NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcken

An Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Aidh Eain meaning "son of the servant of St. John".

In the 1881 census there were 70 people recorded with the Mcken surname, ranking it #23,670 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 170, ranked #21,801, up from #23,670 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old Deer, St James Clerkenwell and Workington (Workington), Clossocks. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ythanside, Birmingham and Blackburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcken is 185 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 142.9%.

1881 census count

70

Ranked #23,670

Modern count

170

2016, ranked #21,801

Peak year

2011

185 bearers

Map years

4

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcken had 70 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,670 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 170 in 2016, ranked #21,801.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 105 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Mcken surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcken surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mcken 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 105 #16,618
1861 historical 91 #22,206
1881 historical 70 #23,670
1891 historical 61 #29,103
1901 historical 59 #27,609
1911 historical 16 #31,804
1997 modern 131 #22,927
1998 modern 133 #23,308
1999 modern 136 #23,186
2000 modern 131 #23,672
2001 modern 124 #24,114
2002 modern 137 #23,198
2003 modern 140 #22,634
2004 modern 146 #22,202
2005 modern 156 #21,221
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 163 #21,050
2008 modern 170 #20,672
2009 modern 175 #20,707
2010 modern 180 #20,812
2011 modern 185 #20,288
2012 modern 180 #20,606
2013 modern 178 #21,108
2014 modern 177 #21,340
2015 modern 172 #21,649
2016 modern 170 #21,801

Geography

Back to top

Where Mckens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Old Deer, St James Clerkenwell, Workington (Workington), Clossocks, Manchester and Dumfries. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ythanside, Birmingham, Blackburn, Dyce and Huntly. 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 Old Deer Aberdeen
2 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)
3 Workington (Workington), Clossocks Cumberland
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Dumfries Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ythanside Aberdeenshire
2 Birmingham 039 Birmingham
3 Blackburn Aberdeenshire
4 Dyce Aberdeen City
5 Huntly Aberdeenshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mcken

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mcken

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Mcken surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Mcken household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcken 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

Mcken is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mcken

The surname MCKEN is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic surname MacIain, meaning "son of Iain" or "son of John." This name can be traced back to the Scottish Highlands in the 12th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the MCKEN surname appear in the Scottish charter records of the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Notable examples include Dungal MacChen, who witnessed a charter in Moray in 1204, and Gillecrist MacKen, who is mentioned in the Book of Deer, an illuminated manuscript from around 1200.

Over time, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as McKen, McKenn, McKenne, and McKennie emerging in different regions of Scotland. Some of these variations may have been influenced by the Anglicization of Gaelic names during the late medieval and early modern periods.

The MCKEN surname is closely associated with the Scottish clan system, particularly the Clan MacKenzie. Historically, the MacKenzies were a powerful clan in the Highlands, based in Ross-shire and the Isle of Lewis. Several notable figures with the MCKEN surname have been linked to this clan, including Kenneth McKenzie (1635-1688), a Scottish writer and historian, and Sir Alexander McKenzie (1767-1820), a Canadian explorer and fur trader.

Another significant figure with the MCKEN surname was William McKen (1790-1865), a Scottish-born American educator and Presbyterian minister. He served as the first president of Miami University in Ohio and played a crucial role in the development of higher education in the state.

Other notable individuals with the MCKEN surname include Sir James McKen (1858-1933), a Scottish businessman and politician who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow, and John McKen (1915-1979), a Scottish artist known for his landscape paintings and etchings.

While the MCKEN surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, primarily through Scottish migration and settlement.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mcken families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcken 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. Cumberland leads with 7 Mckens recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.12x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 7 52.12x
Lancashire 4 2.16x
Midlothian 4 19.14x
Middlesex 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitehaven in Cumberland leads with 7 Mckens recorded in 1881 and an index of 972.22x.

Place Total Index
Whitehaven 7 972.22x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 47.56x
Liverpool 3 26.69x
St George Martyr 1 384.62x
Toxteth Park 1 15.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Nancy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Arther 1
James 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
William 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 Mcken households.

FAQ

Mcken surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcken surname in 1881?

In 1881, 70 people were recorded with the Mcken surname. That placed it at #23,670 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcken surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 170 in 2016. That gives Mcken a modern rank of #21,801.

What does the Mcken surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Aidh Eain meaning "son of the servant of St. John".

What does the Mcken map show?

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