NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcfarlane

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Pharlain," meaning "son of Parlan" (a diminutive of Parthalán).

In the 1881 census there were 10,972 people recorded with the Mcfarlane surname, ranking it #389 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 11,388, ranked #567, down from #389 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 Greenock Town Centre and East Central, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig and Greenock West and Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcfarlane is 11,529 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.8%.

1881 census count

10,972

Ranked #389

Modern count

11,388

2016, ranked #567

Peak year

1901

11,529 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcfarlane had 10,972 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #389 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 11,388 in 2016, ranked #567.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11,529 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcfarlane surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcfarlane surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mcfarlane 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 8,121 #339
1861 historical 8,763 #312
1881 historical 10,972 #389
1891 historical 11,230 #400
1901 historical 11,529 #454
1911 historical 1,775 #2,758
1997 modern 10,051 #615
1998 modern 10,418 #616
1999 modern 10,459 #619
2000 modern 10,418 #618
2001 modern 10,178 #618
2002 modern 10,420 #617
2003 modern 10,205 #616
2004 modern 10,394 #602
2005 modern 10,468 #589
2006 modern 10,533 #588
2007 modern 10,696 #587
2008 modern 10,851 #584
2009 modern 11,109 #582
2010 modern 11,416 #579
2011 modern 11,167 #582
2012 modern 11,013 #575
2013 modern 11,256 #574
2014 modern 11,418 #571
2015 modern 11,368 #570
2016 modern 11,388 #567

Geography

Back to top

Where Mcfarlanes are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Greenock Town Centre and East Central, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Greenock West and Central, IZ12 and Greenock East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Bonhill Dunbarton
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde
2 Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig Inverclyde
3 Greenock West and Central Inverclyde
4 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire
5 Greenock East Inverclyde

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mcfarlane

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mcfarlane

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

Mcfarlane 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

Mcfarlane 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 Mcfarlane 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcfarlane

The surname MCFARLANE originated in Scotland and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "Parlan" or "Parlan" which was a personal name derived from the Old Norse name "Parleikr" meaning "one who plays tricks or deceives".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England after his conquest of Scotland. Here, the name is spelled as "Makferlane".

The MCFARLANE clan was historically associated with the area around Loch Lomond and the Arrochar Alps in the western central Highlands of Scotland. Their ancestral lands were in the parish of Arrochar in the old county of Dunbartonshire.

In the 16th century, the MCFARLANES were involved in a long-running feud with the Colquhouns of Luss, another prominent clan in the same region. This feud was famously depicted in Sir Walter Scott's novel "A Legend of Montrose" published in 1819.

One of the earliest recorded MCFARLANES was Andrew MCFARLANE, a Scottish poet who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He is known for his satirical poems and prose works, some of which were critical of the Scottish monarchy.

Another notable MCFARLANE was Walter MCFARLANE (1587-1658), a Scottish merchant and diarist who is remembered for his detailed account of daily life in Edinburgh during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, Robert MCFARLANE (1742-1804) was a prominent Scottish painter and engraver. He is best known for his landscapes and portraits of notable figures of the time.

During the 19th century, John MCFARLANE (1805-1857) was a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who played a significant role in the exploration and mapping of vast areas of eastern Australia.

In more recent times, Wilbur MCFARLANE (1900-1977) was a distinguished American judge who served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit from 1959 to 1970.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mcfarlane surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcfarlane surname in 1881?

In 1881, 10,972 people were recorded with the Mcfarlane surname. That placed it at #389 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcfarlane surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 11,388 in 2016. That gives Mcfarlane a modern rank of #567.

What does the Mcfarlane surname mean?

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Pharlain," meaning "son of Parlan" (a diminutive of Parthalán).

What does the Mcfarlane map show?

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