NameCensus.

UK surname

Mclafferty

A Scottish surname meaning son of Lachlan, a name derived from the Gaelic meaning servant.

In the 1881 census there were 64 people recorded with the Mclafferty surname, ranking it #24,561 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 347, ranked #13,259, up from #24,561 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Bonhill and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Renfrew North, IZ08 and IZ05.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mclafferty is 349 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 442.2%.

1881 census count

64

Ranked #24,561

Modern count

347

2016, ranked #13,259

Peak year

2008

349 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mclafferty had 64 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,561 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 347 in 2016, ranked #13,259.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 110 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mclafferty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mclafferty surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mclafferty 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 10 #31,497
1861 historical 44 #28,433
1881 historical 64 #24,561
1891 historical 57 #29,533
1901 historical 110 #21,604
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 309 #13,268
1998 modern 313 #13,504
1999 modern 321 #13,362
2000 modern 323 #13,268
2001 modern 319 #13,168
2002 modern 317 #13,506
2003 modern 315 #13,384
2004 modern 330 #12,994
2005 modern 327 #13,011
2006 modern 336 #12,842
2007 modern 340 #12,872
2008 modern 349 #12,723
2009 modern 340 #13,244
2010 modern 349 #13,280
2011 modern 340 #13,375
2012 modern 327 #13,654
2013 modern 339 #13,477
2014 modern 342 #13,498
2015 modern 342 #13,396
2016 modern 347 #13,259

Geography

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Where Mclaffertys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Bonhill, Glasgow, Old or West Kilpatrick and Leslie. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Renfrew North, IZ08, IZ05, IZ04 and Telford and Wrekin. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Bonhill Dunbarton
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Old or West Kilpatrick Dunbarton
5 Leslie Fife

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Renfrew North Renfrewshire
2 IZ08 West Dunbartonshire
3 IZ05 West Dunbartonshire
4 IZ04 West Dunbartonshire
5 Telford and Wrekin 018 Telford and Wrekin

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mclafferty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mclafferty

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mclafferty, 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 Mclafferty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mclafferty household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mclafferty is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

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Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mclafferty 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

Mclafferty 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 Mclafferty 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 - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mclafferty, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mclafferty

The surname McLafferty originates from Scotland and is a variant of the Gaelic name Mac Labhartaigh, meaning "son of the speaker" or "son of the orator". The name arose during the Middle Ages, likely between the 12th and 15th centuries, when clan names were becoming more widespread in the Scottish Highlands and Isles.

The McLafferty name is believed to have originated in the western coastal regions of Scotland, particularly in the areas of Argyll and the Hebrides. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the records of the medieval Lords of the Isles, who ruled over parts of the Hebrides and western Scottish mainland.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Lachlan McLafferty, born around 1520 in the Isle of Islay. He was a notable warrior and chieftain who fought alongside the MacDonalds of Islay during the clan conflicts of the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the McLaffertys were closely associated with the MacDonalds of Sleat in the Isle of Skye. Angus McLafferty, born in 1612, was a renowned bard and poet who composed works in praise of the MacDonalds and their exploits.

During the Jacobite Risings of the 18th century, several McLaffertys were involved in the support of the Stuart cause. Alasdair McLafferty, born in 1680, was a captain in the Jacobite army and fought at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

The McLaffertys were also present in Ulster, Ireland, following the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century. Patrick McLafferty, born in 1635 in County Antrim, was a prominent landowner and businessman who played a role in the development of the linen industry in Ulster.

Other notable bearers of the McLafferty name include William McLafferty, a Scottish-American engineer born in 1829, who contributed to the development of early steam engines, and Eileen McLafferty, a renowned Irish actress born in 1920, known for her roles in classical theater productions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mclafferty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mclafferty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 64 people were recorded with the Mclafferty surname. That placed it at #24,561 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mclafferty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 347 in 2016. That gives Mclafferty a modern rank of #13,259.

What does the Mclafferty surname mean?

A Scottish surname meaning son of Lachlan, a name derived from the Gaelic meaning servant.

What does the Mclafferty map show?

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