NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcpaul

A patronymic surname meaning "son of Paul".

In the 1881 census there were 8 people recorded with the Mcpaul surname, ranking it #32,581 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 113, ranked #28,691, up from #32,581 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central, Port Glasgow Upper East and Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcpaul is 113 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1312.5%.

1881 census count

8

Ranked #32,581

Modern count

113

2016, ranked #28,691

Peak year

2016

113 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcpaul had 8 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,581 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016, ranked #28,691.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 28 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcpaul surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcpaul surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcpaul 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 #33,412
1861 historical 16 #31,832
1881 historical 8 #32,581
1891 historical 19 #32,642
1901 historical 28 #30,951
1911 historical 10 #32,609
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 105 #26,822
1999 modern 107 #26,754
2000 modern 105 #27,001
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 108 #26,698
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 102 #27,926
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 108 #28,849
2013 modern 108 #29,379
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 113 #28,691

Geography

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Where Mcpauls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central, Port Glasgow Upper East, Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Southend-on-Sea and Greenock Upper Central. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central Inverclyde
2 Port Glasgow Upper East Inverclyde
3 Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central Inverclyde
4 Southend-on-Sea 017 Southend-on-Sea
5 Greenock Upper Central Inverclyde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcpaul

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcpaul

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

Mcpaul is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcpaul 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 Mcpaul 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 Mcpaul, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcpaul

The surname MCPAUL originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is a variant of the more common Scottish surname McPaul, which derived from the Gaelic personal name Pàl, equivalent to the English name Paul. The prefix "Mc" means "son of" in Gaelic.

MCPAUL is believed to have first appeared in written records in the 13th century, in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls rendered to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners. Some early spellings of the name included MacPaull, McPaull, and McPowle.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname was John McPaull, who was mentioned in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland in 1455. Another early record is of William McPawill, who was listed in the Acts of the Lords of Council in 1478.

The MCPAUL surname was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Highlands, especially in the regions of Argyll and the Outer Hebrides. Several notable individuals with this surname hailed from these areas, including Donald McPaul (c. 1640-1718), a prominent Highland rebel who fought against the government during the Jacobite risings.

Another notable MCPAUL was Reverend James McPaul (1718-1786), a Scottish minister who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1774. He was born in Rothesay, on the Isle of Bute, and played a significant role in the religious life of the region.

In the 19th century, James McPaul (1804-1870) was a Scottish surgeon and author who wrote several medical treatises and served as the President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He was born in Greenock, Renfrewshire, and made significant contributions to the field of medicine during his lifetime.

Another individual of note was Archibald McPaul (1865-1935), a Scottish-born farmer and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, Canada, from 1914 to 1920. He was born in Islay, one of the Inner Hebrides islands, and immigrated to Canada in the late 19th century.

While the MCPAUL surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Scottish immigration to North America and other English-speaking countries. However, it remains relatively rare compared to other Scottish surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mcpaul surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcpaul surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8 people were recorded with the Mcpaul surname. That placed it at #32,581 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcpaul surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016. That gives Mcpaul a modern rank of #28,691.

What does the Mcpaul surname mean?

A patronymic surname meaning "son of Paul".

What does the Mcpaul map show?

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