancras London 4 2.71x
Whitehaven 4 47.56x
Aspley Guise 3 329.67x
Halifax 3 11.24x
Preston 3 5.15x
Streatham 3 22.04x
Dinnington 2 1428.57x
Hulme 2 4.40x
Maghull 2 222.22x
Moss Side 2 17.47x
North Hayling 2 1176.47x
Poplar London 2 5.78x
Scotton In 2 1111.11x
St Marythe Less 2 281.69x
Toxteth Park 2 2.71x
Wakefield 2 14.34x
West Derby 2 3.14x
Wrexham Regis 2 38.91x
Antony 1 50.00x
Buckfastleigh 1 56.82x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 15.34x
Colchester St Giles 1 27.93x
Dover St James 1 36.50x
Elswick 1 4.59x
Fisherton Anger 1 33.33x
Great Bolton 1 3.47x
Hackney London 1 0.97x
Hertford St John 1 53.19x
Huddersfield 1 3.78x
Longbenton 1 8.65x
Lower Booths 1 25.64x
Salford 1 1.56x
Speldhurst 1 31.35x
St Giles In Fields 1 15.82x
Swansea Town 1 3.82x
Thornton In Fylde 1 21.01x
Walthamstow 1 7.67x
Wargrave 1 84.75x
Watford 1 10.20x
West Ham 1 1.25x
Westminster St 1 14.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 12
Mary 9
Margaret 8
Sarah 6
Charlotte 5
Ellen 5
Helen 4
Louisa 4
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Elizth. 2
Jane 2
Julia 2
Maria 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Eleanor 1
Elizbeth 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Farrance 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Hannora 1
Janet 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lettie 1
Lydia 1
Martha 1
Nancy 1
Nelly 1
Olive 1
Rachel 1
Rosanna 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 14
John 13
William 12
Thomas 6
Alexander 4
Francis 4
George 4
Arthur 3
Robert 3
Charles 2
Christopher 2
Henry 2
Matthew 2
Robt. 2
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Angus 1
Chas.N. 1
David 1
Donald 1
Douglas 1
Fredrick 1
Gilbert 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Joseph 1
Samuel 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Mcdowell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcdowell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,331 people were recorded with the Mcdowell surname. That placed it at #3,083 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcdowell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,854 in 2016. That gives Mcdowell a modern rank of #1,756.

What does the Mcdowell surname mean?

Derived from the Gaelic "Mac Dubhghaill," meaning "son of Dubhghall," a personal name meaning "dark stranger" or "dark-haired foreigner."

What does the Mcdowell map show?

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