NameCensus.

UK surname

Mclellan

A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "a church by the pool."

In the 1881 census there were 3,313 people recorded with the Mclellan surname, ranking it #1,368 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,595, ranked #1,480, down from #1,368 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Glenelg and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Whisky Isles, Campbeltown and Sauchie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mclellan is 4,624 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.7%.

1881 census count

3,313

Ranked #1,368

Modern count

4,595

2016, ranked #1,480

Peak year

2010

4,624 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mclellan had 3,313 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,368 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,595 in 2016, ranked #1,480.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,177 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mclellan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mclellan surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mclellan 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 2,450 #1,218
1861 historical 2,497 #1,170
1881 historical 3,313 #1,368
1891 historical 3,639 #1,320
1901 historical 4,177 #1,350
1911 historical 675 #6,256
1997 modern 4,282 #1,521
1998 modern 4,430 #1,526
1999 modern 4,446 #1,531
2000 modern 4,410 #1,534
2001 modern 4,318 #1,532
2002 modern 4,456 #1,518
2003 modern 4,389 #1,507
2004 modern 4,384 #1,511
2005 modern 4,372 #1,498
2006 modern 4,407 #1,489
2007 modern 4,400 #1,505
2008 modern 4,436 #1,502
2009 modern 4,540 #1,506
2010 modern 4,624 #1,507
2011 modern 4,550 #1,511
2012 modern 4,458 #1,516
2013 modern 4,534 #1,515
2014 modern 4,561 #1,514
2015 modern 4,569 #1,497
2016 modern 4,595 #1,480

Geography

Back to top

Where Mclellans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Whisky Isles, Campbeltown, Sauchie, Greenock East and Greenock West and Central. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Glenelg Inverness
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 South Uist Inverness
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Whisky Isles Argyll and Bute
2 Campbeltown Argyll and Bute
3 Sauchie Clackmannanshire
4 Greenock East Inverclyde
5 Greenock West and Central Inverclyde

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mclellan

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mclellan

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

Read profile summary

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mclellan 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

Mclellan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mclellan

The surname McLellan is a Scottish name that originated in the areas of Renfrewshire and Ayrshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It is a variant of the name MacLellan, which derives from the Scottish Gaelic name "MacGill'Fhaolain" meaning "son of the servant of St. Fillan".

St. Fillan was an Irish missionary who lived in the 8th century and established several churches in the region. The McLellan name is thought to have originated with a follower or disciple of St. Fillan who served at one of the churches he founded.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One entry lists a "Gillmichael M'Lolane" who was likely an ancestor of the McLellan family.

In the 14th century, a branch of the McLellans settled in the area of Kirkcudbright in Galloway, where they became a prominent family. Sir Robert McLellan of Bombie, who lived from 1390 to 1452, was a notable figure during the reign of King James II of Scotland.

Another notable individual was Sir William McLellan, who was born in 1600 and served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1657 to 1659. He played a significant role in the city's defense during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, John McLellan (1734-1823) was a Scottish writer and antiquarian who published works on the history and antiquities of Galloway.

William McLellan (1832-1903) was a Scottish-born architect who emigrated to Australia and designed several notable buildings in Melbourne, including the Melbourne Town Hall and the Scots' Church.

Mary McLellan (1858-1940) was a Scottish suffragist and activist who campaigned for women's rights and worked to improve the lives of working-class women and children in Glasgow.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mclellan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mclellan 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 38 Mclellans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.72x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 38 2.72x
Lanarkshire 21 4.66x
Essex 18 6.54x
Denbighshire 12 22.78x
Lancashire 9 0.54x
Glamorgan 7 2.88x
Surrey 7 1.03x
Yorkshire 7 0.51x
Cheshire 6 1.95x
Hampshire 4 1.40x
Ayrshire 3 2.87x
Northamptonshire 2 1.52x
Renfrewshire 2 1.85x
Argyllshire 1 2.58x
Bedfordshire 1 1.38x
Cornwall 1 0.63x
Durham 1 0.24x
Midlothian 1 0.54x
Westmorland 1 3.26x
Worcestershire 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tottenham in Middlesex leads with 14 Mclellans recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.03x.

Place Total Index
Tottenham 14 63.03x
Rutherglen 8 120.85x
Neath 7 141.70x
New Monkland 7 52.51x
Woodford 7 224.36x
Bethnal Green London 6 9.90x
Govan 6 5.38x
West Ham 6 9.87x
Clocaenog 5 2500.00x
Islington London 5 3.70x
Llanrhaiadr In Kinmerch 5 625.00x
Lymm 5 223.21x
Poplar London 5 19.00x
Blackburn 4 9.08x
Leeds 4 5.13x
Walthamstow 4 40.36x
Wigan 4 17.29x
Aldershot 3 31.32x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 3 23.29x
Lambeth 3 2.47x
Whitechapel London 3 21.82x
Dunlop 2 307.69x
Putney 2 31.45x
St Martin In Fields 2 23.95x
Thrapston 2 303.03x
West Greenock 2 10.31x
Wrexham Regis 2 51.15x
Ayr 1 20.28x
Bedford St Paul 1 20.20x
Camberwell 1 1.12x
Campbeltown 1 21.37x
Chigwell 1 38.46x
Croydon 1 2.65x
Finchley 1 18.69x
Fowey 1 138.89x
Hampstead London 1 4.60x
Iveston 1 52.36x
Kirkby Lonsdale 1 120.48x
Kirknewton 1 185.19x
Lye 1 33.00x
Over 1 31.95x
Portsmouth 1 15.20x
St Pancras London 1 0.89x
West Derby 1 2.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 14
William 8
Albert 3
Arthur 3
James 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Donald 1
Ernest 1
George 1
H.M. 1
Harrold 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Jas.Andrew 1
Joseph 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Mclellan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mclellan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,313 people were recorded with the Mclellan surname. That placed it at #1,368 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mclellan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,595 in 2016. That gives Mclellan a modern rank of #1,480.

What does the Mclellan surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "a church by the pool."

What does the Mclellan map show?

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