UK surname
A Scottish surname derived from a nickname for a son or servant of the knight.
In the 1881 census there were 95 people recorded with the Mcnight surname, ranking it #20,349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12, ranked #37,385, down from #20,349 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Girvan, New Monkland and Lanark. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcnight is 152 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 87.4%.
1881 census count
95
Ranked #20,349
Modern count
12
2016, ranked #37,385
Peak year
1861
152 bearers
Map years
2
1851 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Mcnight surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Mcnight surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 147 | #13,084 |
| 1861 | historical | 152 | #15,126 |
| 1881 | historical | 95 | #20,349 |
| 1891 | historical | 75 | #27,414 |
| 1901 | historical | 55 | #28,064 |
| 1911 | historical | 12 | #32,302 |
| 1997 | modern | 22 | #35,584 |
| 1998 | modern | 22 | #35,687 |
| 1999 | modern | 17 | #36,261 |
| 2000 | modern | 17 | #36,207 |
| 2001 | modern | 15 | #36,265 |
| 2002 | modern | 25 | #35,428 |
| 2003 | modern | 18 | #36,115 |
| 2004 | modern | 18 | #36,245 |
| 2005 | modern | 20 | #36,165 |
| 2006 | modern | 14 | #36,801 |
| 2007 | modern | 13 | #36,990 |
| 2008 | modern | 17 | #36,699 |
| 2009 | modern | 16 | #36,850 |
| 2010 | modern | 13 | #37,215 |
| 2011 | modern | 14 | #37,115 |
| 2012 | modern | 15 | #36,982 |
| 2013 | modern | 13 | #37,224 |
| 2014 | modern | 12 | #37,355 |
| 2015 | modern | 11 | #37,467 |
| 2016 | modern | 12 | #37,385 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Girvan, New Monkland, Lanark, Govan Combination and Moffat. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Girvan | Ayr |
| 2 | New Monkland | Lanark |
| 3 | Lanark | Lanark |
| 4 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 5 | Moffat | Dumfries |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Mcnight surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcnight, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Mcnight surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Mcnight household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Mcnight is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcnight is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Mcnight, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname MCNIGHT is of Scottish origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "naught" meaning "night." The name would have originally referred to someone who worked at night or had some association with night activities.
The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were written records of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One entry lists a "Gillemichel McKnaght" from the county of Bute. This suggests the name was well-established in the western Scottish Highlands by that time.
In the 16th century, the MCNIGHT name appears in various parish registers and charters across Scotland. Notable examples include John McKnycht, a burgess of Glasgow in 1554, and Robert McKnicht, a landowner in Ayrshire in 1573. The spellings varied due to inconsistent record-keeping practices of the era.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Sir Richard McKnight, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. He was rewarded with lands in Lanarkshire for his service.
Another figure of historical note was James McKnight (1591-1664), a Church of Scotland minister who served as Moderator of the General Assembly in 1649. He was a vocal opponent of the policies of King Charles I towards the Scottish church.
In the 17th century, the MCNIGHT name spread to Ulster during the Plantation of Ulster, when Scottish settlers were given land grants in the province of Ireland. This accounts for the surname's presence in parts of Northern Ireland today.
Archibald McKnight (1772-1839) was a prominent Scottish Covenanter minister who emigrated to America in 1792 and established several Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Charles McKnight (1750-1792) was an Irish poet and playwright from County Monaghan, best known for his satirical works mocking the Anglo-Irish ascendancy class.
As the name originated in Scotland's western Highlands and Islands, place name connections may exist with locations like the Isle of Islay, where "McKnightstown" is a village name of possible MCNIGHT lineage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcnight surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 6 Mcnights recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.65x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 6 | 8.65x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 6 Mcnights recorded in 1881 and an index of 142.52x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 6 | 142.52x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mcnight surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mcnight surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Mcnight households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 2 |
| Labourer In Iron Fac | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 95 people were recorded with the Mcnight surname. That placed it at #20,349 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 12 in 2016. That gives Mcnight a modern rank of #37,385.
A Scottish surname derived from a nickname for a son or servant of the knight.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mcnight bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.