NameCensus.

UK surname

Mchaffie

A Scottish habitational name from a now lost place, derived from Gaelic.

In the 1881 census there were 257 people recorded with the Mchaffie surname, ranking it #10,861 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 242, ranked #17,177, down from #10,861 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old or West Kilpatrick, Govan Combination and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Boswall and Pilton, Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central and Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mchaffie is 301 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.8%.

1881 census count

257

Ranked #10,861

Modern count

242

2016, ranked #17,177

Peak year

1901

301 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mchaffie had 257 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,861 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 242 in 2016, ranked #17,177.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 301 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Mchaffie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mchaffie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mchaffie 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 179 #11,346
1861 historical 206 #11,725
1881 historical 257 #10,861
1891 historical 283 #11,573
1901 historical 301 #11,627
1911 historical 72 #25,642
1997 modern 226 #16,306
1998 modern 228 #16,706
1999 modern 231 #16,646
2000 modern 227 #16,792
2001 modern 224 #16,716
2002 modern 228 #16,828
2003 modern 215 #17,286
2004 modern 212 #17,540
2005 modern 205 #17,838
2006 modern 209 #17,784
2007 modern 219 #17,425
2008 modern 226 #17,238
2009 modern 223 #17,735
2010 modern 229 #17,805
2011 modern 234 #17,383
2012 modern 239 #17,027
2013 modern 250 #16,778
2014 modern 248 #16,991
2015 modern 245 #17,040
2016 modern 242 #17,177

Geography

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Where Mchaffies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Old or West Kilpatrick, Govan Combination, St Dunstan Stepney, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Boswall and Pilton, Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central, Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, South Tyneside and Chesterfield. 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 or West Kilpatrick Dunbarton
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Boswall and Pilton City of Edinburgh
2 Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central Inverclyde
3 Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central Inverclyde
4 South Tyneside 011 South Tyneside
5 Chesterfield 002 Chesterfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mchaffie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mchaffie

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Mchaffie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mchaffie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mchaffie 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

Mchaffie 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

Mchaffie falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mchaffie

The surname MCHAFFIE has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be a variant of the more common Scottish name MacHaffie or MacHaffey, which derived from the Gaelic personal name Ochhabhair or Ochabhar, meaning "horse-driver" or "carter."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MCHAFFIE can be found in the Registers of the Privy Council of Scotland from 1592, where a certain John McHaffie is mentioned. In the late 16th century, the name was predominantly found in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the areas of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire.

The name MCHAFFIE is also believed to have connections to the Scottish place name Haff or Haffie, which could be derived from the Old Norse word "haf," meaning "sea" or "ocean." This suggests that some early bearers of the name may have lived near the coast or been associated with maritime activities.

In the 17th century, the MCHAFFIE surname began to appear in various Scottish parish records and legal documents. One notable mention is that of Robert McHaffie, who was granted land in the Parish of Kilwinning, Ayrshire, in the year 1638.

As the centuries passed, the MCHAFFIE surname spread beyond Scotland, with bearers of the name settling in other parts of the British Isles and eventually emigrating to various corners of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Some notable individuals with the surname MCHAFFIE include:

1. John McHaffie (c. 1580 - unknown), mentioned in the Registers of the Privy Council of Scotland in 1592. 2. Robert McHaffie (c. 1610 - unknown), granted land in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, in 1638. 3. William McHaffie (1790 - 1865), a Scottish-born farmer and early settler in Ontario, Canada. 4. James McHaffie (1819 - 1901), a Scottish-born shipbuilder and entrepreneur in New Brunswick, Canada. 5. Robert McHaffie (1871 - 1942), a Scottish-born politician and member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, Canada.

While the exact origins and early history of the MCHAFFIE surname may be shrouded in some mystery, it is clear that this name has deep roots in Scotland and has been carried by individuals across the globe for centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mchaffie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mchaffie 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 3 Mchaffies recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.71x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3 3.71x
Westmorland 2 133.33x
Aberdeenshire 1 15.87x
Middlesex 1 1.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chadderton in Lancashire leads with 3 Mchaffies recorded in 1881 and an index of 769.23x.

Place Total Index
Chadderton 3 769.23x
Newby 2 20000.00x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 84.75x
Whitechapel London 1 149.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
David 1
Henry 1
Jane 1
John 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 Mchaffie households.

FAQ

Mchaffie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mchaffie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 257 people were recorded with the Mchaffie surname. That placed it at #10,861 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mchaffie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 242 in 2016. That gives Mchaffie a modern rank of #17,177.

What does the Mchaffie surname mean?

A Scottish habitational name from a now lost place, derived from Gaelic.

What does the Mchaffie map show?

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