NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcroberts

Son of Robert, an anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Roibeirt, meaning descendant of Robert.

In the 1881 census there were 275 people recorded with the Mcroberts surname, ranking it #10,330 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 786, ranked #7,024, up from #10,330 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Falkirk - Middlefield, Carmyle and Mount Vernon South and Drumchapel South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcroberts is 801 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 185.8%.

1881 census count

275

Ranked #10,330

Modern count

786

2016, ranked #7,024

Peak year

2010

801 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcroberts had 275 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,330 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 786 in 2016, ranked #7,024.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 426 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcroberts surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcroberts surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcroberts 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 99 #17,294
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 275 #10,330
1891 historical 311 #10,781
1901 historical 426 #9,067
1911 historical 110 #21,519
1997 modern 754 #6,859
1998 modern 768 #6,981
1999 modern 756 #7,105
2000 modern 759 #7,038
2001 modern 751 #6,980
2002 modern 765 #7,011
2003 modern 753 #7,002
2004 modern 753 #7,000
2005 modern 770 #6,813
2006 modern 751 #6,983
2007 modern 752 #7,044
2008 modern 761 #7,031
2009 modern 786 #6,987
2010 modern 801 #7,018
2011 modern 792 #7,009
2012 modern 795 #6,864
2013 modern 798 #6,973
2014 modern 797 #7,022
2015 modern 795 #6,969
2016 modern 786 #7,024

Geography

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Where Mcroberts' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Falkirk - Middlefield, Carmyle and Mount Vernon South, Drumchapel South, Galston and Ruchill. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bothwell Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Falkirk - Middlefield Falkirk
2 Carmyle and Mount Vernon South Glasgow City
3 Drumchapel South Glasgow City
4 Galston East Ayrshire
5 Ruchill Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcroberts

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcroberts

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mcroberts is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcroberts 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcroberts

The surname McRoberts originated in Scotland in the late 12th century. It is a variant of the name Robertson, which is derived from the Old English words "Rod" and "Bert," meaning "bright" and "fame," respectively. The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" in Scottish surnames signifies "son of."

McRoberts is believed to have been initially adopted by individuals who were descendants or followers of Robert the Bruce, the famous Scottish king who led the country's struggle for independence from England in the early 14th century. The name may have been given to those who pledged allegiance or provided support to the king during this tumultuous period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McRoberts can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where a person named William McRobertson is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity and evolution of surnames during that era.

In the 16th century, the McRoberts clan was predominantly concentrated in the southwestern regions of Scotland, particularly in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. They were known as a prominent family among the Scottish nobility, with several members holding influential positions in the government and military.

Notable individuals with the surname McRoberts throughout history include:

1. Sir John McRoberts (c. 1480 - 1560), a Scottish nobleman and military leader who fought alongside King James V in the Anglo-Scottish Wars.

2. Margaret McRoberts (1610 - 1688), a Scottish woman accused of witchcraft during the infamous Salem Witch Trials in colonial Massachusetts.

3. Robert McRoberts (1725 - 1802), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who established several charitable foundations in Edinburgh.

4. James McRoberts (1829 - 1891), a Scottish-born explorer and surveyor who played a significant role in mapping the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

5. Archibald McRoberts (1875 - 1942), a Scottish-American inventor credited with developing the first practical self-winding wristwatch mechanism.

The McRoberts surname has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as McRoberts Glen in Ayrshire and McRoberts Loch in Renfrewshire. These locations may have been named after prominent members of the clan or derived from the name itself.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcroberts families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcroberts 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 10 Mcroberts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.65x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 10 6.65x
Durham 2 5.30x
Flintshire 1 29.33x

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 5 Mcroberts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 197.63x.

Place Total Index
Kirkdale 5 197.63x
Toxteth Park 4 78.59x
Gateshead 2 70.92x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 30.40x
Mold 1 322.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Ellen 1
Marian 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alexander 1
Francis 1
James 1
John 1
Mathew 1
Samuel 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 Mcroberts households.

FAQ

Mcroberts surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcroberts surname in 1881?

In 1881, 275 people were recorded with the Mcroberts surname. That placed it at #10,330 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcroberts surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 786 in 2016. That gives Mcroberts a modern rank of #7,024.

What does the Mcroberts surname mean?

Son of Robert, an anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Roibeirt, meaning descendant of Robert.

What does the Mcroberts map show?

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