NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcnicoll

Scottish surname meaning "son of the servant of Nicholas".

In the 1881 census there were 478 people recorded with the Mcnicoll surname, ranking it #7,000 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 424, ranked #11,328, down from #7,000 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mearns North and Inverbervie, Hilltown and Carnoustie West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcnicoll is 573 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.3%.

1881 census count

478

Ranked #7,000

Modern count

424

2016, ranked #11,328

Peak year

1891

573 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcnicoll had 478 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,000 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 424 in 2016, ranked #11,328.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 573 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcnicoll surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcnicoll surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcnicoll 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 316 #7,323
1861 historical 355 #7,198
1881 historical 478 #7,000
1891 historical 573 #6,640
1901 historical 546 #7,568
1911 historical 100 #22,717
1997 modern 422 #10,571
1998 modern 451 #10,393
1999 modern 439 #10,673
2000 modern 475 #10,016
2001 modern 456 #10,136
2002 modern 449 #10,465
2003 modern 436 #10,552
2004 modern 433 #10,644
2005 modern 437 #10,437
2006 modern 427 #10,683
2007 modern 425 #10,837
2008 modern 451 #10,394
2009 modern 434 #11,014
2010 modern 439 #11,121
2011 modern 446 #10,863
2012 modern 432 #11,015
2013 modern 427 #11,325
2014 modern 438 #11,149
2015 modern 428 #11,276
2016 modern 424 #11,328

Geography

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Where Mcnicolls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Alyth and Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mearns North and Inverbervie, Hilltown, Carnoustie West, Carnoustie East and IZ19. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Alyth Perth
5 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mearns North and Inverbervie Aberdeenshire
2 Hilltown Dundee City
3 Carnoustie West Angus
4 Carnoustie East Angus
5 IZ19 East Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcnicoll

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcnicoll

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcnicoll, 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 Mcnicoll surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcnicoll 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, Mcnicoll 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

Mcnicoll 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

Mcnicoll falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcnicoll is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcnicoll

The surname MCNICOLL is of Scottish origin, originating from the western regions of Scotland during the medieval period. It is a patronymic name derived from the Gaelic personal name "Niocal," which is the Scottish Gaelic form of the name Nicholas.

MCNICOLL is a variation of the more common Scottish surname MacNicol or McNicol, with the prefix "Mac" meaning "son of." This prefix was often added to personal names to create surnames, indicating the individual's paternal lineage. The name's earliest recorded spelling appears as "MacNycol" in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264.

The name is believed to have been particularly prevalent in the regions of Argyll and the Hebrides, where it was associated with several notable families and clans. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Gillecrist MacNycol, who was a tenant of the Bishop of Argyll in the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the MCNICOLL surname is found in various historical records, including the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, which mentions a John McNicoll in 1545. The name is also associated with the MacNicol clan, a branch of the larger Clan Donald, which had a stronghold on the island of Islay.

Notable individuals with the surname MCNICOLL include:

1. Donald MCNICOLL (c. 1735-1802), a Scottish writer and poet from the Isle of Skye, known for his works in Gaelic and English. 2. Reverend David MCNICOLL (1779-1838), a Scottish minister and author from Argyll, who wrote extensively on religious topics. 3. John MCNICOLL (1787-1836), a Scottish explorer and fur trader, known for his expeditions in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. 4. Sir William MCNICOLL (1870-1948), a prominent Australian businessman and chairman of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia from 1923 to 1937. 5. Archibald MCNICOLL (1877-1963), a Scottish-born Australian politician and member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1922 to 1928.

The surname MCNICOLL has a rich history rooted in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, with its origins dating back to the medieval period. It has been associated with notable figures in various fields, including literature, religion, exploration, and politics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcnicoll families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcnicoll 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 15 Mcnicolls recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.05x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 15 4.05x
Yorkshire 14 4.53x
Middlesex 2 0.64x
Cheshire 1 1.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Knaresborough in Yorkshire leads with 14 Mcnicolls recorded in 1881 and an index of 2857.14x.

Place Total Index
Knaresborough 14 2857.14x
Stretford 8 392.16x
Kirkdale 4 64.21x
Bromley London 2 29.15x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 34.01x
Maghull 1 666.67x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 1 126.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Anne 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Elsie 1
Emma 1
Helen 1
Janie 1
Lakie 1
Louis 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
Thomas 2
William 2
David 1
Patrick 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 Mcnicoll households.

FAQ

Mcnicoll surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcnicoll surname in 1881?

In 1881, 478 people were recorded with the Mcnicoll surname. That placed it at #7,000 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcnicoll surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 424 in 2016. That gives Mcnicoll a modern rank of #11,328.

What does the Mcnicoll surname mean?

Scottish surname meaning "son of the servant of Nicholas".

What does the Mcnicoll map show?

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