NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcilwaine

A Scottish surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from the lands of Ilwin or a tributary of the River Clyde.

In the 1881 census there were 51 people recorded with the Mcilwaine surname, ranking it #26,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 472, ranked #10,433, up from #26,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harthill and Salsburgh, Preston and Breckland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcilwaine is 472 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 825.5%.

1881 census count

51

Ranked #26,428

Modern count

472

2016, ranked #10,433

Peak year

2016

472 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcilwaine had 51 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 472 in 2016, ranked #10,433.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 64 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcilwaine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcilwaine surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcilwaine 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 5 #33,418
1881 historical 51 #26,428
1891 historical 64 #28,781
1901 historical 50 #28,590
1911 historical 33 #29,703
1997 modern 365 #11,804
1998 modern 380 #11,827
1999 modern 397 #11,503
2000 modern 376 #11,928
2001 modern 396 #11,307
2002 modern 422 #11,002
2003 modern 411 #11,044
2004 modern 418 #10,923
2005 modern 409 #10,999
2006 modern 414 #10,946
2007 modern 414 #11,072
2008 modern 424 #10,952
2009 modern 437 #10,947
2010 modern 460 #10,719
2011 modern 451 #10,766
2012 modern 450 #10,654
2013 modern 450 #10,831
2014 modern 461 #10,694
2015 modern 466 #10,552
2016 modern 472 #10,433

Geography

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Where Mcilwaines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harthill and Salsburgh, Preston, Breckland, West Lancashire and Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harthill and Salsburgh North Lanarkshire
2 Preston 013 Preston
3 Breckland 009 Breckland
4 West Lancashire 006 West Lancashire
5 Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcilwaine

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcilwaine

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mcilwaine is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mcilwaine is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcilwaine 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 Mcilwaine 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 - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mcilwaine, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcilwaine

The surname MCILWAINE originated in Scotland, with roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Gille Fhuinnidh," which translates to "servant of the blessed one." The name likely referred to a devotee of a local saint or a member of a monastic order.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry lists a "Gillefunnyth de Dunbretan," indicating the name's association with the region of Dunbartonshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the MCILWAINE name appeared in various Scottish records, including the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland. In 1512, a "John McGillewane" is mentioned in connection with lands in Ayrshire.

As Scotland experienced periods of political and religious turmoil, many MCILWAINES migrated to Ulster, Ireland, in the 17th century. They settled primarily in Counties Antrim and Down, where the name took on several spellings, such as MCILWAIN, MCILWAINE, and MCILVAYNE.

Notable individuals bearing the MCILWAINE surname include:

1. Sir Thomas MCILWAINE (1520-1589), a Scottish landowner and member of the Privy Council of Scotland during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots. 2. Robert MCILWAINE (1670-1743), an Irish Presbyterian minister who founded the Congregation of Capel Street, Dublin. 3. Jane MCILWAINE (1789-1876), an Irish-born author and playwright known for her works on women's rights and education. 4. Andrew MCILWAINE (1835-1901), a Scottish-born engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. 5. John MCILWAINE (1857-1938), a Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

The MCILWAINE name has been widely dispersed throughout the English-speaking world, with descendants found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. While the spelling variations persist, the name remains a testament to its Scottish origins and the historical journey of its bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcilwaine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcilwaine 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 1 Mcilwaines recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.74x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1 8.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 1 Mcilwaines recorded in 1881 and an index of 144.93x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 1 144.93x

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mcilwaine 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 Mcilwaine households.

Occupation Count
Gas Fitter 1

FAQ

Mcilwaine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcilwaine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 51 people were recorded with the Mcilwaine surname. That placed it at #26,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcilwaine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 472 in 2016. That gives Mcilwaine a modern rank of #10,433.

What does the Mcilwaine surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from the lands of Ilwin or a tributary of the River Clyde.

What does the Mcilwaine map show?

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