NameCensus.

UK surname

Mclaughlin

Son of Lochlainn, derived from the Irish Gaelic "Mac Lochlainn," meaning "son of the Scandinavian Viking chief."

In the 1881 census there were 2,089 people recorded with the Mclaughlin surname, ranking it #2,117 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 14,791, ranked #429, up from #2,117 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill, Greenock West and Central and Wyndford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mclaughlin is 14,839 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 608.0%.

1881 census count

2,089

Ranked #2,117

Modern count

14,791

2016, ranked #429

Peak year

2014

14,839 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mclaughlin had 2,089 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,117 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 14,791 in 2016, ranked #429.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,723 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mclaughlin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mclaughlin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mclaughlin 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 651 #3,995
1861 historical 1,034 #2,712
1881 historical 2,089 #2,117
1891 historical 2,369 #1,981
1901 historical 3,723 #1,508
1911 historical 1,502 #3,211
1997 modern 12,854 #474
1998 modern 13,278 #476
1999 modern 13,446 #471
2000 modern 13,427 #469
2001 modern 13,252 #465
2002 modern 13,665 #461
2003 modern 13,331 #460
2004 modern 13,549 #457
2005 modern 13,467 #450
2006 modern 13,605 #445
2007 modern 13,893 #440
2008 modern 14,046 #439
2009 modern 14,416 #438
2010 modern 14,809 #434
2011 modern 14,535 #437
2012 modern 14,358 #433
2013 modern 14,637 #432
2014 modern 14,839 #430
2015 modern 14,694 #432
2016 modern 14,791 #429

Geography

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Where Mclaughlins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill, Greenock West and Central, Wyndford, Greenock Town Centre and East Central and Toryglen and Oatlands. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill Glasgow City
2 Greenock West and Central Inverclyde
3 Wyndford Glasgow City
4 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde
5 Toryglen and Oatlands Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mclaughlin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mclaughlin

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

Mclaughlin 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

Mclaughlin 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 Mclaughlin 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mclaughlin

The surname McLaughlin is of Scottish origin, originating from the Gaelic 'Mac Lochlainn', meaning 'son of the Norwegian'. This name dates back to the 12th century when there were frequent Norse invasions and settlements in parts of Scotland.

The name is believed to have derived from the ancient territories of Clan Loughlin, a branch of the wider Clan Donald, who once held lands in Argyll and the Hebrides. Early records mention a Gillespie McLochlin who received a grant of lands in Kintyre from Robert the Bruce in 1314.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, which mentions a 'Malcolm McLougli'. The Clan Munro manuscript from 1597 also includes references to 'McLochlan of Craigintarrie'.

In the 16th century, the name began appearing with various spellings such as McLauchlin, McLoughlin, and McLaughlin. A notable figure from this period was Sir Evan McLaughlin (c.1525-1595), a Scottish soldier who fought for the Swedish King Gustaf I in the Northern Seven Years' War.

As the name spread throughout Scotland and Ireland, it became associated with several place names. For example, the Scottish town of Ardmucknish was formerly known as 'Ardmucknishe McLauchlin' in the 17th century.

Other notable individuals with this surname include:

