NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcisaac

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Issac" meaning "son of Isaac."

In the 1881 census there were 419 people recorded with the Mcisaac surname, ranking it #7,703 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 242, ranked #17,177, down from #7,703 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Comrie, Govan Combination and Arisaig and Moidart. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Laurieston and Tradeston, Braes Villages and Campbeltown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcisaac is 534 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 42.2%.

1881 census count

419

Ranked #7,703

Modern count

242

2016, ranked #17,177

Peak year

1901

534 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcisaac had 419 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,703 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 534 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcisaac surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcisaac surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcisaac 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 432 #5,676
1861 historical 392 #6,536
1881 historical 419 #7,703
1891 historical 409 #8,712
1901 historical 534 #7,683
1911 historical 80 #24,821
1997 modern 218 #16,704
1998 modern 232 #16,508
1999 modern 250 #15,802
2000 modern 232 #16,562
2001 modern 222 #16,806
2002 modern 214 #17,545
2003 modern 207 #17,746
2004 modern 216 #17,331
2005 modern 211 #17,520
2006 modern 210 #17,718
2007 modern 202 #18,359
2008 modern 207 #18,243
2009 modern 223 #17,735
2010 modern 233 #17,606
2011 modern 220 #18,096
2012 modern 228 #17,584
2013 modern 237 #17,423
2014 modern 239 #17,429
2015 modern 242 #17,191
2016 modern 242 #17,177

Geography

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Where Mcisaacs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Comrie, Govan Combination, Arisaig and Moidart, South Uist and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Laurieston and Tradeston, Braes Villages, Campbeltown, New Pitsligo and Kintyre Trail. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Comrie Perth
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Arisaig and Moidart Inverness
4 South Uist Inverness
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Laurieston and Tradeston Glasgow City
2 Braes Villages Falkirk
3 Campbeltown Argyll and Bute
4 New Pitsligo Aberdeenshire
5 Kintyre Trail Argyll and Bute

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcisaac

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcisaac

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

Mcisaac 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcisaac

The surname McIsaac originated in Scotland and dates back to the early medieval period. It is a patronymic name derived from the Gaelic personal name "Isaac," which itself comes from the Hebrew name "Yitzchak," meaning "he will laugh" or "he will rejoice." The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" means "son of" in Scottish Gaelic.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and the Isles. It is believed that the name first appeared in written records around the 13th or 14th century, although the exact date is uncertain due to the scarcity of early documentation.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Donald McIsaac, who was documented in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1492. Another early reference can be found in the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, which mentions a John McIsaac in 1548.

The McIsaac name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most prominent was Rev. Angus McIsaac (1835-1912), a respected Presbyterian minister and author from Nova Scotia, Canada. He wrote extensively on Scottish Gaelic language and literature.

Another noteworthy figure was Archibald McIsaac (1824-1903), a Scottish-born businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1887 to 1896, representing the electoral district of Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

In the literary realm, the name is associated with Canadian author and playwright Alistair MacIsaac (1936-2019), who wrote several novels and plays exploring themes of identity and cultural heritage.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in North America can be found in the records of the Scots Charitable Society of Boston, Massachusetts, which lists a John McIsaac as a member in 1729.

Over time, various spelling variations of the name have emerged, such as MacIsaac, McIsaack, and McEssick, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic influences of different areas where the name was established.

Despite its Scottish origins, the McIsaac surname has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots and historical significance remain firmly embedded in the Scottish Highlands and the Gaelic cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcisaac families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcisaac 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. Inverness-shire leads with 17 Mcisaacs recorded in 1881 and an index of 307.41x.

County Total Index
Inverness-shire 17 307.41x
Glamorgan 1 3.10x
Lanarkshire 1 1.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Uist in Inverness-shire leads with 17 Mcisaacs recorded in 1881 and an index of 7727.27x.

Place Total Index
North Uist 17 7727.27x
Bothwell 1 61.73x
Cardiff St Mary 1 56.18x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 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 Mcisaac households.

Occupation Count
Shipwright 1

FAQ

Mcisaac surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcisaac surname in 1881?

In 1881, 419 people were recorded with the Mcisaac surname. That placed it at #7,703 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcisaac surname today?

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

What does the Mcisaac surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Issac" meaning "son of Isaac."

What does the Mcisaac map show?

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