NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcsween

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "MacShuibhne" meaning "son of the well-mannered one".

In the 1881 census there were 250 people recorded with the Mcsween surname, ranking it #11,070 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 156, ranked #23,098, down from #11,070 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lochs, Duirnish and South Uist. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Firhill, Sunderland and Knightswood Park East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcsween is 282 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 37.6%.

1881 census count

250

Ranked #11,070

Modern count

156

2016, ranked #23,098

Peak year

1851

282 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcsween had 250 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,070 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016, ranked #23,098.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 282 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Routine Occupations or Retirement.

Mcsween surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcsween surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcsween 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 282 #8,013
1861 historical 213 #11,419
1881 historical 250 #11,070
1891 historical 206 #14,597
1901 historical 239 #13,489
1911 historical 25 #30,654
1997 modern 139 #22,132
1998 modern 141 #22,517
1999 modern 137 #23,083
2000 modern 120 #24,950
2001 modern 115 #25,222
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 119 #25,026
2004 modern 116 #25,580
2005 modern 116 #25,564
2006 modern 124 #24,750
2007 modern 127 #24,748
2008 modern 127 #25,020
2009 modern 147 #23,248
2010 modern 149 #23,598
2011 modern 156 #22,690
2012 modern 153 #22,963
2013 modern 156 #23,004
2014 modern 152 #23,631
2015 modern 149 #23,817
2016 modern 156 #23,098

Geography

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Where Mcsweens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lochs, Duirnish, South Uist, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Firhill, Sunderland, Knightswood Park East, Camden and Wandsworth. 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 Lochs Ross And Cromarty
2 Duirnish Inverness
3 South Uist Inverness
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Firhill Glasgow City
2 Sunderland 027 Sunderland
3 Knightswood Park East Glasgow City
4 Camden 023 Camden
5 Wandsworth 010 Wandsworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcsween

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcsween

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcsween, 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

Legacy Communities

Group

Routine Occupations or Retirement

Nationally, the Mcsween surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Routine Occupations or Retirement, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcsween household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are characterised by high proportions of single, often never-married adults of normal retirement age or older, including many that are in the most advanced age groups. Most adults are UK born and live at high residential densities, and many of the children living with parents are in adulthood. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are uncommon, but above average proportions of households include individuals that identify with different ethnic groups. Long-term disability is relatively common, and the dominant accommodation type is flats. Unemployment rates are high, with most of those employed working in routine occupations. Few individuals have high level qualifications. Car ownership is not high.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Mcsween is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

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

Mcsween is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcsween 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 Mcsween is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcsween

The surname McSween is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Suibhne," meaning "son of Suibhne." The name Suibhne is thought to have derived from the Old Irish word "súanach," meaning "peaceful" or "tranquil."

The McSween name is believed to have originated in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the areas of Argyll and the Outer Hebrides. It is closely associated with the powerful Clan Donald, one of the largest and most influential clans in the Scottish Highlands.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the McSween name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, dating back to the 14th century. These rolls contain records of payments made to individuals, including those with the name McSween.

The McSween name has been linked to several historical figures throughout the centuries. One notable individual was Sir John McSween, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.

Another prominent McSween was Ranald McSween, a 16th-century chief of the Clan Donald branch known as the MacSweens of Knapdale. He was involved in various clan conflicts and battles during his time.

In the 17th century, Archibald McSween was a Scottish minister and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Testimony of an Outcast Humble Represented" and "The Outcast Restored."

During the Jacobite risings of the 18th century, Roderick McSween was a noted supporter of the Jacobite cause and fought in the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

In the 19th century, John McSween was a Scottish-American rancher and merchant who played a prominent role in the Lincoln County War, a violent conflict in New Mexico Territory between rival groups of businessmen and ranchers.

Throughout history, the McSween name has been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Sween in Argyll, which is thought to be derived from the Gaelic name Suibhne. The name has also been recorded with various spellings, including MacSween, MacSuane, and MacSuein.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcsween families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcsween 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 3 Mcsweens recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.51x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3 6.51x
Middlesex 1 2.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Derby in Lancashire leads with 3 Mcsweens recorded in 1881 and an index of 222.22x.

Place Total Index
West Derby 3 222.22x
Bromley London 1 117.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2

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 Mcsween households.

FAQ

Mcsween surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcsween surname in 1881?

In 1881, 250 people were recorded with the Mcsween surname. That placed it at #11,070 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcsween surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016. That gives Mcsween a modern rank of #23,098.

What does the Mcsween surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "MacShuibhne" meaning "son of the well-mannered one".

What does the Mcsween map show?

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