NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckane

An Anglicized version of the Irish surname Mac Cána, meaning 'son of Cána'.

In the 1881 census there were 143 people recorded with the Mckane surname, ranking it #15,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 359, ranked #12,898, up from #15,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Bothwell and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tweeddale West Area, Pendle and Lincoln.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckane is 379 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 151.0%.

1881 census count

143

Ranked #15,955

Modern count

359

2016, ranked #12,898

Peak year

2009

379 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckane had 143 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016, ranked #12,898.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 190 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mckane surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckane surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mckane 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 77 #19,998
1861 historical 143 #15,906
1881 historical 143 #15,955
1891 historical 190 #15,486
1901 historical 174 #16,520
1911 historical 49 #27,894
1997 modern 354 #12,060
1998 modern 344 #12,679
1999 modern 352 #12,552
2000 modern 357 #12,380
2001 modern 355 #12,253
2002 modern 360 #12,360
2003 modern 347 #12,479
2004 modern 348 #12,495
2005 modern 342 #12,579
2006 modern 341 #12,684
2007 modern 365 #12,205
2008 modern 358 #12,485
2009 modern 379 #12,224
2010 modern 376 #12,548
2011 modern 372 #12,519
2012 modern 354 #12,851
2013 modern 352 #13,130
2014 modern 355 #13,125
2015 modern 356 #13,009
2016 modern 359 #12,898

Geography

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Where Mckanes are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Tweeddale West Area, Pendle, Lincoln, Leeds and St Albans. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Bothwell Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tweeddale West Area Scottish Borders
2 Pendle 001 Pendle
3 Lincoln 004 Lincoln
4 Leeds 080 Leeds
5 St Albans 020 St Albans

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mckane

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mckane

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Mckane surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mckane household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mckane 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

Mckane is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mckane

The surname McKane has its origins in Scotland, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Mac Cain," which means "son of Cain" or "son of the fair one." The name likely originated in the Highlands of Scotland, where Gaelic naming traditions were prevalent.

One of the earliest documented references to the surname McKane can be found in the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland from 1587, which mentions a person named John McKane. Another early record is the Perth Commissary Court Book from 1605, which lists a William McKane.

In the 17th century, the McKane surname appeared in various Scottish records, including parish registers and court documents. One notable example is John McKane, a merchant from Ayr, who is mentioned in the Ayr Burgh Records in 1642.

The surname McKane has several spelling variations, such as McKean, McKeen, and McKain, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings in earlier times. These variations can be found in historical records across Scotland.

During the 18th century, the McKane surname spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Ireland and England. One significant figure from this period was Captain John McKane, a Scottish naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783).

In the 19th century, several individuals with the McKane surname achieved notable positions. For example, Robert McKane (1789-1860) was a Scottish mathematician and professor at the University of Glasgow, while James McKane (1832-1906) was a prominent Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist based in New York City.

Other historical figures with the McKane surname include William McKane (1847-1921), a Scottish-born merchant and politician in New Zealand, and Joseph McKane (1841-1920), an Irish-born prelate who served as the Bishop of Clogher in Ireland from 1888 to 1920.

The McKane surname has also been associated with various place names, such as McKane's Falls in Ontario, Canada, and McKane's Creek in Virginia, United States, suggesting the migration patterns of individuals with this surname over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mckane families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mckane 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 Mckanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.33x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3 4.33x
Caernarfonshire 1 42.37x
Middlesex 1 1.71x
Nottinghamshire 1 12.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 2 Mckanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 85.11x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 2 85.11x
North Collingham 1 5000.00x
North Meols 1 147.06x
St Marylebone London 1 32.05x
Trefriw 1 10000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 2
Catherine 1
Kate 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Francis 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 Mckane households.

FAQ

Mckane surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckane surname in 1881?

In 1881, 143 people were recorded with the Mckane surname. That placed it at #15,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mckane surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016. That gives Mckane a modern rank of #12,898.

What does the Mckane surname mean?

An Anglicized version of the Irish surname Mac Cána, meaning 'son of Cána'.

What does the Mckane map show?

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