NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcfadzean

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "mac Aidh" meaning "son of Hugh".

In the 1881 census there were 314 people recorded with the Mcfadzean surname, ranking it #9,417 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 824, ranked #6,742, up from #9,417 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkmichael, Dundonald and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mauchline Rural, Carrick South and Upper Nithsdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcfadzean is 828 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 162.4%.

1881 census count

314

Ranked #9,417

Modern count

824

2016, ranked #6,742

Peak year

2014

828 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcfadzean had 314 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,417 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 824 in 2016, ranked #6,742.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 429 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mcfadzean surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcfadzean surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcfadzean 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 204 #10,250
1861 historical 224 #10,882
1881 historical 314 #9,417
1891 historical 379 #9,254
1901 historical 429 #9,018
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 711 #7,165
1998 modern 715 #7,356
1999 modern 741 #7,220
2000 modern 747 #7,124
2001 modern 746 #7,017
2002 modern 747 #7,131
2003 modern 757 #6,960
2004 modern 725 #7,191
2005 modern 749 #6,964
2006 modern 753 #6,963
2007 modern 778 #6,851
2008 modern 768 #6,973
2009 modern 782 #7,013
2010 modern 803 #7,003
2011 modern 796 #6,986
2012 modern 782 #6,984
2013 modern 808 #6,892
2014 modern 828 #6,792
2015 modern 821 #6,788
2016 modern 824 #6,742

Geography

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Where Mcfadzeans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Mauchline Rural, Carrick South, Upper Nithsdale, Northern and Irvine Valley Rural and Carrick North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kirkmichael Ayr
2 Dundonald Ayr
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Riccarton Ayr
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mauchline Rural East Ayrshire
2 Carrick South South Ayrshire
3 Upper Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
4 Northern and Irvine Valley Rural East Ayrshire
5 Carrick North South Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcfadzean

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcfadzean

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcfadzean, 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 Mcfadzean surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mcfadzean 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Mcfadzean is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcfadzean 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

Mcfadzean falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mcfadzean

The surname McFadzean originates from Scotland and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "Mac Fadzean," which translate to "son of the auspicious one." The name was initially found in the regions of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire, where it is thought to have originated.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McFadzean can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1508, where a person named John McFadzean is mentioned. This document provides valuable insight into the historical presence of the name in Scotland during the early 16th century.

In the 17th century, the spelling of the name evolved, and variations such as "McFadzen," "McFadzane," and "McFadzeane" can be found in various records from that period. These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and phonetic spellings.

Notable individuals with the surname McFadzean include Robert McFadzean (1815-1889), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Another prominent figure was John McFadzean (1835-1912), a Scottish-born Australian merchant and politician who served as a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.

In the literary world, Margaret McFadzean (1906-1981) was a Scottish novelist and writer known for her works set in rural Scotland, such as "The Little Fury" and "The Folding Hills." Additionally, Archibald McFadzean (1856-1937) was a Scottish-born Australian businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Melbourne.

One intriguing historical reference to the name McFadzean can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a series of historical documents that recorded the acts of homage made to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landholders in the late 13th century. While the specific details are unclear, this mention underscores the antiquity of the surname in Scottish history.

Throughout the centuries, the McFadzean name has been associated with various place names and locations in Scotland, such as the village of Dunure in Ayrshire, where the name is believed to have originated. This connection to specific geographical regions further reinforces the surname's Scottish heritage and origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcfadzean families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcfadzean 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. Ayrshire leads with 15 Mcfadzeans recorded in 1881 and an index of 128.42x.

County Total Index
Ayrshire 15 128.42x
Hampshire 1 3.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkoswald in Ayrshire leads with 7 Mcfadzeans recorded in 1881 and an index of 7000.00x.

Place Total Index
Kirkoswald 7 7000.00x
Straiton 7 10000.00x
Maybole 1 277.78x
Portsea 1 15.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Priscilla 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 Mcfadzean households.

Occupation Count
Staymaker 1

FAQ

Mcfadzean surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcfadzean surname in 1881?

In 1881, 314 people were recorded with the Mcfadzean surname. That placed it at #9,417 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcfadzean surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 824 in 2016. That gives Mcfadzean a modern rank of #6,742.

What does the Mcfadzean surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "mac Aidh" meaning "son of Hugh".

What does the Mcfadzean map show?

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