NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcharg

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Tharaich meaning "son of the priest."

In the 1881 census there were 330 people recorded with the Mcharg surname, ranking it #9,088 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 598, ranked #8,735, up from #9,088 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Girvan, Govan Combination and Stranraer. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newton Stewart, Crosshouse, Gatehead and Kilmaurs Rural and Kettering.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcharg is 598 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 81.2%.

1881 census count

330

Ranked #9,088

Modern count

598

2016, ranked #8,735

Peak year

2016

598 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcharg had 330 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,088 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 598 in 2016, ranked #8,735.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 381 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcharg surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcharg surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcharg 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 272 #8,240
1861 historical 240 #10,226
1881 historical 330 #9,088
1891 historical 378 #9,277
1901 historical 381 #9,799
1911 historical 63 #26,537
1997 modern 494 #9,384
1998 modern 519 #9,327
1999 modern 514 #9,466
2000 modern 513 #9,441
2001 modern 506 #9,382
2002 modern 528 #9,266
2003 modern 531 #9,084
2004 modern 535 #9,041
2005 modern 521 #9,176
2006 modern 528 #9,097
2007 modern 542 #8,991
2008 modern 535 #9,155
2009 modern 554 #9,117
2010 modern 572 #9,082
2011 modern 573 #8,984
2012 modern 574 #8,891
2013 modern 575 #9,014
2014 modern 589 #8,930
2015 modern 591 #8,828
2016 modern 598 #8,735

Geography

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Where Mchargs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Girvan, Govan Combination, Stranraer, Kirkcolm and Inch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newton Stewart, Crosshouse, Gatehead and Kilmaurs Rural, Kettering, Penilee and Wakefield. 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 Girvan Ayr
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Stranraer Wigtown
4 Kirkcolm Wigtown
5 Inch Wigtown

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newton Stewart Dumfries and Galloway
2 Crosshouse, Gatehead and Kilmaurs Rural East Ayrshire
3 Kettering 001 Kettering
4 Penilee Glasgow City
5 Wakefield 042 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcharg

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcharg

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

Mcharg 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

Mcharg falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mcharg

The surname MCHARG is of Scottish origin, with its roots tracing back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated from the Gaelic word "carach," which means "winding" or "meandering," referring to a person living near a winding stream or river. The name was initially spelled as "MacCarach" or "MacKarach."

In the early 16th century, records mention a family by the name of MCHARG residing in the Highlands of Scotland, specifically in the region of Argyll and Bute. One of the earliest documented instances of the name appears in the Scottish Exchequer Rolls of 1538, where a certain John MCHARG was listed as a landowner.

The MCHARG surname gained prominence in the 17th century, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such figure was Robert MCHARG (1610-1678), a respected clergyman and author who served as the minister of Drymen Parish in Stirlingshire. His work, "A Treatise on the Divine Attributes," was widely acclaimed during his lifetime.

Another noteworthy individual was Sir James MCHARG (1658-1731), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1717 to 1720. He played a significant role in the legal proceedings following the Jacobite rising of 1715, and his name is mentioned in various historical records from that era.

In the 18th century, the MCHARG family expanded their influence, with several members holding prominent positions in the Scottish society. One such individual was Alexander MCHARG (1726-1799), a successful merchant and landowner whose estate was located in the county of Inverness-shire.

As the centuries passed, the MCHARG surname spread beyond Scotland, with families bearing this name settling in various parts of the United Kingdom and eventually migrating to other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

One of the most notable figures with the MCHARG surname in recent history was Sir Ian MCHARG (1920-2001), a renowned landscape architect and environmental planner. He was widely regarded as a pioneer in the field of ecological planning and is best known for his book "Design with Nature," which had a significant impact on urban planning and landscape architecture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcharg families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcharg 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. Durham leads with 9 Mchargs recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.88x.

County Total Index
Durham 9 25.88x
Northumberland 2 11.50x
Ayrshire 1 11.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hedworth Monkton Jarrow in Durham leads with 9 Mchargs recorded in 1881 and an index of 596.03x.

Place Total Index
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 596.03x
Amble 2 2500.00x
Craigie 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
Albert 1
Edward 1
John 1
Thomas 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 Mcharg households.

FAQ

Mcharg surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcharg surname in 1881?

In 1881, 330 people were recorded with the Mcharg surname. That placed it at #9,088 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcharg surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 598 in 2016. That gives Mcharg a modern rank of #8,735.

What does the Mcharg surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Tharaich meaning "son of the priest."

What does the Mcharg map show?

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