NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcnabb

Son of the abbot, derived from the Gaelic "Mac an Aba."

In the 1881 census there were 193 people recorded with the Mcnabb surname, ranking it #13,144 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 482, ranked #10,255, up from #13,144 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Duirnish, Govan Combination and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, Doncaster and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcnabb is 514 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 149.7%.

1881 census count

193

Ranked #13,144

Modern count

482

2016, ranked #10,255

Peak year

2010

514 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcnabb had 193 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,144 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 482 in 2016, ranked #10,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mcnabb surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcnabb surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcnabb 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 274 #8,176
1861 historical 239 #10,273
1881 historical 193 #13,144
1891 historical 181 #16,065
1901 historical 175 #16,469
1911 historical 111 #21,392
1997 modern 418 #10,648
1998 modern 439 #10,602
1999 modern 459 #10,310
2000 modern 449 #10,459
2001 modern 433 #10,561
2002 modern 452 #10,408
2003 modern 438 #10,507
2004 modern 446 #10,391
2005 modern 446 #10,283
2006 modern 459 #10,088
2007 modern 470 #10,012
2008 modern 471 #10,091
2009 modern 490 #10,019
2010 modern 514 #9,838
2011 modern 503 #9,908
2012 modern 470 #10,332
2013 modern 479 #10,343
2014 modern 497 #10,113
2015 modern 488 #10,182
2016 modern 482 #10,255

Geography

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Where Mcnabbs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Duirnish, Govan Combination, Toxteth Park, Killarow and Kilmeny and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Copeland and IZ12. 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 Duirnish Inverness
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Killarow and Kilmeny Argyll
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 004 Knowsley
2 Doncaster 037 Doncaster
3 Rotherham 020 Rotherham
4 Copeland 004 Copeland
5 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcnabb

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcnabb

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcnabb 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

Mcnabb is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mcnabb

The surname McNabb has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the early 14th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "nab" or "naib" meaning "simple" or "humble".

The name likely arose as a nickname for someone of a modest or unassuming nature. It was prevalent in the western regions of Scotland, particularly Argyll and Bute, where the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval charters and records.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Dougall McNab, who is mentioned in a charter from the Lord of the Isles in 1394. This charter granted lands in Argyll to Dougall and his descendants.

The name also appears in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, a collection of official records, with entries dating back to the 15th century. In 1476, a John McNab is recorded as receiving a grant of lands in Perthshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the McNabbs were a prominent clan in the Scottish Highlands, with their clan seat located at Killin, near Loch Tay. They were known for their involvement in various conflicts and feuds with neighboring clans.

One notable figure from this time period was Finlay McNab, who was the chief of the clan in the late 16th century. He was renowned for his military prowess and played a role in the conflicts between the clans and the Scottish Crown.

In the 18th century, Robert McNab, born in 1718, was a Scottish explorer and fur trader who established trading posts in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. He is credited with being one of the first Europeans to extensively explore and map the Columbia River.

Another prominent individual was Sir Duncan McNab, born in 1838, who served as a Canadian politician and military officer. He played a significant role in the development of the Canadian west and was instrumental in the establishment of the North-West Mounted Police, the precursor to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Francis McNab, born in 1809, was a Scottish-Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of Canada West (now Ontario). He was also involved in the development of the Canadian railway system.

The McNabb surname has also been found in various spellings over the centuries, including McNab, MacNab, and McNaib, reflecting the phonetic variations in different regions of Scotland and North America.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcnabb families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcnabb 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. Westmorland leads with 4 Mcnabbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 155.64x.

County Total Index
Westmorland 4 155.64x
Somerset 3 15.95x
Inverness-shire 1 28.65x
Lancashire 1 0.72x
Northumberland 1 5.75x
Warwickshire 1 3.39x
Yorkshire 1 0.86x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heversham With Milnthorpe in Westmorland leads with 4 Mcnabbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6666.67x.

Place Total Index
Heversham With Milnthorpe 4 6666.67x
Bedminster 3 169.49x
Birmingham 1 10.18x
Byker 1 116.28x
Duirinish 1 555.56x
Liverpool 1 11.88x
Liversedge 1 192.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agnes 2
Sarah 2
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 2
James 1
Samuel 1
Willm. 1
Wilson 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 Mcnabb households.

FAQ

Mcnabb surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcnabb surname in 1881?

In 1881, 193 people were recorded with the Mcnabb surname. That placed it at #13,144 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcnabb surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 482 in 2016. That gives Mcnabb a modern rank of #10,255.

What does the Mcnabb surname mean?

Son of the abbot, derived from the Gaelic "Mac an Aba."

What does the Mcnabb map show?

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