NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckechnie

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "MacEchen" meaning "son of Echan or Hecchan".

In the 1881 census there were 2,170 people recorded with the Mckechnie surname, ranking it #2,046 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,997, ranked #2,243, down from #2,046 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Whiteinch, Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield and Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckechnie is 3,051 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.1%.

1881 census count

2,170

Ranked #2,046

Modern count

2,997

2016, ranked #2,243

Peak year

2010

3,051 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckechnie had 2,170 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,046 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,997 in 2016, ranked #2,243.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,580 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mckechnie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckechnie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mckechnie 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 1,205 #2,366
1861 historical 1,409 #2,028
1881 historical 2,170 #2,046
1891 historical 2,207 #2,117
1901 historical 2,580 #2,131
1911 historical 313 #11,108
1997 modern 2,665 #2,394
1998 modern 2,867 #2,343
1999 modern 2,894 #2,338
2000 modern 2,931 #2,296
2001 modern 2,890 #2,281
2002 modern 2,937 #2,298
2003 modern 2,845 #2,309
2004 modern 2,836 #2,322
2005 modern 2,851 #2,277
2006 modern 2,868 #2,265
2007 modern 2,908 #2,249
2008 modern 2,941 #2,237
2009 modern 3,010 #2,242
2010 modern 3,051 #2,265
2011 modern 2,975 #2,292
2012 modern 2,918 #2,293
2013 modern 2,966 #2,298
2014 modern 3,015 #2,278
2015 modern 2,994 #2,262
2016 modern 2,997 #2,243

Geography

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Where Mckechnies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Greenock, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Whiteinch, Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield, Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central, South Castlehill and Thorn and Blaeberry Hill and East Whitburn. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Whiteinch Glasgow City
2 Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield Inverclyde
3 Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central Inverclyde
4 South Castlehill and Thorn East Dunbartonshire
5 Blaeberry Hill and East Whitburn West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mckechnie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mckechnie

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mckechnie 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

Mckechnie 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mckechnie

The surname McKechnie is of Scottish origin, derived from the Scottish Gaelic "Mac Eachuinn" meaning "son of Eachuinn." Eachuinn is a personal name derived from the Old Gaelic "ech" meaning "horse" and a diminutive suffix "-an," indicating a connection to horses or horse breeding.

The name first emerged in the regions of Argyll and Bute on the western coast of Scotland, where the McKechnie clan had its ancestral lands. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1263 as "Malcolm McKechny."

In the 16th century, a branch of the McKechnie family settled in the parish of Kippen, Stirlingshire, where they held lands and were recorded as landowners. The name is also found in records from Lanarkshire and Ayrshire during this period.

One notable figure in the history of the McKechnie name is John McKechnie (1579-1654), a Scottish minister who served as the Minister of Kilcalmonell and Kilberry in Argyll from 1610 until his death. He was a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland during the turbulent times of the Scottish Reformation.

Another individual of note is William McKechnie (1887-1965), an American professional baseball player and manager. Born in Fredericktown, Ohio, he managed several Major League Baseball teams, including the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

In the 18th century, the McKechnie name appears in the Annals of Dunfermline, a historical record of the town of Dunfermline in Fife, Scotland. The record mentions a John McKechnie who was a merchant and burgess (a town resident with certain rights and privileges) in Dunfermline in the mid-1700s.

Other notable individuals with the McKechnie surname include Robert McKechnie (1872-1949), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Glasgow, and William McKechnie (1838-1908), a Scottish-born businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons representing the riding of Vancouver from 1900 to 1908.

Throughout its history, the McKechnie surname has undergone various spelling variations, including McKechny, McKechany, McKechnie, and others, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic variations of the areas where the name was found.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mckechnie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mckechnie 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. Hampshire leads with 8 Mckechnies recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.02x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 8 16.02x
Lancashire 6 2.08x
Yorkshire 6 2.49x
Surrey 2 1.68x
Buteshire 1 67.57x
Durham 1 1.38x
Middlesex 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alverstoke in Hampshire leads with 8 Mckechnies recorded in 1881 and an index of 441.99x.

Place Total Index
Alverstoke 8 441.99x
Bradford 4 68.49x
Everton 4 43.43x
Accrington 1 38.02x
Bishop Auckland 1 103.09x
Bute North 1 1000.00x
Hackney London 1 7.32x
Lambeth 1 4.71x
Leeds 1 7.34x
Streatham 1 55.25x
West Derby 1 11.82x
York St Peter The 1 3333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Ada 1
Elizth. 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Robert 2
Alexander 1
Allan 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Cyril 1
Donald 1
George 1
Montague 1
Neil 1
Samuel 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 Mckechnie households.

FAQ

Mckechnie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckechnie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,170 people were recorded with the Mckechnie surname. That placed it at #2,046 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mckechnie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,997 in 2016. That gives Mckechnie a modern rank of #2,243.

What does the Mckechnie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "MacEchen" meaning "son of Echan or Hecchan".

What does the Mckechnie map show?

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