NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckune

A Scottish surname derived from Scottish Gaelic "mac Cuinn" meaning "son of Conn".

In the 1881 census there were 83 people recorded with the Mckune surname, ranking it #21,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 125, ranked #26,827, down from #21,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Abbey, Dumfries and Annan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingholm, Knowsley and Mid Nithsdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckune is 139 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.6%.

1881 census count

83

Ranked #21,808

Modern count

125

2016, ranked #26,827

Peak year

2000

139 bearers

Map years

5

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckune had 83 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016, ranked #26,827.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 104 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Mckune surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckune surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mckune 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 101 #17,036
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 83 #21,808
1891 historical 62 #28,991
1901 historical 73 #26,069
1911 historical 18 #31,542
1997 modern 123 #23,792
1998 modern 128 #23,828
1999 modern 132 #23,602
2000 modern 139 #22,855
2001 modern 130 #23,457
2002 modern 126 #24,393
2003 modern 120 #24,909
2004 modern 117 #25,448
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 126 #24,860
2008 modern 130 #24,695
2009 modern 133 #24,817
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 133 #25,177
2012 modern 127 #25,992
2013 modern 128 #26,336
2014 modern 132 #25,971
2015 modern 128 #26,356
2016 modern 125 #26,827

Geography

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Where Mckunes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Abbey, Dumfries, Annan, Liverpool and Cummertrees. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingholm, Knowsley, Mid Nithsdale, Halton and Cornwall. 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 New Abbey Kirkcudbright
2 Dumfries Dumfries
3 Annan Dumfries
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Cummertrees Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingholm Dumfries and Galloway
2 Knowsley 011 Knowsley
3 Mid Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
4 Halton 014 Halton
5 Cornwall 021 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mckune

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mckune

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Mckune surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mckune household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mckune 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

Mckune is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mckune

The surname McKune has its origins in Scotland, emerging in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "cuine" meaning "cube" or "square," suggesting a connection to a family occupation or physical characteristic.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented Scottish landowners' pledges of allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name is spelled "McKuyn" in this ancient record, reflecting the evolution of its spelling over time.

In the 15th century, the McKune family was prominent in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. Several members of the clan held positions of influence, such as William McKune, who served as a magistrate in the town of Irvine in 1487.

The name McKune has also been associated with notable figures throughout history. Sir John McKune (1560-1628) was a Scottish merchant and diplomat who played a significant role in establishing trade relations between Scotland and the Netherlands. Another prominent individual was Robert McKune (1720-1791), a Presbyterian minister who emigrated to America and became a leading figure in the American Revolution.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, many McKunes left Scotland and settled in various parts of America, including Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Carolinas. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America is that of James McKune, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1683 aboard the ship Caledonian Merchant.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname McKune include:

1. Alexander McKune (1801-1876), an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio. 2. John McKune (1835-1913), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. 3. Mary McKune (1856-1933), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, who founded the Pennsylvania College for Women. 4. William McKune (1887-1964), an American architect known for his work in the Art Deco style, including the design of the Williamsburg Savings Bank in Brooklyn, New York. 5. James McKune (1903-1985), a Scottish-American actor best known for his role as Dr. Victor Sievers in the television series The Fugitive.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mckune families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mckune 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. Middlesex leads with 4 Mckunes recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 4 10.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edmonton in Middlesex leads with 4 Mckunes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1290.32x.

Place Total Index
Edmonton 4 1290.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 1
Irving 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 1
John 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 Mckune households.

Occupation Count
Clerk 1
Draper 1

FAQ

Mckune surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckune surname in 1881?

In 1881, 83 people were recorded with the Mckune surname. That placed it at #21,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mckune surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016. That gives Mckune a modern rank of #26,827.

What does the Mckune surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from Scottish Gaelic "mac Cuinn" meaning "son of Conn".

What does the Mckune map show?

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