NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckinlay

A Scottish surname derived from Gaelic meaning "son of the servant" or "son of the devotee."

In the 1881 census there were 2,394 people recorded with the Mckinlay surname, ranking it #1,863 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,240, ranked #2,099, down from #1,863 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Bute and Rothesay, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Largs Central and Cumbrae, Braidfauld and IZ08.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckinlay is 3,247 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.3%.

1881 census count

2,394

Ranked #1,863

Modern count

3,240

2016, ranked #2,099

Peak year

2014

3,247 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckinlay had 2,394 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,863 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,240 in 2016, ranked #2,099.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,729 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mckinlay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckinlay surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mckinlay 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 2,132 #1,366
1861 historical 2,009 #1,447
1881 historical 2,394 #1,863
1891 historical 2,729 #1,734
1901 historical 2,714 #2,047
1911 historical 360 #10,063
1997 modern 3,039 #2,110
1998 modern 3,089 #2,173
1999 modern 3,099 #2,185
2000 modern 3,080 #2,190
2001 modern 3,046 #2,161
2002 modern 3,147 #2,132
2003 modern 3,041 #2,158
2004 modern 3,050 #2,150
2005 modern 3,021 #2,142
2006 modern 3,011 #2,153
2007 modern 3,047 #2,148
2008 modern 3,127 #2,111
2009 modern 3,171 #2,133
2010 modern 3,220 #2,146
2011 modern 3,181 #2,145
2012 modern 3,138 #2,140
2013 modern 3,175 #2,154
2014 modern 3,247 #2,128
2015 modern 3,229 #2,118
2016 modern 3,240 #2,099

Geography

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Where Mckinlays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Bute and Rothesay, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Bonhill and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Largs Central and Cumbrae, Braidfauld, IZ08, Stenhousemuir West and IZ12. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 North Bute and Rothesay Bute
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Bonhill Dunbarton
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Largs Central and Cumbrae North Ayrshire
2 Braidfauld Glasgow City
3 IZ08 West Dunbartonshire
4 Stenhousemuir West Falkirk
5 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mckinlay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mckinlay

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mckinlay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mckinlay household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Mckinlay is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mckinlay 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mckinlay

The surname McKinlay originated in Scotland during the medieval era, deriving from the Gaelic personal name "Fionnlagh," which means "fair-haired stranger" or "fair-haired wanderer." This name was likely given to a fair-haired person who had traveled from another region.

The McKinlay name first emerged in the Lennox district of Dunbartonshire, near the ancient city of Glasgow. It is believed to have been a branch of the Clan Buchanan, one of the oldest and most powerful clans in the Scottish Highlands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the McKinlay surname can be traced back to the 16th century, with the appearance of a certain John McKinlay in the Records of the Scottish Parliament in 1542. This suggests that the name had already been established by that time.

In the 17th century, the McKinlays were prominent landowners in the Lennox area, with several members of the family holding positions of authority and influence. One notable figure was Sir John McKinlay, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the late 1600s.

The surname McKinlay has also been associated with the town of Largs in Ayrshire, Scotland. In the 18th century, a branch of the family settled in the area, and the name became closely tied to the local community.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname McKinlay, including:

1. Donald McKinlay (1757-1836), a Scottish naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. 2. John McKinlay (1819-1872), a Scottish explorer who led several expeditions in Australia, including the Burke and Wills Expedition in 1860-1861. 3. Archibald McKinlay (1852-1919), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives. 4. Elizabeth McKinlay (1909-1990), a New Zealand writer and journalist known for her children's books and poetry. 5. Alistair McKinlay (born 1954), a Scottish actor and playwright who has appeared in numerous television shows and films.

The McKinlay surname has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as McKinlay's Cottage and McKinlay's Hill, further highlighting the family's historical presence and influence in certain regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mckinlay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mckinlay 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. Lanarkshire leads with 19 Mckinlays recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.41x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 19 9.41x
Yorkshire 15 2.42x
Midlothian 9 10.76x
Durham 6 3.23x
Renfrewshire 4 8.27x
Ayrshire 3 6.42x
Royal Navy 3 40.32x
Devon 2 1.54x
Middlesex 2 0.32x
Surrey 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lesmahagow in Lanarkshire leads with 11 Mckinlays recorded in 1881 and an index of 514.02x.

Place Total Index
Lesmahagow 11 514.02x
Newbattle 9 1267.61x
Sculcoates 9 91.74x
Douglas 7 1206.90x
Bishopwearmouth 6 37.64x
Middlesbrough 5 62.03x
Paisley Low Church 4 261.44x
Ayr 3 135.75x
Stoke Damerel 2 21.98x
Govan 1 2.00x
Headingley Cum Burley 1 25.13x
Islington London 1 1.65x
Newington 1 4.34x
St George Hanover 1 12.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Priscilla 2
Christiana 1
Eliza 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Hannah 1
Margaret 1
Millicent 1
Wm 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
James 3
Archibald 1
Donald 1
George 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 Mckinlay households.

FAQ

Mckinlay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckinlay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,394 people were recorded with the Mckinlay surname. That placed it at #1,863 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mckinlay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,240 in 2016. That gives Mckinlay a modern rank of #2,099.

What does the Mckinlay surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from Gaelic meaning "son of the servant" or "son of the devotee."

What does the Mckinlay map show?

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