NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgavin

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Gamhanach" meaning "born of a cleric or monk".

In the 1881 census there were 453 people recorded with the Mcgavin surname, ranking it #7,289 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 409, ranked #11,694, down from #7,289 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old Cumnock, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Poole, IZ07 and Netherton and Kirkhill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgavin is 520 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.7%.

1881 census count

453

Ranked #7,289

Modern count

409

2016, ranked #11,694

Peak year

1901

520 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgavin had 453 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,289 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 409 in 2016, ranked #11,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 520 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcgavin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgavin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgavin 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 300 #7,650
1861 historical 382 #6,698
1881 historical 453 #7,289
1891 historical 474 #7,746
1901 historical 520 #7,818
1911 historical 65 #26,343
1997 modern 427 #10,476
1998 modern 435 #10,678
1999 modern 435 #10,754
2000 modern 420 #10,998
2001 modern 415 #10,925
2002 modern 407 #11,294
2003 modern 393 #11,401
2004 modern 403 #11,224
2005 modern 407 #11,041
2006 modern 404 #11,159
2007 modern 401 #11,353
2008 modern 402 #11,419
2009 modern 418 #11,309
2010 modern 421 #11,519
2011 modern 415 #11,514
2012 modern 392 #11,898
2013 modern 400 #11,915
2014 modern 407 #11,848
2015 modern 400 #11,909
2016 modern 409 #11,694

Geography

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Where Mcgavins are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Poole, IZ07, Netherton and Kirkhill, Bridge of Allan and University and Knapdale. 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 Old Cumnock Ayr
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Poole 013 Poole
2 IZ07 West Dunbartonshire
3 Netherton and Kirkhill North Lanarkshire
4 Bridge of Allan and University Stirling
5 Knapdale Argyll and Bute

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgavin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgavin

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Mcgavin is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcgavin 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

Mcgavin 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 Mcgavin 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 Mcgavin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcgavin

The surname McGavin has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic name "MacGobhann," which means "son of the smith" or "son of the metalworker." This name originated in the Scottish Highlands and was initially used to identify individuals whose fathers were skilled in metalworking or blacksmithing.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable reference is in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, which mentions a "Gillecrist MacGobhann" from the county of Argyll. Another early record is in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists several individuals with variations of the name, such as "Gillecrist McGowan" and "Gylmychel McGouan."

Over time, the name evolved and took on different spellings, including McGavin, McGavine, McGavyn, and McGowan. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of individual scribes or record-keepers. In the 16th century, the name McGavin began to emerge as a more common spelling.

One notable individual with the surname McGavin was Sir Robert McGavin (1607-1673), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as a member of the Scottish Parliament and was knighted by King Charles II. Another prominent figure was Reverend William McGavin (1773-1832), a Scottish minister and author who wrote extensively on religious and historical topics.

In later centuries, the name McGavin spread beyond Scotland as members of the clan migrated to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to other countries. William McGavin (1837-1914), a Scottish-born businessman, founded the McGavin's Bakeries chain in Canada, which became a major supplier of bread and baked goods across North America.

Other notable individuals with the surname include John McGavin (1918-1985), an American actor known for his roles in films and television shows such as "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" and "Kolchak: The Night Stalker." Additionally, Neil McGavin (born 1934) is a Scottish actor who has appeared in numerous television series, including "The Professionals" and "Minder."

While the name McGavin has evolved and spread over the centuries, it remains firmly rooted in its Scottish heritage, carrying with it a connection to the skilled metalworkers and blacksmiths of the medieval Highlands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgavin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgavin 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. Middlesex leads with 6 Mcgavins recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.85x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 6 6.85x
Ayrshire 1 15.24x
Kent 1 3.34x
Sussex 1 6.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hendon in Middlesex leads with 6 Mcgavins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1875.00x.

Place Total Index
Hendon 6 1875.00x
Kilwinning 1 476.19x
Maidstone 1 112.36x
Subdeanery 1 909.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 1
May 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
David 1
Ebenezer 1
Fredk. 1
James 1
Josiah 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 Mcgavin households.

FAQ

Mcgavin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgavin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 453 people were recorded with the Mcgavin surname. That placed it at #7,289 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgavin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 409 in 2016. That gives Mcgavin a modern rank of #11,694.

What does the Mcgavin surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Gamhanach" meaning "born of a cleric or monk".

What does the Mcgavin map show?

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