NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcswiggan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name MacShuibhne meaning son of Duibhne.

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Mcswiggan surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 209, ranked #19,009, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Drumchapel North, IZ07 and Flintshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcswiggan is 214 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6866.7%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

209

2016, ranked #19,009

Peak year

2010

214 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcswiggan had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 209 in 2016, ranked #19,009.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 13 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mcswiggan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcswiggan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcswiggan 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 6 #33,230
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1891 historical 13 #33,099
1901 historical 12 #32,772
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 189 #18,267
1998 modern 190 #18,687
1999 modern 205 #17,960
2000 modern 200 #18,209
2001 modern 193 #18,334
2002 modern 201 #18,236
2003 modern 199 #18,195
2004 modern 192 #18,678
2005 modern 197 #18,339
2006 modern 199 #18,357
2007 modern 198 #18,600
2008 modern 202 #18,528
2009 modern 211 #18,377
2010 modern 214 #18,601
2011 modern 210 #18,677
2012 modern 203 #19,025
2013 modern 205 #19,218
2014 modern 210 #19,064
2015 modern 214 #18,712
2016 modern 209 #19,009

Geography

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Where Mcswiggans 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 Drumchapel North, IZ07, Flintshire, Test Valley and Kilwinning Whitehirst Park and Woodside. 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 Drumchapel North Glasgow City
2 IZ07 West Dunbartonshire
3 Flintshire 001 Flintshire
4 Test Valley 004 Test Valley
5 Kilwinning Whitehirst Park and Woodside North Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcswiggan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcswiggan

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Mcswiggan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mcswiggan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Mcswiggan is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcswiggan 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

Mcswiggan 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 Mcswiggan 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcswiggan

The surname McSwiggan is believed to have originated in the Scottish Highlands, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name "MacShuibhne," which translates to "son of Sween" or "son of the wanderer."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of instruments of homage and fealty rendered to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners. The name appears as "MacSwyghyn," suggesting a possible connection to the clan Swene or Sween.

In the 17th century, the name McSwiggan appeared in various parish records across the Scottish Highlands and Islands. For instance, a John McSwiggan was recorded in the parish of Kilmorie, Arran, in 1683. Another notable individual was Angus McSwiggan, a crofter from the Isle of Skye, born in 1724 and known for his involvement in the Jacobite Risings.

As the McSwiggan family dispersed throughout Scotland and beyond, the name underwent various spelling variations, including McSwiggon, McSweegan, and McSweigan. One notable bearer of the name was Sir William McSwiggan (1810-1887), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow.

Another prominent figure was Archibald McSwiggan (1842-1912), a Scottish-born American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Evansville, Indiana, from 1903 to 1905. He played a crucial role in the city's economic development and infrastructure improvements.

In the literary realm, the name McSwiggan is associated with Alasdair McSwiggan (1903-1987), a Scottish Gaelic poet and writer from the Isle of Islay. His works were instrumental in preserving and promoting the Gaelic language and culture.

While the surname McSwiggan has roots in the Scottish Highlands, it has since spread across the globe, with bearers of the name found in various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mcswiggan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcswiggan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Mcswiggan surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcswiggan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 209 in 2016. That gives Mcswiggan a modern rank of #19,009.

What does the Mcswiggan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name MacShuibhne meaning son of Duibhne.

What does the Mcswiggan map show?

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