NameCensus.

UK surname

Mclachlan

Originating from Scottish Gaelic, a surname meaning "son of the servant".

In the 1881 census there were 5,272 people recorded with the Mclachlan surname, ranking it #844 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,444, ranked #1,531, down from #844 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kilmallie and Ardgour, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rothesay Town, IZ04 and Glenwood South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mclachlan is 5,741 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.7%.

1881 census count

5,272

Ranked #844

Modern count

4,444

2016, ranked #1,531

Peak year

1901

5,741 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mclachlan had 5,272 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #844 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,444 in 2016, ranked #1,531.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,741 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mclachlan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mclachlan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mclachlan 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 4,080 #700
1861 historical 3,976 #700
1881 historical 5,272 #844
1891 historical 5,630 #835
1901 historical 5,741 #970
1911 historical 791 #5,516
1997 modern 4,104 #1,581
1998 modern 4,232 #1,592
1999 modern 4,260 #1,589
2000 modern 4,229 #1,591
2001 modern 4,120 #1,596
2002 modern 4,252 #1,575
2003 modern 4,168 #1,576
2004 modern 4,198 #1,573
2005 modern 4,245 #1,534
2006 modern 4,261 #1,531
2007 modern 4,384 #1,510
2008 modern 4,382 #1,520
2009 modern 4,452 #1,528
2010 modern 4,499 #1,551
2011 modern 4,464 #1,538
2012 modern 4,318 #1,558
2013 modern 4,392 #1,561
2014 modern 4,469 #1,546
2015 modern 4,442 #1,536
2016 modern 4,444 #1,531

Geography

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Where Mclachlans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kilmallie and Ardgour, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Kilfinan and Ardnamurchan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rothesay Town, IZ04, Glenwood South, Campbeltown and Kirkcudbright. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kilmallie and Ardgour Inverness
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Kilfinan Argyll
5 Ardnamurchan Argyll

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rothesay Town Argyll and Bute
2 IZ04 West Dunbartonshire
3 Glenwood South Glasgow City
4 Campbeltown Argyll and Bute
5 Kirkcudbright Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mclachlan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mclachlan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mclachlan, 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 Mclachlan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mclachlan 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mclachlan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mclachlan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mclachlan

The surname MCLACHLAN has its origins in Scotland, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is a Scottish Gaelic name derived from the personal name "Lachlann" and the prefix "Mc" or "Mac," meaning "son of." The name Lachlann is derived from the Old Norse name "Lachlan" or "Lochlann," which means "from Norway" or "from the land of the lochs."

MCLACHLAN is a variant spelling of the more common Scottish surname MACLACHLAN. The earliest known record of the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where it appears as "Gillemor Maclaghlane." This document recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

In the 15th century, the MCLACHLAN clan was based in the region of Argyll and Bute, on the western coast of Scotland. They were a branch of the larger Clan Lamont and held lands around Strathlachlan, from which they took their name. The MCLACHLAN chief was known as the "Laird of Strathlachlan."

One notable figure from the MCLACHLAN clan was Archibald MCLACHLAN of Kilbride (1677-1748), who served as a captain in the British Army and fought in the Battle of Sheriffmuir during the Jacobite Rising of 1715. Another was Ewen MCLACHLAN (1775-1822), a Scottish poet and song collector from Argyll.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the name MCLACHLAN appeared in various forms in Scottish records, including MACLAUCHLANE, MACLACHLAN, and MCLAUGHLANE. The spelling MCLACHLAN became more standardized in the 19th century.

Other notable individuals with the surname MCLACHLAN include:

1. Thomas MCLACHLAN (1798-1874), a Scottish-Canadian businessman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament in Canada. 2. Robert MCLACHLAN (1837-1904), a British entomologist and author of works on neuropterid insects. 3. Edward Yeamans Walcott MCLACHLAN (1849-1920), a British military officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross for his actions during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. 4. James MCLACHLAN (1869-1937), a Scottish-Canadian trade union leader and politician who served as a Member of Parliament in Canada. 5. Sarah MCLACHLAN (born 1968), a Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-platinum recording artist known for hits like "Angel" and "Adia."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mclachlan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mclachlan 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 30 Mclachlans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.40x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 30 2.40x
Northumberland 17 9.15x
Surrey 17 2.79x
Ayrshire 9 9.63x
Durham 7 1.88x
Essex 7 2.84x
Cumberland 5 4.65x
Lancashire 5 0.34x
Argyllshire 4 11.51x
Lanarkshire 4 0.99x
Cheshire 3 1.09x
Kent 3 0.70x
Renfrewshire 3 3.10x
Sussex 3 1.43x
Gloucestershire 2 0.82x
Midlothian 2 1.20x
Berwickshire 1 6.61x
Cornwall 1 0.71x
Devon 1 0.38x
Isle of Man 1 4.31x
Royal Navy 1 6.72x
Somerset 1 0.50x
Yorkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Longbenton in Northumberland leads with 15 Mclachlans recorded in 1881 and an index of 190.60x.

Place Total Index
Longbenton 15 190.60x
Ayr 9 204.08x
Lambeth 8 7.35x
Hornsey 6 38.00x
St Giles In Fields 6 139.21x
Kensington London 5 7.20x
West Ham 5 9.19x
Westoe 5 23.74x
Bermondsey 4 10.76x
Bow London 4 25.16x
Bromley London 4 14.56x
St Cuthbert Within 4 320.00x
Westminster St John 4 26.30x
Barony 3 2.94x
Glassary 3 160.43x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 66.82x
Preston 3 7.57x
West Greenock 3 17.27x
Woking 3 81.74x
Birkenhead 2 9.10x
Bishopwearmouth 2 6.27x
Braintree 2 90.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 2.97x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 12.24x
Cambusnethan 1 11.15x
Cheadle 1 19.01x
Cheltenham 1 5.29x
Cleator 1 22.37x
Croydon 1 2.96x
Elswick 1 6.74x
Greenwich 1 5.03x
Horton In Bradford 1 5.18x
Kilmore Kilbride 1 45.25x
Lauder 1 119.05x
Lezayre 1 96.15x
Minster In Sheppey 1 14.16x
North Meols 1 6.90x
North Shields 1 26.95x
Southwark Christchurch 1 17.09x
St Columb Minor 1 84.03x
St Pancras London 1 1.00x
St Peters 1 50.76x
Walcot 1 9.35x
West Derby 1 2.31x
Wolborough 1 30.40x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
John 8
James 7
Robert 6
Thomas 4
Charles 3
Daniel 3
Archibald 2
David 2
Duncan 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Alexr 1
Dougald 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fredk.Holt 1
George 1
H.F. 1
Norman 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Mclachlan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mclachlan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,272 people were recorded with the Mclachlan surname. That placed it at #844 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mclachlan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,444 in 2016. That gives Mclachlan a modern rank of #1,531.

What does the Mclachlan surname mean?

Originating from Scottish Gaelic, a surname meaning "son of the servant".

What does the Mclachlan map show?

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