NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcrobert

A Scottish surname derived from a patronymic meaning "son of Robert".

In the 1881 census there were 432 people recorded with the Mcrobert surname, ranking it #7,547 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 577, ranked #8,974, down from #7,547 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Parton, Govan Combination and Strathdon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gatehouse, Kirkcudbright and Dalbeattie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcrobert is 577 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.6%.

1881 census count

432

Ranked #7,547

Modern count

577

2016, ranked #8,974

Peak year

2015

577 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcrobert had 432 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,547 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 577 in 2016, ranked #8,974.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 526 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcrobert surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcrobert surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcrobert 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 350 #6,733
1861 historical 366 #6,987
1881 historical 432 #7,547
1891 historical 520 #7,194
1901 historical 526 #7,760
1911 historical 109 #21,611
1997 modern 540 #8,782
1998 modern 559 #8,808
1999 modern 574 #8,692
2000 modern 554 #8,898
2001 modern 550 #8,799
2002 modern 551 #8,973
2003 modern 533 #9,050
2004 modern 528 #9,144
2005 modern 530 #9,054
2006 modern 532 #9,053
2007 modern 535 #9,087
2008 modern 548 #8,993
2009 modern 572 #8,901
2010 modern 573 #9,073
2011 modern 546 #9,322
2012 modern 551 #9,153
2013 modern 561 #9,177
2014 modern 575 #9,068
2015 modern 577 #8,985
2016 modern 577 #8,974

Geography

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Where Mcroberts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Parton, Govan Combination, Strathdon, Kirkcudbright and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gatehouse, Kirkcudbright, Dalbeattie, Dalbeattie Rural and Stranraer East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Parton Kirkcudbright
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Strathdon Aberdeen
4 Kirkcudbright Kirkcudbright
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gatehouse Dumfries and Galloway
2 Kirkcudbright Dumfries and Galloway
3 Dalbeattie Dumfries and Galloway
4 Dalbeattie Rural Dumfries and Galloway
5 Stranraer East Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcrobert

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcrobert

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

Mcrobert 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

Mcrobert falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcrobert 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 Mcrobert, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcrobert

The surname McRobert originated in the Scottish Highlands during the medieval period. It is a patronymic name derived from the Gaelic personal name "Rob" or "Robert," meaning "bright fame." The prefix "Mc" means "son of," indicating that the original bearer was the son of a man named Robert.

The earliest recorded instances of the McRobert name can be traced back to the 13th century in the area of Argyll, Scotland. Historical records from this region, such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296, mention individuals with the surname McRobert or similar spellings like MacRobert or McRobb.

One notable early bearer of the McRobert name was Duncan McRobert, who was mentioned in the Charter of Confirmation granted by King Robert III of Scotland in 1390. This charter confirmed the lands of Lochgair and Glendaruel in Argyll to Duncan and his descendants.

The McRobert surname has also been associated with the Isle of Islay, an island off the west coast of Scotland. The Clan Donald, one of the most powerful clans in the region, had a branch known as the McRoberts of Islay, who held lands on the island during the 15th and 16th centuries.

In the 17th century, the McRoberts of Arnsheen in Dumfriesshire were a prominent family in southern Scotland. Sir John McRobert (1598-1671) was a renowned Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Justice Clerk, one of the highest judicial offices in the country at the time.

Another notable figure bearing this surname was Sir Samuel McRobert (1786-1862), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry. He was a significant benefactor to various educational and charitable institutions in his hometown of Paisley, Scotland.

Other historical figures with the McRobert surname include:

1. Archibald McRobert (1795-1868), a Scottish-born settler in South Australia who established a successful farming enterprise in the state. 2. William McRobert (1820-1891), a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. 3. James McRobert (1857-1932), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. 4. Archibald McRobert (1868-1944), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. 5. John McRobert (1901-1982), a Scottish-born Canadian writer and educator who wrote extensively on Scottish history and literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcrobert families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcrobert 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 7 Mcroberts recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.73x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 7 6.73x
Ayrshire 1 15.24x
Staffordshire 1 3.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkdale in Lancashire leads with 6 Mcroberts recorded in 1881 and an index of 342.86x.

Place Total Index
Kirkdale 6 342.86x
Ayr 1 322.58x
West Derby 1 32.89x
Wolverhampton 1 44.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliz. 1
Janet 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 2
Alexander 1
John 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 Mcrobert households.

FAQ

Mcrobert surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcrobert surname in 1881?

In 1881, 432 people were recorded with the Mcrobert surname. That placed it at #7,547 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcrobert surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 577 in 2016. That gives Mcrobert a modern rank of #8,974.

What does the Mcrobert surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a patronymic meaning "son of Robert".

What does the Mcrobert map show?

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