1. James McLaughlin (1834-1923), an American industrialist and founder of the McLaughlin carriage company.

2. Marie McLaughlin (1886-1971), an American actress and vaudeville performer.

3. Andrew McLaughlin (1924-2012), a Scottish golfer who won the British Open in 1962.

4. Gerald McLaughlin (1934-2011), an Irish painter and sculptor known for his abstract expressionist works.

5. Elinor McLaughlin (1920-1998), an American mathematician and computer scientist who worked on early programming languages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mclaughlin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mclaughlin 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 73 Mclaughlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.62x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 73 2.62x
Yorkshire 42 1.80x
Cumberland 30 14.82x
Durham 16 2.29x
Middlesex 16 0.68x
Hampshire 8 1.66x
Hertfordshire 8 4.94x
Cheshire 6 1.16x
Peeblesshire 5 45.21x
Shropshire 5 2.46x
Surrey 4 0.35x
Flintshire 3 4.75x
Gloucestershire 3 0.65x
Leicestershire 3 1.15x
Staffordshire 3 0.38x
Essex 2 0.43x
Kent 2 0.25x
Lanarkshire 2 0.26x
Lincolnshire 2 0.53x
Northumberland 2 0.57x
Somerset 2 0.53x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.67x
Cornwall 1 0.38x
Dorset 1 0.65x
Isle of Man 1 2.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 27 Mclaughlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.94x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 27 15.94x
Whitehaven 16 148.29x
Leeds 13 9.88x
Preston 11 14.74x
Holmside 10 581.40x
Sheffield 10 13.48x
Salford 9 10.97x
Cummersdale 8 1159.42x
Royton 8 93.79x
Standon 8 479.04x
Chelsea London 7 9.88x
Birkenhead 6 14.50x
Harrington 6 245.90x
Portsea 6 6.35x
Newlands 5 757.58x
St Luke London 5 13.26x
Wakefield 5 27.96x
Middlesbrough 4 13.18x
Ormskirk 4 74.91x
Shifnal 4 72.60x
Barrow In Furness 3 7.91x
Cheltenham 3 8.43x
Heworth 3 21.77x
Huddersfield 3 8.84x
Leicester St Margaret 3 4.72x
Northop 3 133.93x
Scriven Cum Tentergate 3 348.84x
Toxteth Park 3 3.18x
Wolstanton 3 12.45x
Boston 2 17.54x
Bromley London 2 3.87x
Everton 2 2.25x
Glasgow 2 1.48x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 2 6.60x
Horton In Bradford 2 5.50x
Kirkdale 2 4.26x
Lambeth 2 0.98x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 2 9.57x
Battersea 1 1.16x
Bedminster 1 2.81x
Boraston 1 555.56x
Bradford 1 1.77x
Chesterton 1 21.79x
Clapham 1 3.40x
Colchester St Botolph 1 25.32x
Colchester St Giles 1 21.79x
Cowpen Bewley 1 126.58x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.62x
Gorton 1 3.81x
Heckmondwike 1 13.35x
Hornsey 1 3.36x
Hound 1 30.58x
Islington London 1 0.44x
Layton With Warbreck 1 9.77x
Onchan 1 7.95x
Poulton Le Fylde 1 101.01x
Southampton St Mary 1 3.30x
St Breock 1 69.44x
Walcot 1 4.96x
Walmer 1 28.65x
West Derby 1 1.23x
Weymouth 1 34.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Jane 8
Margaret 8
Annie 4
Elizabeth 4
Kate 4
Ann 3
Bridget 3
Ellen 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Sarah 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Harriet 2
Martha 2
Rose 2
Anne 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Catherin 1
Cathne. 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Deborah 1
Eleanor 1
Emma 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
January 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
M. 1
Margret 1
Roshannah 1
Susanne 1
Theresa 1
Virginia 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 22
John 20
Thomas 11
Edward 6
Patrick 6
George 4
Michael 4
Robert 4
William 4
Charles 3
Daniel 3
Denis 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Alexandra 2
Anthony 2
Dennis 2
Frank 2
Mark 2
Peter 2
Alan 1
Arthur 1
Basil 1
Edmund 1
Eugene 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Hudy 1
Jos. 1
Pah... 1
Philip 1
Richard 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Mclaughlin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mclaughlin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,089 people were recorded with the Mclaughlin surname. That placed it at #2,117 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mclaughlin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 14,791 in 2016. That gives Mclaughlin a modern rank of #429.

What does the Mclaughlin surname mean?

Son of Lochlainn, derived from the Irish Gaelic "Mac Lochlainn," meaning "son of the Scandinavian Viking chief."

What does the Mclaughlin map show?

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