UK surname
Scottish occupational surname referring to someone who carried out plowing or farming duties.
In the 1881 census there were 84 people recorded with the Mckercher surname, ranking it #21,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 13, ranked #37,278, down from #21,690 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Dull, Comrie and Killin. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckercher is 152 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 84.5%.
1881 census count
84
Ranked #21,690
Modern count
13
2016, ranked #37,278
Peak year
1851
152 bearers
Map years
1
1851 to 1851
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Mckercher surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Mckercher surname density by area, 1851 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 152 | #12,786 |
| 1861 | historical | 79 | #23,702 |
| 1881 | historical | 84 | #21,690 |
| 1891 | historical | 85 | #26,080 |
| 1901 | historical | 71 | #26,277 |
| 1911 | historical | 20 | #31,288 |
| 1997 | modern | 18 | #36,053 |
| 1998 | modern | 17 | #36,240 |
| 1999 | modern | 17 | #36,261 |
| 2000 | modern | 14 | #36,522 |
| 2001 | modern | 13 | #36,483 |
| 2002 | modern | 17 | #36,164 |
| 2003 | modern | 17 | #36,198 |
| 2004 | modern | 16 | #36,439 |
| 2005 | modern | 13 | #36,833 |
| 2006 | modern | 14 | #36,801 |
| 2007 | modern | 14 | #36,886 |
| 2008 | modern | 15 | #36,843 |
| 2009 | modern | 16 | #36,850 |
| 2010 | modern | 17 | #36,862 |
| 2011 | modern | 15 | #37,030 |
| 2012 | modern | 15 | #36,982 |
| 2013 | modern | 14 | #37,127 |
| 2014 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2015 | modern | 14 | #37,157 |
| 2016 | modern | 13 | #37,278 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Dull, Comrie, Killin, Ardchattan and Muckairn and Fortingall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dull | Perth |
| 2 | Comrie | Perth |
| 3 | Killin | Perth |
| 4 | Ardchattan and Muckairn | Argyll |
| 5 | Fortingall | Perth |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Mckercher surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mckercher, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Mckercher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Mckercher household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Mckercher is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mckercher is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Mckercher, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname McKercher originated in Scotland, deriving from the old Scottish Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "cearchair" meaning "shoemaker" or "cobbler". It is believed to have first emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century in the region of Argyll and Bute, on the western coast of Scotland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to 1296, when a John McKercher was listed in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls rendered to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners. The name is also found in the records of the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in the 14th century.
The McKercher family was historically associated with the Isle of Islay, one of the southern Hebrides islands off the west coast of Scotland. In the 16th century, a branch of the family settled in the nearby Scottish mainland region of Kintyre.
Notable bearers of the McKercher surname include Angus McKercher (c. 1550-1620), a Scottish poet and translator who lived on the Isle of Islay. His works included translations of Latin texts and poems in Scots Gaelic.
Another prominent figure was John McKercher (1708-1784), a Scottish minister and writer who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1766. He was known for his sermons and publications on religious topics.
In the 19th century, John McKercher (1810-1881) was a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Hamilton, Ontario, from 1871 to 1872.
In more recent history, Donald McKercher (1915-2002) was a Canadian historian and author, known for his works on Scottish and Canadian history, including the book "Scots in Canada" published in 1998.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the McKercher name in North America dates back to 1774, when a John McKercher is listed as an immigrant from Scotland to Pennsylvania.
While variations in spelling have occurred over time, such as McKerchar and McKercher, the name has maintained its Scottish origins and connection to the ancient trade of shoemaking or cobbling.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mckercher surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Westmorland leads with 1 Mckerchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 476.19x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Westmorland | 1 | 476.19x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkby Lonsdale in Westmorland leads with 1 Mckerchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kirkby Lonsdale | 1 | 10000.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mckercher surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth | 1 |
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 Mckercher households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Cook Dom | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 84 people were recorded with the Mckercher surname. That placed it at #21,690 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 13 in 2016. That gives Mckercher a modern rank of #37,278.
Scottish occupational surname referring to someone who carried out plowing or farming duties.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mckercher bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.