NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckibbin

A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "the son of the toddler".

In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Mckibbin surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 449, ranked #10,816, up from #22,225 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carmarthenshire, Conwy and Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckibbin is 465 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 461.3%.

1881 census count

80

Ranked #22,225

Modern count

449

2016, ranked #10,816

Peak year

2013

465 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckibbin had 80 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,225 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 449 in 2016, ranked #10,816.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 166 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mckibbin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckibbin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mckibbin 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 27 #28,467
1861 historical 26 #30,677
1881 historical 80 #22,225
1891 historical 118 #21,540
1901 historical 166 #17,011
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 375 #11,555
1998 modern 383 #11,748
1999 modern 391 #11,640
2000 modern 407 #11,252
2001 modern 391 #11,404
2002 modern 400 #11,443
2003 modern 400 #11,262
2004 modern 398 #11,321
2005 modern 403 #11,120
2006 modern 408 #11,062
2007 modern 431 #10,703
2008 modern 438 #10,668
2009 modern 443 #10,821
2010 modern 456 #10,784
2011 modern 454 #10,707
2012 modern 452 #10,619
2013 modern 465 #10,569
2014 modern 462 #10,676
2015 modern 451 #10,801
2016 modern 449 #10,816

Geography

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Where Mckibbins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, West Derby and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carmarthenshire, Conwy, Sefton, Liverpool and Uddingston and Gardenside. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carmarthenshire 021 Carmarthenshire
2 Conwy 001 Conwy
3 Sefton 027 Sefton
4 Liverpool 022 Liverpool
5 Uddingston and Gardenside South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mckibbin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mckibbin

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mckibbin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mckibbin is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mckibbin

The surname McKibbin has its origins in Scotland, emerging in the late 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Gille Ghobhainn," which translates to "servant of the smith" or "follower of the smith." This suggests that the name was likely associated with an early ancestor who worked as a blacksmith or was closely connected to the trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which mention a "Malcolm McKibyn" in 1329. The spelling variations during this period included McKibyn, McKybin, and McKibben, reflecting the phonetic adaptations common in those times.

The McKibbin surname is closely linked to the Scottish Highlands, particularly in areas such as Argyll, Perthshire, and the Hebrides Islands. It is believed that the name originated in these regions and later spread to other parts of Scotland and beyond.

In the 16th century, historical records mention a notable figure named John McKibbin, who served as a magistrate in the town of Stirling. Another significant individual was Sir Robert McKibbin, a Scottish soldier born in 1612, who fought in the English Civil War and later became a prominent landowner in County Antrim, Ireland.

During the 17th century, many McKibbins migrated from Scotland to Ulster, Ireland, due to economic and religious pressures. This diaspora contributed to the name's spread across the Irish Sea and its eventual establishment in various parts of Ireland.

One of the earliest known McKibbins in North America was James McKibbin, born in 1720 in County Antrim, Ireland. He later emigrated to Pennsylvania in the mid-18th century, where he and his descendants helped establish the McKibbin lineage in the United States.

Another notable figure was Samuel McKibbin, an Irish-born Presbyterian minister and educator who lived from 1758 to 1842. He played a significant role in the early development of higher education in the United States, serving as the first president of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia.

The McKibbin surname has also been associated with various place names, such as McKibbin's Brook in County Antrim, Ireland, and McKibbin's Crossroads in Virginia, United States, reflecting the legacy and impact of individuals bearing this name in different regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mckibbin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mckibbin 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 6 Mckibbins recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.65x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 6 8.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Derby in Lancashire leads with 6 Mckibbins recorded in 1881 and an index of 295.57x.

Place Total Index
West Derby 6 295.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Anne 1
Lizzie 1
R. 1
S.C. 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
T.C.St.C. 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 Mckibbin households.

Occupation Count
No Profession 3
Scholar 3

FAQ

Mckibbin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckibbin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Mckibbin surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mckibbin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 449 in 2016. That gives Mckibbin a modern rank of #10,816.

What does the Mckibbin surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "the son of the toddler".

What does the Mckibbin map show?

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