NameCensus.

UK surname

Meechan

Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Mìochán" meaning "luckybody" or "fortunate one".

In the 1881 census there were 299 people recorded with the Meechan surname, ranking it #9,740 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,080, ranked #3,109, up from #9,740 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hillhead, Blackridge, Westfield and Torphichen and Kilsyth East and Croy.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Meechan is 2,080 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 595.7%.

1881 census count

299

Ranked #9,740

Modern count

2,080

2016, ranked #3,109

Peak year

2016

2,080 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Meechan had 299 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,740 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,080 in 2016, ranked #3,109.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 616 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Meechan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Meechan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Meechan 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 15 #30,614
1861 historical 110 #19,562
1881 historical 299 #9,740
1891 historical 393 #8,995
1901 historical 616 #6,930
1911 historical 21 #31,179
1997 modern 1,766 #3,385
1998 modern 1,845 #3,382
1999 modern 1,838 #3,414
2000 modern 1,798 #3,461
2001 modern 1,778 #3,422
2002 modern 1,816 #3,423
2003 modern 1,805 #3,389
2004 modern 1,795 #3,405
2005 modern 1,834 #3,305
2006 modern 1,872 #3,273
2007 modern 1,929 #3,212
2008 modern 1,951 #3,203
2009 modern 2,004 #3,208
2010 modern 2,062 #3,196
2011 modern 2,046 #3,179
2012 modern 1,960 #3,236
2013 modern 2,009 #3,226
2014 modern 2,076 #3,161
2015 modern 2,067 #3,143
2016 modern 2,080 #3,109

Geography

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Where Meechans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, 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 Hillhead, Blackridge, Westfield and Torphichen, Kilsyth East and Croy, Mosspark and Blackburn. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hillhead East Dunbartonshire
2 Blackridge, Westfield and Torphichen West Lothian
3 Kilsyth East and Croy North Lanarkshire
4 Mosspark Glasgow City
5 Blackburn West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Meechan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Meechan

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Meechan is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Meechan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Meechan

The surname MEECHAN is of Scottish origin and is believed to have emerged in the late 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic term "macan," meaning "son," and is a diminutive form of the surname MacKean.

The earliest recorded instances of the MEECHAN name can be found in parish records from the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. In the 17th century, the name was often spelled as "Meechan," "Meachan," or "Meachen."

One of the earliest known bearers of the MEECHAN name was John Meechan, born in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, in 1624. He was a farmer and landowner who lived in the village of Stevenston.

In the 18th century, the MEECHAN family spread throughout Scotland, with various branches settling in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and the Scottish Borders. During this period, the name was sometimes anglicized as "Meechin" or "Meachin."

A notable bearer of the MEECHAN name was Robert Meechan (1789-1867), a Scottish architect who designed several prominent buildings in Glasgow, including the Hutchesons' Hospital and the Western Club.

Another significant figure was James Meechan (1821-1891), a Scottish industrialist and philanthropist. He founded the Meechan Shipbuilding Company in Greenock and donated funds for the construction of several schools and churches in the area.

In the 19th century, many MEECHAN families migrated to other parts of the British Empire, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in Canada was William Meechan, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1831.

A notable Canadian bearer of the MEECHAN name was Sir Thomas Meechan (1879-1958), a businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons and the Senate.

As the MEECHAN name spread across the globe, various spellings and variations emerged, such as "Meechin," "Meachin," "Meechem," and "Meachem." However, the original Scottish spelling of "MEECHAN" remains the most prevalent form.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Meechan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Meechan 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. Lanarkshire leads with 135 Meechans recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.31x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 135 14.31x
Renfrewshire 32 14.16x
Dunbartonshire 25 31.90x
Midlothian 25 6.40x
West Lothian 21 47.81x
Angus 19 7.03x
Ayrshire 14 6.41x
Yorkshire 8 0.28x
Fife 5 2.90x
Hampshire 5 0.84x
Stirlingshire 5 4.65x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.74x
Kent 2 0.20x
Devon 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 28 Meechans recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.72x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 28 16.72x
Govan 21 9.00x
Barony 20 8.38x
Dundee 18 17.84x
Boness 14 231.02x
Old Monkland 14 37.40x
West Greenock 12 29.58x
Maryhill 10 54.14x
New Monkland 9 32.28x
Dalry 8 77.90x
Penicuik 8 150.66x
Renfrew 8 107.24x
Abbey 7 20.30x
Cumbernauld 7 162.79x
Edinburgh New North 7 205.88x
Gorbals 6 107.14x
Kirkintilloch 6 56.34x
Arreton 5 260.42x
Dunfermline 5 18.83x
Edinburgh Tron Church 5 273.22x
Hamilton 5 19.00x
Larbert 5 77.76x
Saddleworth 5 22.43x
Shotts 5 44.29x
Whitburn 5 78.74x
Ardrossan 4 52.91x
Bonhill 4 31.80x
Cardross 4 42.51x
Dalziel 4 39.41x
Row 4 39.45x
Shettleston 4 47.34x
Cadder 3 43.04x
Linthorpe 3 17.39x
Middle Greenock 3 48.62x
West Calder 3 38.96x
Aberdeen Old Machar 2 3.55x
Blantyre 2 20.37x
Bothwell 2 7.82x
Cambusnethan 2 9.55x
Gillingham 2 9.75x
Edinburgh Old 1 42.19x
Kenton 1 52.36x
Liberton 1 16.58x
Livingstone 1 66.67x
Lochwinnoch 1 29.67x
Paisley High Church 1 5.56x
St Quivox 1 13.55x
Stevenston 1 17.57x
Tannadice 1 79.37x
Uphall 1 20.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Hannah 1
Maggie 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Patrick 2
Arthur 1
Harry 1
Joseph 1
Tom 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 Meechan households.

FAQ

Meechan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Meechan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 299 people were recorded with the Meechan surname. That placed it at #9,740 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Meechan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,080 in 2016. That gives Meechan a modern rank of #3,109.

What does the Meechan surname mean?

Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Mìochán" meaning "luckybody" or "fortunate one".

What does the Meechan map show?

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