NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgeorge

A Scottish surname derived from the personal name George, meaning "farmer" or "earth-worker".

In the 1881 census there were 564 people recorded with the Mcgeorge surname, ranking it #6,143 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 554, ranked #9,230, down from #6,143 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Edinburgh and Dumfries. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, St Boswells and Newtown Area and Forest Heath.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgeorge is 675 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.8%.

1881 census count

564

Ranked #6,143

Modern count

554

2016, ranked #9,230

Peak year

1901

675 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgeorge had 564 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,143 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 554 in 2016, ranked #9,230.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 675 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcgeorge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgeorge surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mcgeorge 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 467 #5,314
1861 historical 551 #4,778
1881 historical 564 #6,143
1891 historical 567 #6,705
1901 historical 675 #6,456
1911 historical 337 #10,547
1997 modern 608 #8,068
1998 modern 637 #8,026
1999 modern 647 #7,979
2000 modern 610 #8,339
2001 modern 590 #8,392
2002 modern 612 #8,345
2003 modern 584 #8,491
2004 modern 571 #8,629
2005 modern 555 #8,735
2006 modern 548 #8,844
2007 modern 548 #8,927
2008 modern 554 #8,911
2009 modern 582 #8,784
2010 modern 597 #8,814
2011 modern 578 #8,929
2012 modern 565 #8,993
2013 modern 553 #9,299
2014 modern 565 #9,191
2015 modern 560 #9,171
2016 modern 554 #9,230

Geography

Back to top

Where Mcgeorges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Edinburgh, Dumfries, Glasgow and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, St Boswells and Newtown Area, Forest Heath and Dumfries Central. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dumfries Dumfries
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 006 Sunderland
2 St Boswells and Newtown Area Scottish Borders
3 Forest Heath 006 Forest Heath
4 Dumfries Central Dumfries and Galloway
5 Forest Heath 008 Forest Heath

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mcgeorge

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mcgeorge

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

Mcgeorge 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

Mcgeorge falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgeorge

The surname McGeorge originated in Scotland, with the earliest recorded examples dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name Georgie, which was a pet form of the name George. The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" is a common Scottish and Irish patronymic meaning "son of."

The name McGeorge is believed to have first appeared in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the counties of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. It is thought to have been adopted as a surname by descendants of individuals bearing the personal name Georgie or one of its variants.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname McGeorge can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented Scottish landowners and nobility who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Macgeorge" in this historical record.

In the 15th century, a notable bearer of the name was John McGeorge, a Scottish merchant and burgess (citizen) of Edinburgh. He is mentioned in several records from the mid-1400s, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Sir Robert McGeorge, a Scottish nobleman and landowner who lived in the late 16th century. He was granted lands in Ayrshire by King James VI of Scotland.

During the 17th century, the surname McGeorge was found in various Scottish parish records and court documents, indicating its continued presence in the country.

In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the name was William McGeorge, a Scottish poet and writer born in Dumfries in 1728. He authored several works, including a collection of poems titled "The Caledonian Muse."

Another historical figure with the surname was James McGeorge, a Scottish soldier and military officer who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in Ayrshire in 1785 and participated in several major battles, including Waterloo.

While the surname McGeorge has Scottish origins, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and migration. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in Scotland, where it was borne by individuals with the personal name Georgie or George.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mcgeorge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgeorge 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 12 Mcgeorges recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.24x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 12 3.24x
Northumberland 7 15.08x
Cumberland 6 22.34x
Middlesex 3 0.96x
Surrey 2 1.32x
Kent 1 0.94x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 22.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 8 Mcgeorges recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.80x.

Place Total Index
Everton 8 67.80x
Caldewgate 4 272.11x
Longbenton 4 203.05x
West Derby 4 36.93x
Wallsend 3 204.08x
Bethnal Green London 2 14.76x
St Cuthbert W O 2 152.67x
Bermondsey 1 10.76x
Chatham 1 34.13x
Croydon 1 11.85x
St Marylebone London 1 6.00x
Twynholm 1 1428.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Eliza 2
Margaret 2
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Mary 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 4
Robert 3
Wm. 3
William 2
Alexander 1
David 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Peter 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 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 Mcgeorge households.

FAQ

Mcgeorge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgeorge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 564 people were recorded with the Mcgeorge surname. That placed it at #6,143 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgeorge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 554 in 2016. That gives Mcgeorge a modern rank of #9,230.

What does the Mcgeorge surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the personal name George, meaning "farmer" or "earth-worker".

What does the Mcgeorge map show?

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