NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcintosh

A Scottish surname referring to someone from Taynuilt, a village in Argyll, meaning "son of the chief."

In the 1881 census there were 11,654 people recorded with the Mcintosh surname, ranking it #366 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 14,244, ranked #444, down from #366 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Inverness and Bona and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirriemuir, Montrose South and Fintry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcintosh is 14,244 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.2%.

1881 census count

11,654

Ranked #366

Modern count

14,244

2016, ranked #444

Peak year

2016

14,244 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcintosh had 11,654 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #366 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 14,244 in 2016, ranked #444.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 12,890 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcintosh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcintosh surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcintosh 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 9,625 #267
1861 historical 9,211 #294
1881 historical 11,654 #366
1891 historical 12,049 #369
1901 historical 12,890 #408
1911 historical 2,046 #2,438
1997 modern 12,519 #486
1998 modern 13,076 #484
1999 modern 13,233 #481
2000 modern 13,185 #480
2001 modern 12,828 #481
2002 modern 13,290 #475
2003 modern 13,041 #471
2004 modern 13,168 #469
2005 modern 13,224 #458
2006 modern 13,368 #458
2007 modern 13,491 #457
2008 modern 13,681 #451
2009 modern 13,956 #453
2010 modern 14,228 #453
2011 modern 13,850 #462
2012 modern 13,663 #458
2013 modern 13,915 #461
2014 modern 14,131 #456
2015 modern 14,145 #449
2016 modern 14,244 #444

Geography

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Where Mcintoshs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Inverness and Bona, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirriemuir, Montrose South, Fintry, Logie and Blackness and Stobswell. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Inverness and Bona Inverness
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirriemuir Angus
2 Montrose South Angus
3 Fintry Dundee City
4 Logie and Blackness Dundee City
5 Stobswell Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcintosh

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcintosh

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

Mcintosh 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcintosh

The surname McIntosh originates from Scotland and is of Scottish Gaelic origin. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac an toisich," which translate to "son of the chief" or "son of the leader." The name can be traced back to the 12th century and is associated with the Clan Mackintosh, a prominent Highland Scottish clan.

The Clan Mackintosh was historically centered in the region of Badenoch and Lochaber in the Scottish Highlands. The chief of the clan was known as the "Toisich," which means "leader" or "chief" in Gaelic. The name is believed to have originated from a specific individual who held this position within the clan.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the "Chartulary of Moray," a collection of historical documents dating back to the 13th century. The name appears as "MacIntosich" in these records.

In the 14th century, the Mackintosh clan played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence, fighting alongside Robert the Bruce against the English. During this time, the chief of the clan was Angus Mackintosh, who was renowned for his bravery and leadership.

Another notable figure with the surname McIntosh was Sir John Mackintosh, who lived in the 16th century. He was a prominent Scottish politician and served as the Lord Privy Seal of Scotland during the reign of King James VI.

In the 17th century, William Mackintosh was a Scottish writer and historian who published works on the history of the Mackintosh clan and the Scottish Highlands.

During the Jacobite Risings of the 18th century, the Mackintosh clan initially supported the House of Stuart but later switched allegiance to the Hanoverian monarchy. Lachlan Mackintosh, the chief of the clan at the time, played a crucial role in this decision.

In the 19th century, Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928) was a renowned Scottish architect, designer, and watercolorist. He was a prominent figure in the Arts and Crafts movement and is considered one of the most influential architects and designers of his time.

Throughout its history, the surname McIntosh has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Mackintosh Island and Mackintosh Muir, reflecting the clan's territorial holdings and influence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcintosh families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcintosh 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. Middlesex leads with 49 Mcintoshs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.65x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 49 1.65x
Lancashire 37 1.05x
Northumberland 28 6.35x
Yorkshire 25 0.85x
Durham 18 2.04x
Lanarkshire 17 1.77x
Surrey 12 0.83x
Cumberland 11 4.31x
Hampshire 11 1.81x
Essex 10 1.71x
Cheshire 9 1.37x
Nottinghamshire 8 2.00x
Argyllshire 7 8.48x
Brecknockshire 7 11.80x
Gloucestershire 7 1.20x
Lincolnshire 7 1.48x
Flintshire 6 7.53x
Perthshire 6 4.51x
Ayrshire 5 2.25x
Kent 5 0.49x
Aberdeenshire 4 1.46x
Hertfordshire 3 1.47x
Angus 2 0.73x
Devon 2 0.32x
Inverness-shire 2 2.26x
Sussex 2 0.40x
Derbyshire 1 0.22x
Glamorgan 1 0.19x
Royal Navy 1 2.83x
Staffordshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Benfieldside in Durham leads with 10 Mcintoshs recorded in 1881 and an index of 172.41x.

