NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckeith

Son or descendant of Keeth or Keith, an old Scottish personal name.

In the 1881 census there were 226 people recorded with the Mckeith surname, ranking it #11,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 230, ranked #17,812, down from #11,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to South Knapdale, Killean and Kilchenzie and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckeith is 252 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.8%.

1881 census count

226

Ranked #11,889

Modern count

230

2016, ranked #17,812

Peak year

2010

252 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckeith had 226 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016, ranked #17,812.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 226 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mckeith surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckeith surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mckeith 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 92 #18,050
1861 historical 155 #14,881
1881 historical 226 #11,889
1891 historical 215 #14,155
1901 historical 204 #14,925
1911 historical 76 #25,221
1997 modern 188 #18,324
1998 modern 199 #18,177
1999 modern 208 #17,808
2000 modern 218 #17,246
2001 modern 206 #17,624
2002 modern 214 #17,545
2003 modern 217 #17,176
2004 modern 219 #17,180
2005 modern 218 #17,170
2006 modern 222 #17,092
2007 modern 217 #17,520
2008 modern 231 #16,973
2009 modern 236 #17,103
2010 modern 252 #16,701
2011 modern 251 #16,589
2012 modern 234 #17,291
2013 modern 241 #17,202
2014 modern 240 #17,387
2015 modern 237 #17,413
2016 modern 230 #17,812

Geography

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Where Mckeiths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around South Knapdale, Killean and Kilchenzie, Gateshead, Saddell and Skipness 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 South Tyneside and Wakefield. 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 South Knapdale Argyll
2 Killean and Kilchenzie Argyll
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Saddell and Skipness Argyll
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 002 South Tyneside
2 South Tyneside 012 South Tyneside
3 Wakefield 020 Wakefield
4 South Tyneside 001 South Tyneside
5 South Tyneside 013 South Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mckeith

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mckeith

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Mckeith is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Mckeith is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mckeith 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 Mckeith is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mckeith

The surname McKeith originates from Scotland and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is a variant of the Gaelic name 'Mac Celchaith', which means 'son of the pale-skinned man'. The name was particularly prevalent in the Highlands of Scotland, specifically in the regions of Argyll and the Outer Hebrides.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McKeith can be found in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, dating back to 1592, where a certain John McKeith is mentioned as a landowner in Argyllshire. Additionally, the name appears in the Parish Records of Kilmorie on the Isle of Arran, where a family by the name of McKeith is documented as residing in the late 17th century.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname McKeith. One such figure is Sir John McKeith (1615-1678), a Scottish military officer who served as a Royalist during the English Civil War. He was knighted by King Charles II in recognition of his valiant efforts.

Another prominent McKeith was Alexander McKeith (1770-1842), a Scottish philosopher and educator who served as the rector of Marischal College in Aberdeen during the early 19th century. His contributions to the field of moral philosophy were highly regarded in his time.

In the realm of literature, we find Robert McKeith (1823-1887), a Scottish poet and author best known for his collection of poems titled "The Voice of the North", published in 1857. His works celebrated the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands and the resilience of its people.

Crossing the Atlantic, we encounter James McKeith (1834-1901), a Scottish-American industrialist who made significant contributions to the development of the steel industry in the United States. He founded the McKeith Iron and Steel Company in Pittsburgh, which played a pivotal role in the growth of the city's industrial prowess.

Lastly, we have Iain McKeith (1900-1972), a renowned Scottish artist and sculptor whose works captured the essence of Highland life and culture. His sculptures, which depicted scenes from traditional crofting communities, can be found in various museums and galleries throughout Scotland.

While the name McKeith may have evolved over time, its roots remain firmly grounded in the rich cultural tapestry of the Scottish Highlands, where it has left an indelible mark on the region's history and heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mckeith families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mckeith 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. Durham leads with 7 Mckeiths recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.19x.

County Total Index
Durham 7 24.19x
Northumberland 2 13.82x
Surrey 1 2.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westoe in Durham leads with 6 Mckeiths recorded in 1881 and an index of 365.85x.

Place Total Index
Westoe 6 365.85x
Cramlington 2 1052.63x
Heworth 1 175.44x
Penge 1 161.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 2
Bertram 1
Donald 1
George 1
John 1
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 Mckeith households.

FAQ

Mckeith surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckeith surname in 1881?

In 1881, 226 people were recorded with the Mckeith surname. That placed it at #11,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mckeith surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016. That gives Mckeith a modern rank of #17,812.

What does the Mckeith surname mean?

Son or descendant of Keeth or Keith, an old Scottish personal name.

What does the Mckeith map show?

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