NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcphillips

Son of Philip or follower of Philip.

In the 1881 census there were 205 people recorded with the Mcphillips surname, ranking it #12,643 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,039, ranked #5,608, up from #12,643 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dalmeny and Queensferry, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bathgate and Boghall, Bathgate West and Bathgate East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcphillips is 1,059 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 406.8%.

1881 census count

205

Ranked #12,643

Modern count

1,039

2016, ranked #5,608

Peak year

2010

1,059 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcphillips had 205 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,643 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,039 in 2016, ranked #5,608.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 299 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcphillips surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcphillips surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcphillips 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 64 #25,747
1881 historical 205 #12,643
1891 historical 220 #13,937
1901 historical 299 #11,673
1911 historical 145 #18,255
1997 modern 892 #6,001
1998 modern 922 #6,039
1999 modern 929 #6,054
2000 modern 926 #6,050
2001 modern 900 #6,089
2002 modern 920 #6,100
2003 modern 918 #5,985
2004 modern 914 #6,014
2005 modern 952 #5,770
2006 modern 958 #5,755
2007 modern 970 #5,749
2008 modern 965 #5,808
2009 modern 1,016 #5,691
2010 modern 1,059 #5,605
2011 modern 1,019 #5,733
2012 modern 1,018 #5,655
2013 modern 1,029 #5,702
2014 modern 1,051 #5,618
2015 modern 1,030 #5,673
2016 modern 1,039 #5,608

Geography

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Where Mcphillips' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dalmeny and Queensferry, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Bathgate and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bathgate and Boghall, Bathgate West, Bathgate East, Newton Stewart and Sefton. 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 Dalmeny and Queensferry Linlithgow
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Bathgate Linlithgow
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bathgate and Boghall West Lothian
2 Bathgate West West Lothian
3 Bathgate East West Lothian
4 Newton Stewart Dumfries and Galloway
5 Sefton 033 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcphillips

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcphillips

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

Mcphillips is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcphillips 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 Mcphillips 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcphillips

The surname McPhillips is of Scottish origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is a patronymic surname derived from the Gaelic personal name Phillipus, which itself is derived from the Greek name Philippos, meaning "lover of horses." The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" indicates "son of" in Gaelic.

McPhillips is a variant spelling of the original Gaelic name Mac Philib or Mac Phillip. The name was originally found in the western Highlands and Hebrides islands of Scotland, particularly in areas such as Argyll and the Inner Hebrides. It is also found in certain parts of Ireland, where Scottish settlers brought the name.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname McPhillips appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a series of historical documents recording those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England after his conquest of parts of Scotland. In these rolls, the name is listed as "Makphelip."

Other early records of the name can be found in the Black Book of Taymouth, a 16th-century manuscript from Perthshire, Scotland, which mentions a "Donald Makphelipp" in 1506. The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1488 also reference a "John Makphillip."

One notable bearer of the McPhillips surname was Alasdair MacPhillips (c. 1610-1672), a Scottish Gaelic poet and warrior from Argyll. He is known for his poetic works praising the MacDonald clan and his involvement in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

Another prominent figure was Duncan McPhillips (1769-1855), a Scottish-born businessman and landowner who emigrated to Canada in the early 19th century and became one of the first settlers in the township of Markham, Ontario.

In the United States, John McPhillips (1817-1892) was a successful businessman and politician from New York City. He served as a member of the New York State Assembly and was involved in various business ventures, including the textile industry.

A notable Irish bearer of the name was Michael McPhillips (1853-1919), a journalist and politician from County Mayo. He was a Member of Parliament for North Monaghan and played a significant role in the Irish Parliamentary Party.

Finally, Brendan McPhillips (1919-1995) was a Scottish-born Canadian actor and director who had a successful career in theater, film, and television, particularly in Canada and the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcphillips families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcphillips 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. Northumberland leads with 7 Mcphillips' recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.38x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 7 48.38x
Cumberland 3 35.80x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Belsay in Northumberland leads with 7 Mcphillips' recorded in 1881 and an index of 70000.00x.

Place Total Index
Belsay 7 70000.00x
Workington 3 625.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Catherine 1
Mary 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 2
Andrew 1
Bernard 1
John 1
Peter 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 Mcphillips households.

FAQ

Mcphillips surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcphillips surname in 1881?

In 1881, 205 people were recorded with the Mcphillips surname. That placed it at #12,643 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcphillips surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,039 in 2016. That gives Mcphillips a modern rank of #5,608.

What does the Mcphillips surname mean?

Son of Philip or follower of Philip.

What does the Mcphillips map show?

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