NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcvicar

A Gaelic surname meaning "son of the vicar or priest".

In the 1881 census there were 930 people recorded with the Mcvicar surname, ranking it #4,134 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 959, ranked #5,992, down from #4,134 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Kilmichael Glassary and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Thornliebank and Woodfarm, Greenock East and Denny - Nethermains.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcvicar is 1,071 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.1%.

1881 census count

930

Ranked #4,134

Modern count

959

2016, ranked #5,992

Peak year

1901

1,071 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcvicar had 930 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,134 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 959 in 2016, ranked #5,992.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,071 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcvicar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcvicar surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcvicar 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 697 #3,742
1861 historical 760 #3,598
1881 historical 930 #4,134
1891 historical 971 #4,261
1901 historical 1,071 #4,509
1911 historical 91 #23,684
1997 modern 890 #6,012
1998 modern 942 #5,947
1999 modern 941 #5,991
2000 modern 939 #5,983
2001 modern 924 #5,959
2002 modern 947 #5,939
2003 modern 913 #6,015
2004 modern 915 #6,006
2005 modern 912 #5,962
2006 modern 924 #5,916
2007 modern 957 #5,814
2008 modern 940 #5,930
2009 modern 948 #6,009
2010 modern 968 #6,032
2011 modern 940 #6,113
2012 modern 947 #5,994
2013 modern 949 #6,084
2014 modern 964 #6,052
2015 modern 955 #6,046
2016 modern 959 #5,992

Geography

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Where Mcvicars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Kilmichael Glassary, Edinburgh, 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 South Thornliebank and Woodfarm, Greenock East, Denny - Nethermains, IZ01 and Hunter's Quay. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Kilmichael Glassary Argyll
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Thornliebank and Woodfarm East Renfrewshire
2 Greenock East Inverclyde
3 Denny - Nethermains Falkirk
4 IZ01 West Dunbartonshire
5 Hunter's Quay Argyll and Bute

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcvicar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcvicar

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

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mcvicar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcvicar household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Mcvicar is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcvicar 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

Mcvicar 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 Mcvicar is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcvicar

The surname MCVICAR is of Scottish origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "Vicar," which referred to someone who served as a vicar or performed clerical duties.

The name MCVICAR is believed to have originated in the region of Ayrshire, Scotland, where many early bearers of the name were recorded. In the late 13th century, a man named Nycholaus, son of the Vicar, was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls, which were records of homage sworn to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landholders.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MCVICAR can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1456, where a John McVicar is listed as a tenant in the lands of Dairy, Ayrshire. In the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as McViccar, McVickar, and McVicker.

The MCVICAR surname has a strong association with the Isle of Arran, an island off the west coast of Scotland. The McVicars were a prominent family on the island, and their ancestral lands were located in the parish of Kilmory. In 1685, a man named Archibald MCVICAR was recorded as a landowner in Kilmory.

Notable individuals with the surname MCVICAR throughout history include:

1. John MCVICAR (c. 1785-1856), a Scottish minister and author who served as the minister of the West Church in Perth. 2. William MCVICAR (1809-1876), a Scottish educator and author, who was appointed the headmaster of the Perth Academy in 1844. 3. Robert MCVICAR (1853-1925), a Scottish-Canadian theologian and educator, who served as the principal of the Presbyterian College in Montreal. 4. Duncan MCVICAR (1877-1966), a Scottish-Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1924 to 1928. 5. Angus MCVICAR (1889-1951), a Scottish footballer who played as a forward for several clubs, including Rangers and Ayr United.

While the MCVICAR surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Scottish emigration to North America and other regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcvicar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcvicar 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. Surrey leads with 11 Mcvicars recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.06x.

County Total Index
Surrey 11 10.06x
Lancashire 4 1.50x
Carmarthenshire 2 21.14x
Lanarkshire 2 2.76x
Gloucestershire 1 2.27x
Northumberland 1 3.00x
Royal Navy 1 37.45x
Suffolk 1 3.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Battersea in Surrey leads with 8 Mcvicars recorded in 1881 and an index of 96.85x.

Place Total Index
Battersea 8 96.85x
Toxteth Park 4 44.35x
Lambeth 3 15.34x
Llanelly 2 93.90x
Anderston 1 5000.00x
Bristol St Nicholas 1 1250.00x
Elswick 1 37.59x
Ipswich St Margaret 1 107.53x
Tradeston 1 10000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Annie 2
Sarah 2
Eliza 1
M.B. 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Charles 1
Duncan 1
Ernest 1
Gavin 1
Nicholas 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 Mcvicar households.

FAQ

Mcvicar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcvicar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 930 people were recorded with the Mcvicar surname. That placed it at #4,134 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcvicar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 959 in 2016. That gives Mcvicar a modern rank of #5,992.

What does the Mcvicar surname mean?

A Gaelic surname meaning "son of the vicar or priest".

What does the Mcvicar map show?

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