NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcduff

A Scottish surname meaning "son of Duff", a Gaelic personal name.

In the 1881 census there were 338 people recorded with the Mcduff surname, ranking it #8,962 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 257, ranked #16,485, down from #8,962 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Little Dunkeld and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Lochaber East and North and Portsmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcduff is 338 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 24.0%.

1881 census count

338

Ranked #8,962

Modern count

257

2016, ranked #16,485

Peak year

1881

338 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcduff had 338 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,962 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 257 in 2016, ranked #16,485.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 338 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcduff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcduff surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcduff 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 248 #8,840
1861 historical 243 #10,116
1881 historical 338 #8,962
1891 historical 338 #10,113
1901 historical 329 #10,927
1911 historical 160 #17,151
1997 modern 242 #15,597
1998 modern 253 #15,547
1999 modern 261 #15,353
2000 modern 261 #15,314
2001 modern 253 #15,403
2002 modern 258 #15,485
2003 modern 251 #15,563
2004 modern 239 #16,193
2005 modern 241 #16,036
2006 modern 247 #15,860
2007 modern 241 #16,341
2008 modern 250 #16,065
2009 modern 258 #16,050
2010 modern 267 #16,029
2011 modern 250 #16,637
2012 modern 249 #16,572
2013 modern 253 #16,642
2014 modern 259 #16,509
2015 modern 255 #16,564
2016 modern 257 #16,485

Geography

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Where Mcduffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Little Dunkeld, Edinburgh, Crieff and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Lochaber East and North, Portsmouth, West Neilston and Uplawmoor and Preston. 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 Little Dunkeld Perth
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Crieff Perth
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 001 Caerphilly
2 Lochaber East and North Highland
3 Portsmouth 008 Portsmouth
4 West Neilston and Uplawmoor East Renfrewshire
5 Preston 012 Preston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcduff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcduff

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mcduff is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcduff 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcduff 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 Mcduff 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcduff

The surname McDuff originates from Scotland, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic name "MacDhuibh," which translates to "son of Duff." The name Duff is believed to come from the Gaelic "dubh," meaning "dark" or "black."

McDuff is a variant spelling of the name MacDuff, which is closely associated with the historical figure Macbeth, the famous king of Scotland from the 11th century. In Shakespeare's play "Macbeth," the character MacDuff plays a pivotal role in the downfall of the tyrannical Macbeth.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Lulach MacDuff, who briefly ruled as King of Scotland in 1057 after the death of King Macbeth. Although his reign was short-lived, he is considered part of the line of Scottish monarchs.

Another notable figure was Isobel McDuff, a Scottish noblewoman who lived in the 13th century. She was the wife of Robert Bruce, the famous Scottish king who led the Wars of Scottish Independence against England.

In the 14th century, records mention a John McDuff who was a prominent landowner in the Scottish county of Fife. His family held significant estates in the area, and the name was well-established among the Scottish gentry.

During the 16th century, a branch of the McDuff family migrated to Ireland, where the name evolved into various spellings such as McDuffie and McDuffy. One notable bearer was Sir Alexander McDuffie, an Irish soldier who fought in the Nine Years' War against England in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, a John McDuff was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the rector of the University of Glasgow. He was highly respected for his academic contributions and his influential writings on religious subjects.

Throughout history, the name McDuff has been associated with Scottish nobility, military figures, and academics, reflecting its deep roots in the country's history and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcduff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcduff 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. Hampshire leads with 8 Mcduffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.44x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 8 11.44x
Northumberland 8 15.76x
Lancashire 7 1.73x
Yorkshire 6 1.77x
Middlesex 3 0.88x
Cheshire 1 1.33x
Cumberland 1 3.40x
Essex 1 1.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hexham in Northumberland leads with 8 Mcduffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1012.66x.

Place Total Index
Hexham 8 1012.66x
Portsea 8 58.35x
Everton 5 38.76x
Hunslet 5 94.88x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 62.11x
Islington London 1 3.02x
Monks Coppenhall 1 35.21x
Poplar London 1 15.53x
Pudsey 1 55.25x
St Mary Within 1 270.27x
Tottenham 1 18.42x
West Ham 1 6.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Elizabeth 2
Harriett 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Margeret 2
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Cornelia 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Robinea 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Gilbert 2
Robert 2
William 2
Andrew 1
Archibold 1
Edward 1
Hugh 1
James 1
Matthew 1
Thomas 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 Mcduff households.

FAQ

Mcduff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcduff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 338 people were recorded with the Mcduff surname. That placed it at #8,962 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcduff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 257 in 2016. That gives Mcduff a modern rank of #16,485.

What does the Mcduff surname mean?

A Scottish surname meaning "son of Duff", a Gaelic personal name.

What does the Mcduff map show?

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