NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgeoch

A Scottish surname derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "son of the brewer".

In the 1881 census there were 263 people recorded with the Mcgeoch surname, ranking it #10,692 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 613, ranked #8,566, up from #10,692 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Stranraer and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craven, Stranraer West and Raploch.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgeoch is 613 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 133.1%.

1881 census count

263

Ranked #10,692

Modern count

613

2016, ranked #8,566

Peak year

2016

613 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgeoch had 263 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,692 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 613 in 2016, ranked #8,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 389 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcgeoch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgeoch surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgeoch 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 197 #10,535
1861 historical 217 #11,220
1881 historical 263 #10,692
1891 historical 344 #9,969
1901 historical 389 #9,666
1911 historical 77 #25,106
1997 modern 521 #9,026
1998 modern 543 #9,010
1999 modern 549 #8,996
2000 modern 552 #8,917
2001 modern 534 #9,000
2002 modern 544 #9,049
2003 modern 530 #9,093
2004 modern 534 #9,057
2005 modern 537 #8,951
2006 modern 549 #8,824
2007 modern 546 #8,953
2008 modern 550 #8,965
2009 modern 560 #9,042
2010 modern 587 #8,936
2011 modern 580 #8,917
2012 modern 590 #8,715
2013 modern 609 #8,636
2014 modern 609 #8,704
2015 modern 610 #8,635
2016 modern 613 #8,566

Geography

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Where Mcgeochs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Stranraer, Glasgow, Paisley Abbey and Penninghame. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Craven, Stranraer West, Raploch, Woodlands and Rhins North. 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 Stranraer Wigtown
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Paisley Abbey Renfrew
5 Penninghame Wigtown

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craven 003 Craven
2 Stranraer West Dumfries and Galloway
3 Raploch Stirling
4 Woodlands Glasgow City
5 Rhins North Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgeoch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgeoch

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mcgeoch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcgeoch household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Mcgeoch is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

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

Mcgeoch is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgeoch

The surname McGeoch originates from the Scottish Lowlands, specifically the region of Galloway. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "Geidh" or "Geòdh," which referred to a type of wildfowl commonly found in the region, such as a goose or swan.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the late 13th century, with variations such as "MacGedehe" and "McGehee" found in medieval charters and rolls. Some historians suggest that the name may have been adopted by families living near marshlands or coastal areas where these waterfowl were abundant.

In the 16th century, the McGeoch family was prominent in the parish of Kirkcolm, located in Wigtownshire. Records from this period mention individuals such as John McGeoch, who was a landowner in Kirkcolm in the late 1500s.

During the Scottish Covenanting movement in the 17th century, several members of the McGeoch family were known for their support of the Presbyterian cause. One notable figure was Andrew McGeoch, a minister who was born in Galloway around 1610 and later became a prominent preacher in the Church of Scotland.

Another historical figure bearing this surname was James McGeoch, a Scottish poet and satirist who lived in the early 18th century. Although little is known about his life, some of his works, such as "The Galloway Raid," provide insights into the cultural and political landscape of the time.

In the 19th century, the McGeoch surname spread beyond Scotland due to emigration. One notable individual was Robert McGeoch, a Scottish-born engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of the Panama Canal in the late 1800s.

Throughout its history, the McGeoch name has been associated with various professions, including clergy, landowners, writers, and engineers. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, it has left an indelible mark on Scottish history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgeoch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgeoch 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. Lanarkshire leads with 4 Mcgeochs recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.51x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 4 25.51x
Middlesex 1 2.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 4 Mcgeochs recorded in 1881 and an index of 100.76x.

Place Total Index
Barony 4 100.76x
St George Hanover Square 1 117.65x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alexander 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 Mcgeoch households.

Occupation Count
Bootmaker 1

FAQ

Mcgeoch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgeoch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 263 people were recorded with the Mcgeoch surname. That placed it at #10,692 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgeoch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 613 in 2016. That gives Mcgeoch a modern rank of #8,566.

What does the Mcgeoch surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "son of the brewer".

What does the Mcgeoch map show?

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