NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcnaughton

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place meaning "haughton belonging to a son."

In the 1881 census there were 2,371 people recorded with the Mcnaughton surname, ranking it #1,878 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,534, ranked #2,609, down from #1,878 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Killin, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall, Rannoch and Aberfeldy and Campbeltown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcnaughton is 2,700 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.9%.

1881 census count

2,371

Ranked #1,878

Modern count

2,534

2016, ranked #2,609

Peak year

1901

2,700 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcnaughton had 2,371 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,878 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,534 in 2016, ranked #2,609.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,700 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcnaughton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcnaughton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcnaughton 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 1,793 #1,611
1861 historical 1,783 #1,625
1881 historical 2,371 #1,878
1891 historical 2,493 #1,901
1901 historical 2,700 #2,055
1911 historical 578 #7,032
1997 modern 2,295 #2,709
1998 modern 2,436 #2,669
1999 modern 2,473 #2,653
2000 modern 2,512 #2,604
2001 modern 2,425 #2,631
2002 modern 2,515 #2,604
2003 modern 2,433 #2,624
2004 modern 2,451 #2,615
2005 modern 2,422 #2,613
2006 modern 2,408 #2,623
2007 modern 2,457 #2,604
2008 modern 2,491 #2,591
2009 modern 2,545 #2,606
2010 modern 2,593 #2,618
2011 modern 2,519 #2,658
2012 modern 2,491 #2,630
2013 modern 2,543 #2,628
2014 modern 2,550 #2,634
2015 modern 2,536 #2,619
2016 modern 2,534 #2,609

Geography

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Where Mcnaughtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Killin, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Fortingall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall, Rannoch and Aberfeldy, Campbeltown, Stockton-on-Tees and Darvel. 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 Killin Perth
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Fortingall Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall East Renfrewshire
2 Rannoch and Aberfeldy Perth and Kinross
3 Campbeltown Argyll and Bute
4 Stockton-on-Tees 020 Stockton-on-Tees
5 Darvel East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcnaughton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcnaughton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mcnaughton 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

Mcnaughton 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

Mcnaughton falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mcnaughton

The surname McNaughton has its origins in Scotland, first appearing in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "Naughtan" meaning "little poor one" or "little bare one". The prefix "Mac" translates to "son of", indicating the name originally referred to the son of someone named Naughtan.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls recording those who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. It was also found in the Black Book of Taymouth, a 16th century manuscript recording land charters and genealogies of Scottish clans.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to 1296, with Andrew McNachtan appearing in the Ragman Rolls. The name has also been spelled as McNaughton, McNaghten, McNaughten, and McNauchtan throughout history.

The McNaughtons were a prominent Scottish clan based in Argyllshire and were closely associated with the powerful Campbell clan. During the Wars of Scottish Independence, they supported Robert the Bruce, with John McNaughton being recorded as one of his supporters in 1320.

In the 16th century, Sir John McNaughton of Beuchanside was a notable member of the clan, serving as a judge and legal advisor to King James VI of Scotland. Another prominent figure was Sir Francis McNaughton (1589-1674), a Scottish soldier and landowner who fought for the Covenanters during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

Other notable individuals with the surname include Sir William McNaughton (1825-1915), a British colonial administrator in India and author of several books on Indian history and politics, and John McNaughton (1835-1914), a Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

In the United States, Andrew McNaughton (1925-2014) was a respected mathematician and statistician, known for his contributions to the field of stochastic processes and his work on the Manhattan Project during World War II.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcnaughton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcnaughton 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. Durham leads with 16 Mcnaughtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.34x.

County Total Index
Durham 16 6.34x
Lancashire 16 1.59x
Cumberland 13 17.79x
Caernarfonshire 11 32.05x
Ayrshire 9 14.17x
Perthshire 6 15.75x
Staffordshire 4 1.40x
Hampshire 3 1.72x
Middlesex 3 0.35x
Midlothian 2 1.76x
Northumberland 1 0.79x
Surrey 1 0.24x
Warwickshire 1 0.47x
Yorkshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockton On Tees in Durham leads with 11 Mcnaughtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 90.39x.

Place Total Index
Stockton On Tees 11 90.39x
Dunlop 9 2250.00x
Dolwyddelan 7 1891.89x
Broughton In Salford 6 65.15x
Layton With Warbreck 6 162.16x
St Cuthbert Within 6 705.88x
Whitehaven 6 154.24x
Auchtergaven 5 781.25x
Kirkdale 4 23.61x
Penmachno 4 655.74x
Stranton 4 47.06x
Tipton 4 45.61x
Old Artillery Ground 2 273.97x
Southampton All Sts 2 67.11x
Caldewgate 1 25.00x
Crondall 1 107.53x
Darlington 1 10.26x
Dunblane 1 109.89x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 2.19x
Lambeth 1 1.35x
Lillington 1 370.37x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 15.27x
North Leith 1 19.01x
St Clement Danes 1 72.99x
Thornaby 1 31.85x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 7
John 7
Alexander 3
David 3
Robert 3
Daniel 2
Duncan 2
George 2
William 2
Charles 1
Edward 1
Mathew 1
Richard 1
Ronald 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Mcnaughton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcnaughton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,371 people were recorded with the Mcnaughton surname. That placed it at #1,878 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcnaughton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,534 in 2016. That gives Mcnaughton a modern rank of #2,609.

What does the Mcnaughton surname mean?

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place meaning "haughton belonging to a son."

What does the Mcnaughton map show?

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