NameCensus.

UK surname

Mclaren

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place meaning "the son of Laurence" in Gaelic.

In the 1881 census there were 7,798 people recorded with the Mclaren surname, ranking it #540 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,247, ranked #705, down from #540 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Comrie, Govan Combination and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hilltown, Coupar Angus and Meigle and Stobswell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mclaren is 9,253 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.6%.

1881 census count

7,798

Ranked #540

Modern count

9,247

2016, ranked #705

Peak year

2014

9,253 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mclaren had 7,798 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #540 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,247 in 2016, ranked #705.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,064 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mclaren surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mclaren surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mclaren 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 5,646 #491
1861 historical 5,802 #471
1881 historical 7,798 #540
1891 historical 8,305 #531
1901 historical 9,064 #582
1911 historical 1,942 #2,560
1997 modern 8,320 #766
1998 modern 8,590 #771
1999 modern 8,680 #769
2000 modern 8,727 #759
2001 modern 8,570 #752
2002 modern 8,826 #743
2003 modern 8,572 #751
2004 modern 8,658 #748
2005 modern 8,664 #736
2006 modern 8,638 #740
2007 modern 8,706 #738
2008 modern 8,806 #734
2009 modern 8,945 #740
2010 modern 9,163 #739
2011 modern 8,990 #742
2012 modern 8,916 #731
2013 modern 9,085 #727
2014 modern 9,253 #719
2015 modern 9,203 #712
2016 modern 9,247 #705

Geography

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Where Mclarens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Comrie, Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hilltown, Coupar Angus and Meigle, Stobswell, Sauchie and Rannoch and Aberfeldy. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Comrie Perth
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hilltown Dundee City
2 Coupar Angus and Meigle Perth and Kinross
3 Stobswell Dundee City
4 Sauchie Clackmannanshire
5 Rannoch and Aberfeldy Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mclaren

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mclaren

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mclaren 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

Mclaren 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mclaren

The surname McLaren is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic "mac Labhruinn" meaning "son of the freckled/bright one." It originated in the region of Argyll and the Western Isles of Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "MacLaren" with reference to a person from the Argyll region.

In the 15th century, the McLaren clan was prominent in the area around Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. The clan's seat was at Ardveck Castle on the banks of Loch Lomond. A notable figure from this period was Lachlan McLaren, a chief of the clan who lived in the late 1400s.

The surname McLaren can also be traced back to the Isle of Mull, where a branch of the clan settled. In the 16th century, Hector McLaren, a descendant of this branch, was a renowned poet and bard who composed works in Gaelic.

During the Scottish Reformation in the 16th century, the McLarens were supporters of the Protestant cause. Sir John McLaren, a clergyman born around 1570, was a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland and played a role in the establishment of Presbyterianism.

In the 17th century, the surname spread beyond Scotland as some McLarens emigrated to other parts of the British Isles and North America. One notable individual from this period was Sir Robert McLaren, a Scottish merchant and politician who was born in 1620 and served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

Other notable individuals with the surname McLaren include:

- Archibald McLaren (1812-1890), a Scottish engineer and inventor who contributed to the development of the steam engine. - Walter McLaren (1819-1904), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman. - Bruce McLaren (1937-1970), a renowned New Zealand racing car designer and driver who founded the McLaren automotive company.

The surname McLaren has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as McLaren Vale, a wine region in South Australia named after David McLaren, an early Scottish settler in the area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mclaren families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mclaren 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 45 Mclarens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.82x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 45 1.82x
Lancashire 36 1.22x
Yorkshire 31 1.26x
Surrey 23 1.91x
Durham 19 2.58x
Perthshire 12 10.79x
Northumberland 11 2.98x
Cumberland 10 4.69x
Hampshire 9 1.77x
Ayrshire 6 3.24x
Devon 5 0.97x
Midlothian 5 1.51x
Stirlingshire 5 5.47x
Flintshire 4 6.01x
Royal Navy 4 13.55x
Shropshire 4 1.87x
West Lothian 4 10.72x
Bedfordshire 3 2.34x
Cheshire 3 0.55x
Renfrewshire 3 1.56x
Kent 2 0.24x
Cornwall 1 0.36x
Denbighshire 1 1.07x
Derbyshire 1 0.26x
Gloucestershire 1 0.21x
Lanarkshire 1 0.12x
Norfolk 1 0.26x
Northamptonshire 1 0.43x
Suffolk 1 0.33x
Sussex 1 0.24x
Warwickshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 11 Mclarens recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.58x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 11 4.58x
Camberwell 10 6.32x
Manchester 9 6.81x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 25.05x
Over Darwen 8 34.07x
Westgate 8 35.04x
Holy Trinity 7 11.85x
Lambeth 7 3.24x
Lethendy 7 5384.62x
Bethnal Green London 6 5.57x
Fulwood 6 188.68x
York St Peter The 6 2142.86x
Alverstoke 5 27.20x
Bishopwearmouth 5 7.90x
Falkirk 5 23.38x
Hampton London 5 122.85x
St Marylebone London 5 3.78x
Workington 5 40.95x
Almondbury 4 33.70x
Ayr 4 45.71x
Kensington London 4 2.90x
Linlithgow 4 83.68x
Portsea 4 4.02x
Rhuddlan 4 68.26x
Shrewsbury St Mary 4 47.34x
St George Hanover 4 12.37x
York St George 4 207.25x
Ash Normandy 3 182.93x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 2.25x
Kilmadock 3 117.19x
Layton With Warbreck 3 27.80x
Leeds 3 2.16x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 13.62x
Pownall Fee 3 122.45x
South Shields 3 45.66x
Toxteth Park 3 3.01x
West Derby 3 3.49x
Beckermet St John 2 377.36x
Bere Ferrers 2 235.29x
Cardington 2 192.31x
Exeter St Thomas The 2 38.02x
Greenwich 2 5.07x
Hunslet 2 5.22x
Renfrew 2 31.55x
St Cuthbert Within 2 80.97x
Stranton 2 8.06x
Withington 2 21.12x
Abbey 1 3.41x
Bedford St Paul 1 11.36x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 11.90x
Birmingham 1 0.48x
Brighton 1 1.19x
Bristol St James In 1 13.99x
Chelsea London 1 1.34x
Cottingham 1 18.90x
Croydon 1 1.49x
Currie 1 49.26x
Dunbarney 1 156.25x
Easton 1 119.05x
Fulham London 1 2.78x
Govan 1 0.50x
Hackney London 1 0.72x
Hendon 1 11.22x
Kilwinning 1 16.69x
Maybole 1 17.70x
Moss Side 1 6.46x
North Leith 1 6.51x
Paddington London 1 1.10x
South Lynn 1 23.26x
South Mimms 1 29.41x
St Giles Cripplegate 1 30.40x
St Mary 1 60.98x
St Pancras London 1 0.50x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.81x
Stoke Newington London 1 5.18x
Tibbermore 1 62.89x
Westleton 1 140.85x
Withycombe Rawleigh 1 37.17x
Wrexham Regis 1 14.39x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Mclaren surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mclaren surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,798 people were recorded with the Mclaren surname. That placed it at #540 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mclaren surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,247 in 2016. That gives Mclaren a modern rank of #705.

What does the Mclaren surname mean?

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place meaning "the son of Laurence" in Gaelic.

What does the Mclaren map show?

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