NameCensus.

UK surname

Mclinden

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Gille Fhìnden" meaning "son of the servant of the blond one."

In the 1881 census there were 73 people recorded with the Mclinden surname, ranking it #23,220 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 231, ranked #17,764, up from #23,220 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Girvan, Blantyre and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, Liverpool and Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mclinden is 244 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 216.4%.

1881 census count

73

Ranked #23,220

Modern count

231

2016, ranked #17,764

Peak year

2009

244 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mclinden had 73 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,220 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 231 in 2016, ranked #17,764.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 111 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mclinden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mclinden surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mclinden 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 23 #29,205
1861 historical 22 #31,140
1881 historical 73 #23,220
1891 historical 66 #28,541
1901 historical 111 #21,492
1911 historical 44 #28,454
1997 modern 233 #15,975
1998 modern 234 #16,404
1999 modern 227 #16,834
2000 modern 234 #16,470
2001 modern 228 #16,525
2002 modern 228 #16,828
2003 modern 218 #17,131
2004 modern 228 #16,723
2005 modern 227 #16,730
2006 modern 223 #17,036
2007 modern 230 #16,890
2008 modern 239 #16,583
2009 modern 244 #16,706
2010 modern 239 #17,280
2011 modern 234 #17,383
2012 modern 219 #18,087
2013 modern 221 #18,252
2014 modern 218 #18,583
2015 modern 224 #18,117
2016 modern 231 #17,764

Geography

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Where Mclindens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Girvan, Blantyre, Govan Combination, Halsall and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, Liverpool, Sefton and Dunfermline Abbeyview North. 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 Girvan Ayr
2 Blantyre Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Halsall Lancashire
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 018 Isle of Wight
2 Liverpool 040 Liverpool
3 Sefton 024 Sefton
4 Dunfermline Abbeyview North Fife
5 Isle of Wight 016 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mclinden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mclinden

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Mclinden is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mclinden is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mclinden 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 Mclinden is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 20-25 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

4
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mclinden

The surname MCLINDEN is of Scottish origin, with its roots traced back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be a variant of the Scottish surname McLinden, derived from the Gaelic "mac Gille Fhinnein," meaning "son of the servant of St. Finnan."

This name is closely associated with the Scottish Highlands, particularly in regions like Argyll and Perthshire, where the veneration of St. Finnan was widespread. The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in parish records and local histories from these areas.

One notable historical reference to the MCLINDEN surname can be found in the "Annals of Loch Cé," a 15th-century Irish chronicle. This manuscript mentions a "Gillebride McLinden" who was involved in a conflict with the O'Conors in the year 1418.

The MCLINDEN surname has seen various spellings over the centuries, including McLinden, McLyndyn, and McLynden. These variations often reflected regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping practices of the time.

Among the earliest recorded examples of individuals bearing the MCLINDEN surname are:

1. Angus MCLINDEN (c. 1590 – 1670), a prominent landowner and clan chief in Argyll. 2. Malcolm MCLINDEN (1625 – 1698), a Scottish Presbyterian minister who served in Paisley. 3. Catherine MCLINDEN (1710 – 1782), a notable figure in the Jacobite Risings, known for her support of the Stuart cause.

As the name spread beyond Scotland, it also gained recognition in other parts of the British Isles and, later, in North America. Notable individuals with the MCLINDEN surname include:

1. Robert MCLINDEN (1812 – 1893), an Irish-born politician and judge who served in Canada. 2. Elizabeth MCLINDEN (1873 – 1956), an American educator and advocate for the rights of the blind. 3. James MCLINDEN (1895 – 1972), a Scottish-born Canadian soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross during World War I. 4. William MCLINDEN (1922 – 2008), an English author and historian known for his works on medieval Scotland. 5. Mary MCLINDEN (born 1962), an American disability rights activist and entrepreneur.

While the MCLINDEN surname may not be among the most common in the present day, its rich history and connections to Scottish heritage continue to be a source of pride for those who bear it.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mclinden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mclinden 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. Yorkshire leads with 4 Mclindens recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.32x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 4 8.32x
Ayrshire 1 27.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clifford Cum Boston in Yorkshire leads with 3 Mclindens recorded in 1881 and an index of 7500.00x.

Place Total Index
Clifford Cum Boston 3 7500.00x
Girvan 1 1111.11x
North Deighton 1 0.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Felix 1
Henry 1
Patrick 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 Mclinden households.

FAQ

Mclinden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mclinden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 73 people were recorded with the Mclinden surname. That placed it at #23,220 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mclinden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 231 in 2016. That gives Mclinden a modern rank of #17,764.

What does the Mclinden surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Gille Fhìnden" meaning "son of the servant of the blond one."

What does the Mclinden map show?

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