NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcleod

A Scottish surname meaning "son of Leod," likely referring to a Viking ancestor named Ljótr.

In the 1881 census there were 17,217 people recorded with the Mcleod surname, ranking it #219 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12,095, ranked #540, down from #219 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lochs, Barvas and Carloway and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ07, City Centre East and Govan and Linthouse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcleod is 17,713 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 29.7%.

1881 census count

17,217

Ranked #219

Modern count

12,095

2016, ranked #540

Peak year

1891

17,713 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcleod had 17,217 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #219 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 12,095 in 2016, ranked #540.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 17,713 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcleod surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcleod surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcleod 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 12,841 #185
1861 historical 13,409 #182
1881 historical 17,217 #219
1891 historical 17,713 #224
1901 historical 17,094 #294
1911 historical 2,428 #2,112
1997 modern 11,299 #539
1998 modern 11,679 #543
1999 modern 11,794 #543
2000 modern 11,791 #541
2001 modern 11,520 #539
2002 modern 11,658 #543
2003 modern 11,355 #545
2004 modern 11,363 #546
2005 modern 11,371 #541
2006 modern 11,453 #540
2007 modern 11,695 #535
2008 modern 11,823 #533
2009 modern 12,076 #534
2010 modern 12,326 #537
2011 modern 12,129 #536
2012 modern 11,939 #537
2013 modern 12,085 #545
2014 modern 12,244 #541
2015 modern 12,100 #543
2016 modern 12,095 #540

Geography

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Where Mcleods are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to IZ07, City Centre East, Govan and Linthouse, Badenoch and Strathspey North and IZ09. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lochs Ross And Cromarty
2 Barvas and Carloway Ross And Cromarty
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ07 East Lothian
2 City Centre East Glasgow City
3 Govan and Linthouse Glasgow City
4 Badenoch and Strathspey North Highland
5 IZ09 East Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcleod

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcleod

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

Mcleod 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

Mcleod falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcleod 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 Mcleod, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcleod

The surname McLeod has its roots in Scotland, originating from the Gaelic "MacLeòid" which means "son of Leod." The name is believed to have originated on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, where the MacLeod clan was historically based.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the late 12th century, when a certain Gillecolm MacLeod is mentioned in the Chronicles of the Kings of Norway. This suggests that the MacLeod clan had already established itself as a prominent force in the Hebrides by that time.

In the 13th century, the MacLeods gained control over large parts of the Isle of Skye, which became another stronghold for the clan. The name appears in various medieval records, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where individuals like Torkill MacLeod and Tormod MacLeod are mentioned in the 14th century.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname was Sir Rory Mor MacLeod (c. 1570-1626), who was known as the "Great Chief" of the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan. He played a significant role in the clan's affairs and was involved in several conflicts with other clans.

Another notable figure was Norman MacLeod (1812-1872), a Scottish minister and writer who served as the editor of Good Words magazine. He was also a prominent figure in the Free Church of Scotland and a prolific author.

In the 19th century, John MacLeod (1857-1911), a Scottish-born Australian politician, held various positions in the government of South Australia, including serving as the Premier from 1899 to 1901.

Iain Norman MacLeod (1913-1970) was a British politician who served as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Leader of the House of Commons in the 1960s.

The name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye, which has been the ancestral home of the MacLeod clan for centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcleod families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcleod 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 76 Mcleods recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.57x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 76 1.57x
Lancashire 55 0.96x
Durham 34 2.37x
Northumberland 32 4.45x
Devon 25 2.49x
Cheshire 21 1.97x
Sutherland 21 56.56x
Kent 20 1.21x
Hampshire 17 1.72x
Essex 16 1.68x
Surrey 16 0.68x
Caithness 11 16.64x
Cumberland 10 2.41x
Glamorgan 10 1.19x
Ayrshire 9 2.49x
Berkshire 9 2.48x
Midlothian 9 1.39x
Yorkshire 9 0.19x
Flintshire 8 6.16x
Inverness-shire 8 5.55x
Lincolnshire 6 0.78x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.92x
Renfrewshire 6 1.60x
Ross-shire 6 4.53x
Royal Navy 6 10.43x
Sussex 6 0.74x
Warwickshire 6 0.49x
Cambridgeshire 5 1.63x
Channel Islands 5 3.49x
Lanarkshire 4 0.26x
Worcestershire 4 0.63x
Cornwall 3 0.55x
Norfolk 3 0.40x
Hertfordshire 2 0.60x
Isle of Man 2 2.23x
Perthshire 2 0.92x
Denbighshire 1 0.55x
Leicestershire 1 0.19x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.90x
Morayshire 1 1.33x
Shropshire 1 0.24x
Somerset 1 0.13x
Suffolk 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Paddington London in Middlesex leads with 18 Mcleods recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.14x.

