NameCensus.

UK surname

Mclernon

Scottish surname derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "son of the servant" or "son of the monk".

In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Mclernon surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 351, ranked #13,127, up from #31,301 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Armadale, Garthamlock, Auchinlea and Gartloch and Calderdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mclernon is 368 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2093.8%.

1881 census count

16

Ranked #31,301

Modern count

351

2016, ranked #13,127

Peak year

2012

368 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mclernon had 16 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,301 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 351 in 2016, ranked #13,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 56 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mclernon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mclernon surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mclernon 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 16 #31,301
1891 historical 27 #32,115
1901 historical 56 #27,952
1911 historical 38 #29,147
1997 modern 305 #13,377
1998 modern 321 #13,275
1999 modern 317 #13,473
2000 modern 311 #13,588
2001 modern 319 #13,168
2002 modern 320 #13,414
2003 modern 305 #13,662
2004 modern 306 #13,720
2005 modern 307 #13,625
2006 modern 320 #13,289
2007 modern 326 #13,260
2008 modern 331 #13,237
2009 modern 362 #12,637
2010 modern 367 #12,775
2011 modern 361 #12,800
2012 modern 368 #12,468
2013 modern 348 #13,239
2014 modern 351 #13,227
2015 modern 349 #13,189
2016 modern 351 #13,127

Geography

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Where Mclernons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Armadale, Garthamlock, Auchinlea and Gartloch, Calderdale, South Tyneside and North East Lincolnshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Armadale West Lothian
2 Garthamlock, Auchinlea and Gartloch Glasgow City
3 Calderdale 022 Calderdale
4 South Tyneside 001 South Tyneside
5 North East Lincolnshire 012 North East Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mclernon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mclernon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mclernon, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Mclernon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mclernon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mclernon is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mclernon 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mclernon

The surname MCLERNON is of Irish origin, originating from the Gaelic Ui Lochairn sept who inhabited the area of County Donegal in the northwest of Ireland. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "mhic" meaning son and "Lochairn" which was an old Irish personal name.

In early records, the name appeared with various spellings such as McLernon, McLernane, McLarnon, and McLarnan. One of the earliest records of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, dating back to the 15th century.

The MCLERNON name is associated with the area of Kilmacrennan in County Donegal, where the family held lands and positions of power in the medieval period. The name is also linked to the nearby town of Letterkenny, which was an important center of the McLernon clan.

One notable bearer of the name was Niall Og MCLERNON, a 16th-century chieftain of the McLernon clan who fought against the English forces during the Nine Years' War in Ireland (1594-1603). His death in battle is recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters.

In the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, many McLernons were dispossessed of their lands and forced to relocate to other parts of Ireland or emigrate to other countries, particularly to Scotland and the Americas.

Another notable figure was Reverend John MCLERNON (1759-1833), an Irish-born Presbyterian minister who emigrated to the United States in the late 18th century. He served as a chaplain in the American Revolution and later became a prominent figure in the early Presbyterian Church in America.

In the 19th century, Patrick MCLERNON (1812-1886) was a renowned Irish-American civil engineer who played a significant role in the construction of several canals and railroads in the United States, including the Erie Canal and the New York Central Railroad.

The MCLERNON name has also been associated with literary figures, such as the Irish novelist and playwright Brian MCLERNON (1942-2010), who was known for his works exploring Irish identity and the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Overall, the MCLERNON surname has a rich history rooted in the Gaelic culture of County Donegal, Ireland, with a legacy spanning several centuries and various notable individuals who have contributed to various fields across different parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mclernon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mclernon 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. Glamorgan leads with 1 Mclernons recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.52x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 1 59.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cardiff St Mary in Glamorgan leads with 1 Mclernons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1111.11x.

Place Total Index
Cardiff St Mary 1 1111.11x

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 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 Mclernon households.

Occupation Count
O Seaman 1

FAQ

Mclernon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mclernon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Mclernon surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mclernon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 351 in 2016. That gives Mclernon a modern rank of #13,127.

What does the Mclernon surname mean?

Scottish surname derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "son of the servant" or "son of the monk".

What does the Mclernon map show?

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