NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcnichol

Son of the nickname derived from the Gaelic personal name Niocal or Nicol (Nicholas).

In the 1881 census there were 257 people recorded with the Mcnichol surname, ranking it #10,861 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 425, ranked #11,300, down from #10,861 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, Silkstone and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include York, Newcastle upon Tyne and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcnichol is 468 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.4%.

1881 census count

257

Ranked #10,861

Modern count

425

2016, ranked #11,300

Peak year

2010

468 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcnichol had 257 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,861 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 425 in 2016, ranked #11,300.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 317 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcnichol surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcnichol surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcnichol 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 158 #12,461
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 257 #10,861
1891 historical 287 #11,473
1901 historical 317 #11,213
1911 historical 246 #13,054
1997 modern 423 #10,550
1998 modern 434 #10,694
1999 modern 447 #10,497
2000 modern 447 #10,497
2001 modern 441 #10,412
2002 modern 446 #10,521
2003 modern 433 #10,614
2004 modern 438 #10,532
2005 modern 431 #10,558
2006 modern 430 #10,624
2007 modern 430 #10,729
2008 modern 421 #11,010
2009 modern 453 #10,611
2010 modern 468 #10,550
2011 modern 465 #10,511
2012 modern 452 #10,619
2013 modern 454 #10,762
2014 modern 454 #10,818
2015 modern 439 #11,035
2016 modern 425 #11,300

Geography

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Where Mcnichols are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, Silkstone, Gateshead, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to York, Newcastle upon Tyne, Salford, Leeds and Knowsley. 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 Darlington Durham
2 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 York 018 York
2 Newcastle upon Tyne 003 Newcastle upon Tyne
3 Salford 016 Salford
4 Leeds 078 Leeds
5 Knowsley 004 Knowsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcnichol

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcnichol

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcnichol 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

Mcnichol is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcnichol 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 Mcnichol 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcnichol

The surname McNichol originated in Scotland, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "Nicail" which is a shortened form of the name "Nicholas." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to the son of someone named Nicholas.

The name was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Highlands, specifically in the regions of Argyll and Bute. Some of the earliest known records of the name can be found in parish registers and court documents from these areas during the late 1500s and early 1600s.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname McNichol was John McNichol, who was born in Argyll around 1620. He was mentioned in various legal documents related to land disputes in the region during the mid-17th century.

Another notable bearer of the name was Archibald McNichol, who was born in Bute in 1678. He was a merchant and landowner, and his name appeared in several business records and property deeds from the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

In the 19th century, the surname McNichol began to spread more widely as people migrated from Scotland to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. One significant figure was William McNichol, born in Glasgow in 1812, who was a prominent architect and designed several notable buildings in Scotland and England.

Another individual of note was Mary McNichol, born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1845. She was a renowned educator and founded several schools for girls in Northern Ireland during the late 19th century.

As the name spread, variations in spelling began to appear, such as McNicol, MacNichol, and McNickle. These were likely influenced by regional dialects and differences in pronunciation.

Throughout history, the surname McNichol has been associated with various professions, including merchants, landowners, architects, educators, and more. While not a particularly widespread name, it has left its mark in various regions, particularly in Scotland and Ireland, where it has its deepest roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcnichol families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcnichol 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. Cumberland leads with 18 Mcnichols recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.01x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 18 67.01x
Yorkshire 11 3.56x
Derbyshire 1 2.05x
Durham 1 1.08x
Lancashire 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 10 Mcnichols recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.27x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 10 57.27x
Harrington 8 2500.00x
St Cuthbert W O 5 381.68x
Caldewgate 4 272.11x
Barnsley 1 31.35x
Glossop Dale 1 43.67x
Preston 1 10.09x
Trimdon 1 303.03x
Whitehaven 1 69.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Ellen 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Letty 1
Margaret 1
Rosann 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Joseph 3
Patrick 2
Allen 1
Bowman 1
Charles 1
Felix 1
Frank 1
George 1
Henry 1
Michal 1
Nicholas 1
Peter 1
William 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 Mcnichol households.

FAQ

Mcnichol surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcnichol surname in 1881?

In 1881, 257 people were recorded with the Mcnichol surname. That placed it at #10,861 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcnichol surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 425 in 2016. That gives Mcnichol a modern rank of #11,300.

What does the Mcnichol surname mean?

Son of the nickname derived from the Gaelic personal name Niocal or Nicol (Nicholas).

What does the Mcnichol map show?

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