Place Total Index
Benfieldside 10 172.41x
Govan 9 3.79x
Hammersmith London 8 10.95x
Kirkdale 8 13.51x
Glassary 7 157.30x
Kirkhaugh 7 3684.21x
Old Monkland 7 18.39x
West Derby 7 6.80x
Birkenhead 6 11.50x
Boltby 6 1935.48x
Flint 6 132.45x
Llanelly 6 84.51x
Longbenton 6 32.10x
St Cuthbert W O 6 48.19x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 18.26x
Barwick In Elmet 5 222.22x
Clifton In York 5 81.30x
Hawley 5 434.78x
Kirkby La Thorpe 5 1923.08x
Lambeth 5 1.93x
Liverpool 5 2.34x
Poplar London 5 8.93x
Aspatria 4 163.27x
Basford 4 21.72x
Bishopwearmouth 4 5.28x
Bromley London 4 6.13x
Dunblane 4 125.39x
Newington 4 3.65x
Nottingham St Mary 4 3.87x
St George Hanover 4 10.33x
St Marylebone London 4 2.53x
Wanstead 4 39.02x
West Ham 4 3.10x
Aberdeen Old Machar 3 5.23x
Bonchurch 3 434.78x
Hackney London 3 1.80x
Hemel Hempstead 3 32.57x
Manchester 3 1.90x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 11.39x
Paddington London 3 2.75x
Rishton 3 72.64x
Salford 3 2.90x
St Quivox 3 40.00x
Wallsend 3 21.44x
Ayr 2 19.10x
Berkeley 2 61.73x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.55x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 3.65x
Clifton 2 6.80x
Everton 2 1.78x
Finchley 2 17.59x
Gillingham 2 9.59x
Mile End Old Town 2 4.27x
Netherton N S Side 2 1250.00x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 8.75x
St Pancras London 2 0.84x
Bloxholm 1 1000.00x
Brocklesby 1 370.37x
Camberwell 1 0.53x
Cottingham 1 15.80x
Duthil 1 59.17x
Elswick 1 2.84x
Holy Trinity Less 1 156.25x
Hyde 1 5.18x
Islington London 1 0.35x
Layton With Warbreck 1 7.75x
Liff Benvie 1 2.40x
Lower Ystradgynlais 1 27.32x
Mains 1 42.92x
Margate St John Baptist 1 5.40x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 1 17.24x
Newholme Cum Dunsley 1 243.90x
Plumstead 1 2.96x
Portsmouth 1 7.14x
Shoreditch London 1 0.78x
St Andrew Holborn 1 9.95x
Sunderland 1 6.42x
Walmer 1 22.73x
Walthamstow 1 4.75x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 20
James 17
William 15
Alexander 9
Charles 5
Donald 5
Robert 5
Thomas 5
David 4
George 4
Hugh 3
Peter 3
Alfred 2
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Duncan 2
Francis 2
Joseph 2
Allan 1
Angus 1
Archibald 1
Benjamin 1
Campbell 1
Colin 1
Daniel 1
Dick 1
Edward 1
Evan 1
Harry 1
J. 1
Jack 1
Jas. 1
Jeffreoy 1
Josheph 1
Julian 1
Lauchan 1
Leonard 1
Leslie 1
Luke 1
Robt. 1
Roderick 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Stewart 1
W.H. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Mcintosh surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcintosh surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11,654 people were recorded with the Mcintosh surname. That placed it at #366 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcintosh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 14,244 in 2016. That gives Mcintosh a modern rank of #444.

What does the Mcintosh surname mean?

A Scottish surname referring to someone from Taynuilt, a village in Argyll, meaning "son of the chief."

What does the Mcintosh map show?

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