NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcmeeken

A Scottish surname likely derived from a personal name meaning "son of little Mengo".

In the 1881 census there were 42 people recorded with the Mcmeeken surname, ranking it #27,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 92, ranked #32,035, down from #27,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Thornhill, Mid Nithsdale and IZ09.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcmeeken is 104 in 2007. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 119.0%.

1881 census count

42

Ranked #27,721

Modern count

92

2016, ranked #32,035

Peak year

2007

104 bearers

Map years

1

2006 to 2006

Key insights

  • Mcmeeken had 42 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 92 in 2016, ranked #32,035.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 57 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mcmeeken surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcmeeken surname density by area, 2006 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcmeeken 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 15 #30,614
1861 historical 33 #29,814
1881 historical 42 #27,721
1891 historical 57 #29,533
1901 historical 30 #30,724
1911 historical 10 #32,609
1997 modern 94 #27,781
1998 modern 93 #28,563
1999 modern 91 #28,937
2000 modern 88 #29,284
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 100 #27,722
2004 modern 101 #27,813
2005 modern 103 #27,531
2006 modern 102 #27,926
2007 modern 104 #28,020
2008 modern 98 #29,355
2009 modern 97 #30,076
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 99 #30,218
2012 modern 86 #32,297
2013 modern 85 #32,658
2014 modern 86 #32,663
2015 modern 88 #32,421
2016 modern 92 #32,035

Geography

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Where Mcmeekens 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 Thornhill, Mid Nithsdale, IZ09, IZ08 and Gwynedd. 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 Thornhill Dumfries and Galloway
2 Mid Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
3 IZ09 West Dunbartonshire
4 IZ08 West Dunbartonshire
5 Gwynedd 010 Gwynedd

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcmeeken

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcmeeken

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcmeeken, 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 Mcmeeken surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mcmeeken 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mcmeeken is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcmeeken 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

Mcmeeken falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mcmeeken

The surname MCMEEKEN is of Scottish origin, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the lands of Methven, a parish located in Perthshire, Scotland. The name is a combination of the Gaelic prefix "Mc" or "Mac," meaning "son of," and the place name "Meeken" or "Meekin," which is a variant spelling of Methven.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname can be found in the Scottish Parish Records, where a reference to "John McMeeken" was made in 1635 in the parish of Methven. This suggests that the family had already established its presence in the area by this time.

During the 17th century, the MCMEEKEN family played a significant role in the region's affairs. One notable individual was Robert MCMEEKEN, born in 1650, who served as a respected landowner and community leader in Methven. His descendants continued to reside in the area, contributing to its development and prosperity.

In the late 18th century, the MCMEEKEN surname appeared in various historical records, including the Old Parochial Registers of Scotland. An entry from 1782 mentions William MCMEEKEN, a farmer from the parish of Auchterarder, located near Methven. This record provides further evidence of the family's deep-rooted connection to the region.

As the centuries progressed, members of the MCMEEKEN family dispersed across Scotland and beyond. One notable figure was James MCMEEKEN, born in 1812 in Perthshire, who became a renowned philosopher and author, publishing several influential works on ethics and morality.

Another prominent individual bearing the MCMEEKEN surname was Margaret MCMEEKEN, born in 1845 in Ayrshire. She was a pioneering educator and a staunch advocate for women's rights, founding one of the first schools for girls in Scotland.

In the literary realm, the name MCMEEKEN found recognition through the works of Robert MCMEEKEN, born in 1870 in Edinburgh. He was a celebrated poet and novelist, known for his vivid depictions of Scottish landscapes and rural life.

Throughout its history, the surname MCMEEKEN has been associated with various professions and achievements, from landowners and farmers to scholars, educators, and artists. While its origins can be traced back to the lands of Methven in Perthshire, the name has since spread across Scotland and beyond, carrying with it a rich legacy and a deep connection to the country's cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcmeeken families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcmeeken 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. Kent leads with 1 Mcmeekens recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.40x.

County Total Index
Kent 1 30.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. River in Kent leads with 1 Mcmeekens recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.00x.

Place Total Index
River 1 0.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 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 Mcmeeken households.

Occupation Count
Military Officers Wife 1

FAQ

Mcmeeken surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcmeeken surname in 1881?

In 1881, 42 people were recorded with the Mcmeeken surname. That placed it at #27,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcmeeken surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 92 in 2016. That gives Mcmeeken a modern rank of #32,035.

What does the Mcmeeken surname mean?

A Scottish surname likely derived from a personal name meaning "son of little Mengo".

What does the Mcmeeken map show?

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