Place Total Index
Paddington London 18 10.14x
Sidmouth 14 243.48x
St Marylebone London 11 4.27x
Halkirk 10 223.71x
Liverpool 10 2.87x
Stoer Assynt 10 432.90x
Birkenhead 9 10.59x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 14.46x
Clewer 8 53.87x
Kirkdale 8 8.30x
Longbenton 8 26.29x
Ryhope 8 80.24x
Southampton St Mary 8 12.86x
Assynt 7 308.37x
Barnstaple 7 44.36x
Hawarden 7 68.63x
Plumstead 7 12.75x
Wallsend 7 30.73x
West Ham 7 3.33x
Birmingham 6 1.48x
Caldewgate 6 26.34x
Chelmsford 6 36.70x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 6.59x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 2.31x
Girvan 6 66.15x
Harrow On The Hill 6 62.18x
Milton In Gravesend 6 24.29x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 13.98x
Poplar London 6 6.58x
Roath 6 15.71x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 6.18x
Stranton 6 12.41x
Tranmere 6 15.32x
West Derby 6 3.58x
Charlton Next Woolwich 5 29.10x
Chesterton 5 53.02x
Everton 5 2.74x
Fulham London 5 7.14x
Gateshead 5 4.65x
Islington London 5 1.07x
Manchester 5 1.94x
Portsea 5 2.58x
St Helier 5 10.73x
Toxteth Park 5 2.58x
Abbey 4 7.01x
Chirton 4 24.60x
Clee With Weelsby 4 23.67x
Eddrachillis 4 158.73x
Halton 4 168.07x
Llanwonno 4 13.24x
Openshaw 4 14.91x
St George Hanover 4 6.35x
Stornoway 4 23.15x
West Herrington 4 79.52x
Aldershot 3 9.05x
Ayr 3 17.59x
Battersea 3 1.69x
Bow London 3 4.88x
Bromley London 3 2.82x
Camberwell 3 0.97x
Glynde 3 638.30x
Great Malvern 3 22.80x
Heigham 3 7.53x
Holy Trinity 3 2.61x
Newark Upon Trent 3 12.83x
Newcastle On Tyne St 3 8.06x
South Uist 3 29.82x
St Cuthbert W O 3 14.81x
Clapham 2 3.31x
Coxlodge 2 36.63x
Farnsfield 2 115.61x
Kilmadock 2 40.16x
Kilmuir 2 47.17x
Little Bolton 2 2.71x
Middlesbrough 2 3.21x
Mile End Old Town 2 2.62x
Strath 2 45.66x
Watford 2 7.75x
Westminster St 2 11.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 16
Jane 12
Annie 11
Margaret 11
Sarah 10
Ellen 8
Ann 7
Hannah 5
Isabella 5
Alice 4
Marion 4
Agnes 3
Catherine 3
Christina 3
Eliza 3
Harriet 3
Jessie 3
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Christine 2
Dora 2
Flora 2
Janet 2
Johanna 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Mable 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Olive 2
Susan 2
Victoria 2
Alexandria 1
Caroline 1
Catharin 1
Christiana 1
Elizabet 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Emmile 1
Ethel 1
Euphemia 1
Fannie 1
Fanny 1
Jessia 1
Katherine 1
Kathleen 1
Kennethrine 1
Laura 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 28
John 27
James 14
George 8
Thomas 8
Alexander 7
Donald 7
Norman 7
Robert 6
Henry 5
Angus 4
Hugh 4
Roderick 4
Alex 3
Andrew 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Charles 2
David 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Murdoch 2
Neil 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Saml. 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Allan 1
Arthur 1
Chas.W. 1
Daniel 1
Even 1
F.P. 1
Finlay 1
Fitzharding 1
Frank 1
Kennot 1
Laughlin 1
Mary 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Murdock 1
Paul 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Roderec 1

FAQ

Mcleod surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcleod surname in 1881?

In 1881, 17,217 people were recorded with the Mcleod surname. That placed it at #219 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcleod surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 12,095 in 2016. That gives Mcleod a modern rank of #540.

What does the Mcleod surname mean?

A Scottish surname meaning "son of Leod," likely referring to a Viking ancestor named Ljótr.

What does the Mcleod map show?

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