NameCensus.

UK surname

Mclay

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Laomuinn," meaning "son of the servant of the church."

In the 1881 census there were 970 people recorded with the Mclay surname, ranking it #4,010 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,010, ranked #5,761, down from #4,010 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, St. Ninians and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maddiston and Rumford, Hillpark and Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mclay is 1,069 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.1%.

1881 census count

970

Ranked #4,010

Modern count

1,010

2016, ranked #5,761

Peak year

2010

1,069 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mclay had 970 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,010 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,010 in 2016, ranked #5,761.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,024 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mclay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mclay surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mclay 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 736 #3,577
1861 historical 807 #3,409
1881 historical 970 #4,010
1891 historical 1,024 #4,071
1901 historical 997 #4,776
1911 historical 123 #20,128
1997 modern 1,031 #5,350
1998 modern 1,050 #5,440
1999 modern 1,060 #5,437
2000 modern 1,055 #5,448
2001 modern 1,037 #5,422
2002 modern 1,045 #5,485
2003 modern 1,018 #5,514
2004 modern 1,028 #5,486
2005 modern 1,036 #5,387
2006 modern 1,046 #5,367
2007 modern 1,044 #5,422
2008 modern 1,045 #5,451
2009 modern 1,064 #5,480
2010 modern 1,069 #5,563
2011 modern 1,052 #5,580
2012 modern 1,005 #5,712
2013 modern 1,009 #5,776
2014 modern 1,017 #5,782
2015 modern 1,007 #5,776
2016 modern 1,010 #5,761

Geography

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Where Mclays are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Maddiston and Rumford, Hillpark, Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside, Auchtermuchty and Gateside and Blackburn. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 St. Ninians Stirling
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Maddiston and Rumford Falkirk
2 Hillpark Stirling
3 Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside South Lanarkshire
4 Auchtermuchty and Gateside Fife
5 Blackburn West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mclay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mclay

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Mclay is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mclay 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mclay

The surname MCLAY is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic "MacladhaIch" or "MacClaidhaich," meaning "son of the descendant of the cleric or clerk." The name is believed to have originated in the West Highlands region of Scotland as early as the 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the 16th-century Ragman Rolls, which documented Scottish landowners who were required to swear allegiance to King Edward I of England. In these rolls, the name is listed as "Maklatho" and "Makclache."

The name MCLAY can also be traced back to the ancient lands of Strathlachlan, located in the district of Cowal, Argyllshire. These lands were once held by the MacLachlans, a prominent clan that shared a similar name origin. It is believed that the MCLAY surname may have branched off from this clan or vice versa.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various Scottish parish records, including those of Kilcalmonell in Argyllshire and Campbeltown in Kintyre. Spellings such as "M'Claye," "M'Clave," and "M'Clay" were commonly used during this time.

Notable individuals bearing the MCLAY surname include:

1. Archibald McLay (1735-1812), a Scottish-born merchant and politician who served as a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. 2. John McLay (1793-1861), a Scottish-born explorer and fur trader who worked for the Hudson's Bay Company in western Canada. 3. Sir Robert McLay (1819-1900), a Scottish-born businessman and politician who served as a member of the Victorian Legislative Council in Australia. 4. James McLay (1835-1908), a Scottish-born engineer and inventor who patented several improvements to steam engines and boilers. 5. Wilfred McLay (1891-1962), a British politician and member of Parliament who served as a government whip under Prime Minister Clement Attlee.

The MCLAY surname has been carried across the globe by Scottish emigrants, and variations such as McClay, McLea, and MacLay can be found in various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mclay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mclay 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 16 Mclays recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.19x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 16 4.19x
Surrey 5 3.19x
Lanarkshire 3 2.88x
Middlesex 3 0.93x
Northumberland 2 4.18x
Cumberland 1 3.61x
Devon 1 1.49x
Kent 1 0.91x
Wiltshire 1 3.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 8 Mclays recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.79x.

Place Total Index
Everton 8 65.79x
Battersea 5 42.23x
Stretford 5 238.10x
Govan 3 11.66x
Poplar London 3 49.42x
Liverpool 2 8.63x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 2 317.46x
Birkby 1 10000.00x
Exeter St Thomas The 1 147.06x
Minster In Sheppey 1 54.95x
Swindon 1 45.25x
Worsley 1 42.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Teresa 2
Alice 1
Annie 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Jessie 1
Maggie 1
Martha 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 3
James 3
John 2
William 2
David 1
Robert 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 Mclay households.

FAQ

Mclay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mclay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 970 people were recorded with the Mclay surname. That placed it at #4,010 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mclay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,010 in 2016. That gives Mclay a modern rank of #5,761.

What does the Mclay surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Laomuinn," meaning "son of the servant of the church."

What does the Mclay map show?

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