NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcewen

Scottish and Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Eoghain," meaning "son of Eoghan" (born of the yew tree).

In the 1881 census there were 1,948 people recorded with the Mcewen surname, ranking it #2,247 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,966, ranked #3,276, down from #2,247 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isles, Kippen and Fintry and St Boswells and Newtown Area.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcewen is 2,142 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.9%.

1881 census count

1,948

Ranked #2,247

Modern count

1,966

2016, ranked #3,276

Peak year

1891

2,142 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcewen had 1,948 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,247 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,966 in 2016, ranked #3,276.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,142 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Mcewen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcewen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcewen 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 1,817 #1,583
1861 historical 1,724 #1,671
1881 historical 1,948 #2,247
1891 historical 2,142 #2,174
1901 historical 2,097 #2,560
1911 historical 858 #5,172
1997 modern 1,784 #3,363
1998 modern 1,854 #3,373
1999 modern 1,922 #3,282
2000 modern 1,900 #3,303
2001 modern 1,886 #3,257
2002 modern 1,946 #3,241
2003 modern 1,905 #3,232
2004 modern 1,896 #3,246
2005 modern 1,876 #3,247
2006 modern 1,873 #3,270
2007 modern 1,905 #3,252
2008 modern 1,898 #3,278
2009 modern 1,954 #3,279
2010 modern 2,004 #3,273
2011 modern 1,953 #3,304
2012 modern 1,915 #3,307
2013 modern 1,965 #3,293
2014 modern 1,983 #3,283
2015 modern 1,977 #3,267
2016 modern 1,966 #3,276

Geography

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Where Mcewens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isles, Kippen and Fintry, St Boswells and Newtown Area, Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central and Doncaster. 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 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isles Orkney Islands
2 Kippen and Fintry Stirling
3 St Boswells and Newtown Area Scottish Borders
4 Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central Inverclyde
5 Doncaster 013 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcewen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcewen

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mcewen 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

Mcewen 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

Mcewen falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcewen 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 Mcewen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcewen

The surname McEwen has its origins in Scotland, specifically in the southwestern region of Galloway. It is believed to have emerged in the 12th or 13th century as a variant of the name MacEwen or MacEwan, which derived from the Gaelic personal name Eóghan or Ewen, meaning "born of the yew tree."

The earliest recorded reference to the McEwen surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented a pledge of allegiance to King Edward I of England. One of the signatories was Gillemor McEwyn, a landowner from Wigtown, Scotland.

In the 16th century, the McEwens were prominent landowners and lairds in the parishes of Penninghame and Kirkcowan in Wigtownshire. Several members of the family were noted for their involvement in local disputes and feuds during this turbulent period in Scottish history.

One notable McEwen was Sir Patrick McEwen, who was knighted by King James VI of Scotland in 1590 for his services to the Crown. He played a significant role in suppressing the rebellion led by the Earl of Bothwell.

Another prominent figure was Reverend William McEwen, a minister in the Church of Scotland who lived from 1636 to 1713. He was a staunch Presbyterian and an influential figure in the Scottish Reformation.

In the 18th century, the McEwen surname spread beyond its traditional stronghold in Galloway as members of the clan migrated to other parts of Scotland and further afield to Ireland, England, and even North America.

A notable McEwen from this period was Archibald McEwen, a Scottish merchant and plantation owner who settled in Jamaica in the late 1700s. He amassed a considerable fortune through his involvement in the Caribbean sugar trade.

Towards the end of the 18th century, a branch of the McEwen family established itself in Argyllshire, on the west coast of Scotland. One of their descendants, John McEwen, born in 1833, became a prominent figure in the Scottish shipping industry, founding the McEwen Shipping Company in Glasgow.

While the McEwen surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread worldwide, with notable bearers from various countries and backgrounds. However, the historical records and references mentioned above provide a glimpse into the origins and early development of this Scottish surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcewen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcewen 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 45 Mcewens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.78x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 45 2.78x
Middlesex 13 0.95x
Ayrshire 12 11.74x
Flintshire 10 27.25x
Cumberland 8 6.81x
Staffordshire 7 1.52x
Worcestershire 7 3.93x
Cheshire 5 1.66x
Durham 5 1.23x
Essex 5 1.86x
Shropshire 5 4.24x
Kent 4 0.86x
Glamorgan 3 1.26x
Northumberland 3 1.48x
Sussex 3 1.30x
Nottinghamshire 2 1.09x
Norfolk 1 0.48x
Surrey 1 0.15x
Yorkshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkdale in Lancashire leads with 13 Mcewens recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.69x.

Place Total Index
Kirkdale 13 47.69x
Girvan 11 428.02x
Manchester 10 13.73x
Rhuddlan 10 309.60x
Salford 9 18.89x
West Bromwich 7 26.53x
Worcester St Peter 7 207.10x
Shoreditch London 6 10.14x
Edgmond 5 384.62x
Mile End Old Town 5 23.20x
Newton In Ashton Under 5 168.35x
Whitehaven 5 79.74x
Deptford St Paul 4 11.13x
Everton 4 7.75x
West Ham 4 6.72x
Clase 3 33.94x
Hulme 3 8.87x
St Cuthbert W O 3 52.36x
Wallsend 3 46.58x
Withington 3 57.47x
Costock 2 1333.33x
Heworth 2 25.00x
Layton With Warbreck 2 33.61x
Westoe 2 8.68x
Dalmellington 1 33.33x
East Grinstead 1 30.67x
East Ham 1 20.00x
Hackney London 1 1.31x
Harton 1 62.11x
Hastings St Mary 1 17.45x
Hove 1 9.90x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 15.87x
Middlesbrough 1 5.68x
Newington 1 1.98x
St Luke London 1 4.57x
Toxteth Park 1 1.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Annie 5
Jane 5
Elizabeth 4
Margaret 4
Sarah 4
Ellen 3
Maria 3
Ann 2
Bridget 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Christina 2
Isabella 2
Ada 1
Charlotte 1
Duncan 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Janet 1
Jeannie 1
Louisa 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1
Robena 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 18
John 14
Andrew 3
Joseph 3
William 3
David 2
Henry 2
Kenneth 2
Peter 2
Robert 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Donald 1
Duncan 1
Edward 1
Harold 1
Jon 1
Patrick 1

FAQ

Mcewen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcewen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,948 people were recorded with the Mcewen surname. That placed it at #2,247 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcewen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,966 in 2016. That gives Mcewen a modern rank of #3,276.

What does the Mcewen surname mean?

Scottish and Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Eoghain," meaning "son of Eoghan" (born of the yew tree).

What does the Mcewen map show?

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