NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcnaught

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "mac Nèachaidh" meaning "son of the pure one".

In the 1881 census there were 1,488 people recorded with the Mcnaught surname, ranking it #2,809 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,856, ranked #3,420, down from #2,809 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Bonhill and Dumfries. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Drumry East, Summerville and IZ14.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcnaught is 1,875 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.7%.

1881 census count

1,488

Ranked #2,809

Modern count

1,856

2016, ranked #3,420

Peak year

2013

1,875 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcnaught had 1,488 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,809 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,856 in 2016, ranked #3,420.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,751 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcnaught surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcnaught surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcnaught 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 1,214 #2,348
1861 historical 1,276 #2,236
1881 historical 1,488 #2,809
1891 historical 1,629 #2,746
1901 historical 1,751 #2,965
1911 historical 355 #10,172
1997 modern 1,645 #3,606
1998 modern 1,690 #3,648
1999 modern 1,727 #3,610
2000 modern 1,735 #3,582
2001 modern 1,696 #3,586
2002 modern 1,761 #3,536
2003 modern 1,704 #3,574
2004 modern 1,719 #3,542
2005 modern 1,733 #3,483
2006 modern 1,715 #3,517
2007 modern 1,754 #3,488
2008 modern 1,755 #3,506
2009 modern 1,803 #3,504
2010 modern 1,827 #3,523
2011 modern 1,819 #3,502
2012 modern 1,814 #3,454
2013 modern 1,875 #3,410
2014 modern 1,875 #3,438
2015 modern 1,848 #3,450
2016 modern 1,856 #3,420

Geography

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Where Mcnaughts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Bonhill, Dumfries, Edinburgh and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Drumry East, Summerville, IZ14, Blairdardie East and Drumry West. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Bonhill Dunbarton
3 Dumfries Dumfries
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Drumry East Glasgow City
2 Summerville Dumfries and Galloway
3 IZ14 West Dunbartonshire
4 Blairdardie East Glasgow City
5 Drumry West Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcnaught

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcnaught

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mcnaught surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcnaught household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcnaught 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

Mcnaught 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

Mcnaught 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 Mcnaught is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcnaught

The surname McNaught is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "naught" likely related to the word "neacht" meaning "pure" or "clean". It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century in the Scottish Highlands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Macnacht" in this record.

In the 15th century, the surname is documented in various Scottish records, often with variations in spelling such as "Macnaucht", "Macnought", and "Macnaught". These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling at the time.

The McNaught surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was John McNaught, a Scottish clergyman and scholar born in 1537, who served as the Principal of the University of Glasgow from 1577 to 1588.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert McNaught (1721-1789), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1776 to 1778. He was instrumental in the development of the city's New Town district.

In the literary world, the surname is associated with Scottish poet and playwright William McNaught (1793-1881), known for his works such as "The Scottish Village" and "The Covenanters".

In the realm of sports, Duncan McNaught (1848-1917) was a Scottish professional golfer who won several prestigious tournaments in the late 19th century, including the Open Championship in 1886.

Another notable figure was Sir William McNaught (1873-1953), a British civil engineer and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the reinforced concrete industry in the early 20th century.

While the surname McNaught has Scottish origins, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through immigration and diaspora communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcnaught families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcnaught 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. Lancashire leads with 28 Mcnaughts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.40x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 28 4.40x
Middlesex 10 1.86x
Monmouthshire 5 12.89x
Northumberland 4 5.01x
Devon 3 2.69x
Essex 2 1.89x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 12.89x
Midlothian 1 1.39x
Worcestershire 1 1.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 10 Mcnaughts recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.87x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 10 25.87x
Everton 7 34.52x
Toxteth Park 7 32.48x
St Woollos 5 115.47x
Great Whittington 4 10000.00x
St George Hanover 4 57.14x
Axminster 3 576.92x
Hackney London 2 6.65x
Islington London 2 3.85x
Kirkdale 2 18.67x
Dalry 1 555.56x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 3.46x
Mile End Old Town 1 11.81x
Newchurch 1 19.19x
Orsett 1 357.14x
St Luke London 1 11.63x
Walton On Hill 1 28.99x
West Ham 1 4.28x
Whistones 1 196.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 4
Agnes 2
Catherine 2
Ada 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Ellen 1
Florence 1
Jane 1
Leah 1
Louisa 1
Maggie 1
Margaret 1
O. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
William 5
James 4
Finlay 2
George 2
Henry 2
Robert 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Hugh 1
Wm. 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 Mcnaught households.

FAQ

Mcnaught surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcnaught surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,488 people were recorded with the Mcnaught surname. That placed it at #2,809 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcnaught surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,856 in 2016. That gives Mcnaught a modern rank of #3,420.

What does the Mcnaught surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "mac Nèachaidh" meaning "son of the pure one".

What does the Mcnaught map show?

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