NameCensus.

UK surname

Mclarty

A Scottish habitational surname derived from McLarty, a former territory located in Argyll and Bute.

In the 1881 census there were 344 people recorded with the Mclarty surname, ranking it #8,864 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 517, ranked #9,761, down from #8,864 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Kilmichael Glassary and Craignish. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doon Valley South, Coylton and Carnoustie West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mclarty is 517 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.3%.

1881 census count

344

Ranked #8,864

Modern count

517

2016, ranked #9,761

Peak year

2016

517 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mclarty had 344 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,864 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 517 in 2016, ranked #9,761.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 409 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mclarty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mclarty surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mclarty 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 356 #6,636
1861 historical 320 #7,960
1881 historical 344 #8,864
1891 historical 381 #9,213
1901 historical 409 #9,338
1911 historical 67 #26,152
1997 modern 436 #10,327
1998 modern 443 #10,526
1999 modern 449 #10,464
2000 modern 450 #10,433
2001 modern 448 #10,274
2002 modern 459 #10,264
2003 modern 454 #10,222
2004 modern 458 #10,158
2005 modern 458 #10,077
2006 modern 462 #10,037
2007 modern 466 #10,070
2008 modern 470 #10,102
2009 modern 481 #10,148
2010 modern 487 #10,251
2011 modern 469 #10,444
2012 modern 452 #10,619
2013 modern 483 #10,287
2014 modern 494 #10,170
2015 modern 502 #9,972
2016 modern 517 #9,761

Geography

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Where Mclartys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Kilmichael Glassary, Craignish, Greenock and Kilmory. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doon Valley South, Coylton, Carnoustie West, Port Glasgow Upper East and Highland. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Kilmichael Glassary Argyll
3 Craignish Argyll
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Kilmory Bute

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doon Valley South East Ayrshire
2 Coylton South Ayrshire
3 Carnoustie West Angus
4 Port Glasgow Upper East Inverclyde
5 Highland Stirling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mclarty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mclarty

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mclarty, 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 Mclarty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mclarty 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, Mclarty 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

Mclarty 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

Mclarty falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mclarty is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mclarty

The surname McLarty is of Scottish origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period in the Highlands of Scotland. The name is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "mac," meaning "son," and "ladrach," which translates to "rascal" or "mischievous one."

The earliest known records of the McLarty name can be traced back to the 14th century, where it appeared in various medieval Scottish documents and charters. One notable reference is found in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, which mentions a John McLarty from the county of Argyll in the year 1372.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the McLarty clan was concentrated in the regions of Argyll and Perthshire, with some branches also settling in the Outer Hebrides islands. The name is closely associated with the ancient territorial lands of Lorn and Knapdale, where the McLartys held significant influence and power.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the McLarty surname was Lachlan McLarty, born around 1560 in Argyll. He was a prominent figure in the clan and played a role in the infamous Battle of Glenlivet in 1594, which was part of the broader conflicts between the Protestant and Catholic factions in Scotland.

Another notable McLarty was John McLarty, born in 1620 in Perthshire. He was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as a minister in the Church of Scotland and was involved in the Scottish Reformation movements of the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the McLarty name gained further recognition with the exploits of Duncan McLarty, born in 1705 in Argyll. He was a skilled military officer who fought alongside the Jacobite forces during the Rising of 1745, leading a contingent of McLarty clansmen in the Battle of Culloden.

The McLarty name has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, such as McLarty's Croft in Argyll and McLarty's Glen in Perthshire, reflecting the clan's historical presence and influence in these regions.

Over the centuries, variations in the spelling of the surname have emerged, including MacLarty, McLardie, and McLartie, though McLarty remains the most common form used today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mclarty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mclarty 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. Lancashire leads with 5 Mclartys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.19x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 5 6.19x
Ayrshire 1 19.65x
Hertfordshire 1 21.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Warrington in Lancashire leads with 5 Mclartys recorded in 1881 and an index of 520.83x.

Place Total Index
Warrington 5 520.83x
Ardrossan 1 555.56x
St Albans St Peter 1 625.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Mary 2
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Donald 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 Mclarty households.

Occupation Count
Dressmaker 1
Millwright 1

FAQ

Mclarty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mclarty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 344 people were recorded with the Mclarty surname. That placed it at #8,864 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mclarty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 517 in 2016. That gives Mclarty a modern rank of #9,761.

What does the Mclarty surname mean?

A Scottish habitational surname derived from McLarty, a former territory located in Argyll and Bute.

What does the Mclarty map show?

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