NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcwalter

A Scottish surname derived from the personal name Walter, itself from Germanic elements meaning "ruler of the army".

In the 1881 census there were 201 people recorded with the Mcwalter surname, ranking it #12,791 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 276, ranked #15,673, down from #12,791 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Tranent and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redditch, Allerdale and Arbroath Harbour.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcwalter is 284 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.3%.

1881 census count

201

Ranked #12,791

Modern count

276

2016, ranked #15,673

Peak year

2014

284 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcwalter had 201 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,791 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 276 in 2016, ranked #15,673.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 275 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcwalter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcwalter surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mcwalter 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 76 #20,127
1861 historical 143 #15,906
1881 historical 201 #12,791
1891 historical 240 #13,123
1901 historical 275 #12,332
1911 historical 35 #29,478
1997 modern 264 #14,734
1998 modern 277 #14,646
1999 modern 273 #14,875
2000 modern 266 #15,096
2001 modern 264 #14,958
2002 modern 270 #15,010
2003 modern 255 #15,416
2004 modern 251 #15,655
2005 modern 252 #15,551
2006 modern 251 #15,696
2007 modern 239 #16,449
2008 modern 252 #15,984
2009 modern 270 #15,551
2010 modern 279 #15,529
2011 modern 275 #15,517
2012 modern 270 #15,667
2013 modern 267 #16,053
2014 modern 284 #15,455
2015 modern 281 #15,457
2016 modern 276 #15,673

Geography

Back to top

Where Mcwalters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Tranent, Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redditch, Allerdale, Arbroath Harbour, Arbroath Cliffburn and Cheshire East. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Tranent Haddington
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redditch 013 Redditch
2 Allerdale 012 Allerdale
3 Arbroath Harbour Angus
4 Arbroath Cliffburn Angus
5 Cheshire East 006 Cheshire East

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mcwalter

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mcwalter

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcwalter, 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 Mcwalter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcwalter 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mcwalter is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcwalter 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

Mcwalter falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mcwalter

The surname McWalter has its origins in Scotland, where it emerged in the 12th century as a patronymic name. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Walter" or "Walther," which means "ruler of the army." The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" is a Gaelic term meaning "son of."

The name is believed to have originated in Argyllshire, on the western coast of Scotland. It is thought to have been first adopted by the descendants of a man named Walter, who may have been a notable figure in the region during that time period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname McWalter can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of homage rolls that recorded the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "McWaltyr" in these rolls.

In the 14th century, the surname McWalter appeared in various Scottish records, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. One notable bearer of the name was John McWalter, who was listed as a tenant in Inverness-shire in the year 1376.

Another early reference to the surname can be found in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, where a charter was granted to "Johanni McWalter" in 1450, granting him lands in the parish of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname McWalter. One such person was Sir John McWalter (c. 1510-1590), a Scottish nobleman who served as the Lord Privy Seal of Scotland under King James VI.

In the 17th century, James McWalter (1625-1698) was a Scottish minister and theologian who played a prominent role in the Church of Scotland during the Covenanting period.

Another notable bearer of the name was Alexander McWalter (1755-1825), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow.

In the 19th century, John McWalter (1810-1876) was a Scottish engineer who designed and built several notable bridges and public works projects in Scotland and England.

The surname McWalter has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as McWalter's Brae in Aberdeenshire and McWalter's Hill in Lanarkshire, which may have been named after individuals or families bearing the surname in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mcwalter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcwalter 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. Flintshire leads with 8 Mcwalters recorded in 1881 and an index of 277.78x.

County Total Index
Flintshire 8 277.78x
Surrey 2 3.83x
Angus 1 10.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llanasa in Flintshire leads with 8 Mcwalters recorded in 1881 and an index of 8000.00x.

Place Total Index
Llanasa 8 8000.00x
Camberwell 2 29.20x
Mains 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Richard 1
Thomas 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 Mcwalter households.

Occupation Count
Scholar 3
Police Constable 1

FAQ

Mcwalter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcwalter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 201 people were recorded with the Mcwalter surname. That placed it at #12,791 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcwalter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 276 in 2016. That gives Mcwalter a modern rank of #15,673.

What does the Mcwalter surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the personal name Walter, itself from Germanic elements meaning "ruler of the army".

What does the Mcwalter map show?

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