NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcfall

A Scottish and Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Phail," meaning "son of Paul."

In the 1881 census there were 266 people recorded with the Mcfall surname, ranking it #10,589 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 912, ranked #6,246, up from #10,589 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ13, IZ12 and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcfall is 949 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 242.9%.

1881 census count

266

Ranked #10,589

Modern count

912

2016, ranked #6,246

Peak year

2010

949 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcfall had 266 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,589 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 912 in 2016, ranked #6,246.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 403 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcfall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcfall surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mcfall 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 65 #21,747
1861 historical 75 #24,238
1881 historical 266 #10,589
1891 historical 314 #10,694
1901 historical 403 #9,442
1911 historical 227 #13,795
1997 modern 854 #6,217
1998 modern 894 #6,196
1999 modern 902 #6,192
2000 modern 898 #6,184
2001 modern 885 #6,151
2002 modern 919 #6,107
2003 modern 893 #6,124
2004 modern 868 #6,256
2005 modern 859 #6,259
2006 modern 877 #6,157
2007 modern 894 #6,122
2008 modern 908 #6,092
2009 modern 927 #6,111
2010 modern 949 #6,129
2011 modern 937 #6,136
2012 modern 918 #6,151
2013 modern 914 #6,274
2014 modern 929 #6,237
2015 modern 917 #6,239
2016 modern 912 #6,246

Geography

Back to top

Where Mcfalls are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to IZ13, IZ12, Northumberland, IZ11 and Muirhouse and Knowetop. 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 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ13 West Dunbartonshire
2 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire
3 Northumberland 005 Northumberland
4 IZ11 West Dunbartonshire
5 Muirhouse and Knowetop North Lanarkshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mcfall

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mcfall

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mcfall is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcfall 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

Mcfall 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 Mcfall 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcfall

The surname McFall originates from Scotland, first appearing in historical records around the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "fall" which can refer to either a red or tawny color, or a hillside or ridge. This suggests the name may have originally referred to someone with reddish hair or complexion, or someone who lived near a particular ridge or hillside.

The earliest known spelling variations of the name include McFaill, McFale, McFawill, and MacFall. It is believed to have originated in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in areas around Perthshire and Argyllshire. The name does not appear in the famous Domesday Book from 1086, as this survey only covered parts of England and Wales.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname was John McFaill, who was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1330. Another early example is Duncan McFawill, who was noted in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during his campaign in Scotland.

In the 16th century, a family of McFalls owned lands in the parish of Kilmadock in Perthshire. A notable member was George McFall, who was appointed as the minister of Kilmadock in 1567. Around the same time, there are records of McFalls residing in the village of Kilwinning in Ayrshire.

Other historical figures with the surname include Sir James McFall (1600-1662), a Scottish military commander who fought for the Royalists during the English Civil War, and Sir Samuel McFall (1828-1911), an Irish businessman and politician who served as Mayor of Belfast from 1899 to 1901.

In the 19th century, the McFall name spread more widely due to emigration from Scotland to other parts of the British Empire and beyond. For example, John McFall (1835-1919) was a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as Mayor of Toronto from 1892 to 1894.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mcfall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcfall 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 19 Mcfalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.44x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 19 4.44x
Cheshire 11 13.81x
Cumberland 6 19.32x
Northumberland 1 1.86x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liscard in Cheshire leads with 11 Mcfalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 769.23x.

Place Total Index
Liscard 11 769.23x
Whitehaven 6 361.45x
West Derby 5 39.90x
Everton 4 29.33x
Warrington 4 78.74x
Toxteth Park 2 13.79x
Broughton In Salford 1 25.58x
Liverpool 1 3.85x
Longbenton 1 44.05x
Oldham 1 7.24x
Salford 1 7.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Alice 2
Frances 2
Arthur 1
Bridget 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Elizabath 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Jane 1
Laura 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
David 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Chambers 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Ensa 1
George 1
Henry 1
Samuel 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 Mcfall households.

FAQ

Mcfall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcfall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 266 people were recorded with the Mcfall surname. That placed it at #10,589 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcfall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 912 in 2016. That gives Mcfall a modern rank of #6,246.

What does the Mcfall surname mean?

A Scottish and Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Phail," meaning "son of Paul."

What does the Mcfall map show?

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