NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckerrow

A Scottish surname suggesting an ancestor who lived near a row of cottages or houses.

In the 1881 census there were 358 people recorded with the Mckerrow surname, ranking it #8,638 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 289, ranked #15,137, down from #8,638 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old Cumnock, New Cumnock and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Easterhouse, Inverness Crown and Haugh and Kettle and Ladybank.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckerrow is 454 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 19.3%.

1881 census count

358

Ranked #8,638

Modern count

289

2016, ranked #15,137

Peak year

1901

454 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckerrow had 358 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,638 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 289 in 2016, ranked #15,137.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 454 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mckerrow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckerrow surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mckerrow 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 275 #8,150
1861 historical 291 #8,653
1881 historical 358 #8,638
1891 historical 385 #9,150
1901 historical 454 #8,657
1911 historical 111 #21,392
1997 modern 229 #16,168
1998 modern 247 #15,813
1999 modern 255 #15,599
2000 modern 265 #15,143
2001 modern 245 #15,721
2002 modern 250 #15,819
2003 modern 249 #15,653
2004 modern 248 #15,779
2005 modern 240 #16,092
2006 modern 241 #16,139
2007 modern 248 #15,994
2008 modern 255 #15,859
2009 modern 267 #15,661
2010 modern 272 #15,811
2011 modern 277 #15,433
2012 modern 269 #15,706
2013 modern 277 #15,644
2014 modern 286 #15,378
2015 modern 283 #15,380
2016 modern 289 #15,137

Geography

Back to top

Where Mckerrows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Old Cumnock, New Cumnock, Govan Combination, Glasgow and Kilmarnock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Easterhouse, Inverness Crown and Haugh, Kettle and Ladybank, Cumnock Rural and Bonnyton and Town Centre. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Old Cumnock Ayr
2 New Cumnock Ayr
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Kilmarnock Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Easterhouse Glasgow City
2 Inverness Crown and Haugh Highland
3 Kettle and Ladybank Fife
4 Cumnock Rural East Ayrshire
5 Bonnyton and Town Centre East Ayrshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mckerrow

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mckerrow

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mckerrow, 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 Mckerrow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mckerrow 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Mckerrow is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mckerrow 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

Mckerrow falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mckerrow 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 Mckerrow, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mckerrow

The surname McKerrow has its origins in Scotland and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is a locational name derived from the lands of Kerrow, which was a barony near the town of Ayton in Berwickshire. The name is believed to come from the Gaelic words "carra" meaning "rough" and "ath" meaning "ford," referring to a rough ford or crossing point over a river.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Here, the name appears as "McKerrou." Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, McKerrow.

In the 16th century, the McKerrow family held lands in the parish of Ayton and were considered a prominent local family. In 1538, a charter granted by King James V of Scotland mentions "John McKerrow of that Ilk," referring to the family's ancestral lands.

The McKerrow name also appears in various historical records and documents throughout the centuries. For instance, in the 17th century, a Robert McKerrow was a merchant in Leith, Scotland, and was recorded as a burgess of the city in 1642.

One notable figure bearing the McKerrow name was William McKerrow (1721-1778), a Scottish minister and author. He was born in Ayton and served as the minister of the Parish Church of Monkton from 1747 until his death.

Another prominent McKerrow was Ronald Brunlees McKerrow (1872-1940), a British scholar and bibliographer. He was a leading authority on the works of William Shakespeare and Thomas Nashe, and held positions at King's College London and the British Museum.

In the 19th century, John McKerrow (1795-1877) was a Scottish politician and landowner. He served as a Member of Parliament for the Haddington Burghs constituency from 1837 to 1857.

The McKerrow name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as McKerrow's Hill and McKerrow's Well, both located in the Borders region.

While the McKerrow surname is most prevalent in Scotland, it has also been found in other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond, as families migrated and settled in different areas over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mckerrow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mckerrow 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 18 Mckerrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.72x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 18 4.72x
Ayrshire 6 24.93x
Shropshire 5 17.99x
Middlesex 2 0.62x
Yorkshire 2 0.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 12 Mckerrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 98.68x.

Place Total Index
Everton 12 98.68x
West Derby 6 53.72x
Childs Ercall 5 10000.00x
Dundonald 4 449.44x
Ayr 2 175.44x
Halifax 1 21.37x
Hornsey 1 24.57x
Northowram 1 44.84x
St George Hanover Square 1 17.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Barbara 1
Bessie 1
Christina 1
Elizabeth 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Lois 1
Margaret 1
Margt.W.W. 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 3
Gavin 2
George 1
Henry 1
James 1
John 1
Mathew 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 Mckerrow households.

FAQ

Mckerrow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckerrow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 358 people were recorded with the Mckerrow surname. That placed it at #8,638 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mckerrow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 289 in 2016. That gives Mckerrow a modern rank of #15,137.

What does the Mckerrow surname mean?

A Scottish surname suggesting an ancestor who lived near a row of cottages or houses.

What does the Mckerrow map show?

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