NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgugan

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic name Guigan, meaning "little stranger" or "foreigner".

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Mcgugan surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 294, ranked #14,953, up from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, North Knapdale and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Hunter's Quay and Earlston and Hurlford Rural.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgugan is 300 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 100.0%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

294

2016, ranked #14,953

Peak year

2014

300 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgugan had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 294 in 2016, ranked #14,953.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 205 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcgugan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgugan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgugan 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 92 #18,050
1861 historical 80 #23,566
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 182 #15,983
1901 historical 205 #14,884
1911 historical 12 #32,302
1997 modern 273 #14,417
1998 modern 296 #13,997
1999 modern 290 #14,281
2000 modern 275 #14,757
2001 modern 275 #14,540
2002 modern 268 #15,081
2003 modern 261 #15,180
2004 modern 261 #15,274
2005 modern 261 #15,216
2006 modern 281 #14,500
2007 modern 277 #14,818
2008 modern 284 #14,687
2009 modern 294 #14,628
2010 modern 299 #14,769
2011 modern 286 #15,091
2012 modern 276 #15,427
2013 modern 286 #15,259
2014 modern 300 #14,839
2015 modern 299 #14,796
2016 modern 294 #14,953

Geography

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Where Mcgugans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, North Knapdale, Greenock, Glasgow and Kildalton and Oa. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Hunter's Quay, Earlston and Hurlford Rural, Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl and Letham and Glamis. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 North Knapdale Argyll
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Kildalton and Oa Argyll

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig Inverclyde
2 Hunter's Quay Argyll and Bute
3 Earlston and Hurlford Rural East Ayrshire
4 Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl Inverclyde
5 Letham and Glamis Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgugan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgugan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcgugan, 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 Mcgugan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcgugan 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcgugan 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

Mcgugan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgugan

The surname McGugan has its origins in Scotland, with the name first emerging in the late 12th century. It is a variant of the name McGougan, which itself derives from the Gaelic word "gogain" meaning "little strange one" or "awkward person". The name likely referred to an ancestor who possessed some peculiar physical or personality trait.

The earliest recorded example of the McGugan spelling dates back to 1296, when a Donald McGugan was listed in the ragman rolls of Berwick-upon-Tweed, a record of Scottish landowners who were forced to swear fealty to King Edward I of England. The name appeared sporadically in various Scottish records over the following centuries, with spellings like McGugan, McGougan, and McGugane being used interchangeably.

One of the earliest notable bearers of the name was Sir John McGugan, a Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. He was awarded lands in Ayrshire for his service, and his descendants continued to use the McGugan spelling.

In the 16th century, the name was found concentrated in the counties of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire, with some McGugan families also residing in the Highlands. A famous bearer from this period was Alexander McGugan (1542-1610), a Presbyterian minister who played a role in the Scottish Reformation.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the McGugan name spread to other parts of Scotland as families migrated. One notable figure was James McGugan (1678-1737), a merchant and burgess of Glasgow who served as a magistrate and was involved in the city's trade with the American colonies.

Other historical figures with the McGugan surname include: Robert McGugan (1825-1901), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman; William McGugan (1834-1909), a Canadian farmer and political figure in Ontario; and John McGugan (1871-1936), a Scottish-born American landscape painter known for his depictions of the American West.

While the McGugan name is relatively uncommon, it has maintained a presence in Scotland and among the Scottish diaspora over the centuries, reflecting its historical roots and the migration patterns of its bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgugan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgugan 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. Channel Islands leads with 4 Mcgugans recorded in 1881 and an index of 231.21x.

County Total Index
Channel Islands 4 231.21x
Glamorgan 1 9.83x
Royal Navy 1 142.86x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Grouville in Channel Islands leads with 4 Mcgugans recorded in 1881 and an index of 8000.00x.

Place Total Index
Grouville 4 8000.00x
Cardiff St Mary 1 178.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Cathrine 2
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Angus 1
Will 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 Mcgugan households.

Occupation Count
Laundress 3
AB Seaman 1
Scholar 1

FAQ

Mcgugan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgugan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Mcgugan surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgugan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 294 in 2016. That gives Mcgugan a modern rank of #14,953.

What does the Mcgugan surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic name Guigan, meaning "little stranger" or "foreigner".

What does the Mcgugan map show?

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