NameCensus.

UK surname

Meiklejohn

A Scottish surname derived from the ancient personal name "Mickle John", meaning "big John".

In the 1881 census there were 673 people recorded with the Meiklejohn surname, ranking it #5,361 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 646, ranked #8,212, down from #5,361 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and St. Ninians. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caithness North West, Thurso West and Darnley East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Meiklejohn is 734 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.0%.

1881 census count

673

Ranked #5,361

Modern count

646

2016, ranked #8,212

Peak year

1901

734 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Meiklejohn had 673 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,361 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 646 in 2016, ranked #8,212.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 734 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Meiklejohn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Meiklejohn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Meiklejohn 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 471 #5,275
1861 historical 501 #5,220
1881 historical 673 #5,361
1891 historical 728 #5,439
1901 historical 734 #6,034
1911 historical 83 #24,531
1997 modern 625 #7,916
1998 modern 637 #8,026
1999 modern 635 #8,109
2000 modern 629 #8,150
2001 modern 605 #8,249
2002 modern 625 #8,209
2003 modern 603 #8,304
2004 modern 605 #8,299
2005 modern 602 #8,256
2006 modern 606 #8,223
2007 modern 616 #8,193
2008 modern 623 #8,175
2009 modern 634 #8,232
2010 modern 642 #8,326
2011 modern 634 #8,320
2012 modern 616 #8,423
2013 modern 634 #8,367
2014 modern 640 #8,366
2015 modern 646 #8,236
2016 modern 646 #8,212

Geography

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Where Meiklejohns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, St. Ninians, Thurso and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caithness North West, Thurso West, Darnley East, Aberdour and Auchtertool and Kirkcaldy Central. 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 St. Ninians Stirling
4 Thurso Caithness
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caithness North West Highland
2 Thurso West Highland
3 Darnley East Glasgow City
4 Aberdour and Auchtertool Fife
5 Kirkcaldy Central Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Meiklejohn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Meiklejohn

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Meiklejohn is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Meiklejohn 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

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

Meaning and origin of Meiklejohn

The surname Meiklejohn originates from Scotland, appearing in records from the 13th century onwards. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "Micheil" meaning Michael and "Gille" meaning servant or follower, combined to form "Meiklejohn" meaning servant or follower of Michael.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of written acts of homage to Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and clergy. The name appears as "Michael Makkyiohne" in this document.

In the 15th century, the name was also recorded in various spellings such as "Makgillecun", "Makgilechon", and "Makgillecun" in various Scottish charters and records.

The name Meiklejohn is closely associated with the Scottish Borders region, particularly the counties of Berwickshire and Roxburghshire. It is believed that the name may have originated from a location or place name in these areas, though the exact place is not certain.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Meiklejohn was John Meiklejohn, who was born in Berwickshire in the late 15th century. He was a prominent landowner and was mentioned in several local records from that time.

Another notable figure was Robert Meiklejohn, who was born in Roxburghshire in the early 17th century. He was a successful merchant and served as a magistrate in the town of Jedburgh.

In the 18th century, there was a James Meiklejohn, born in Berwickshire in 1705, who was a renowned scholar and mathematician. He served as the Regius Professor of Mathematics at the University of St Andrews from 1756 until his death in 1789.

A notable literary figure with this surname was Alexander Meiklejohn, born in Roxburghshire in 1872. He was an educator and philosopher who served as the president of Amherst College and later became a vocal advocate for free speech and civil liberties in the United States.

Finally, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Meiklejohn was Robert Meiklejohn, born in Berwickshire in 1929. He was a highly respected journalist and foreign correspondent, working for various news organizations including the BBC and The Times of London. He covered major events such as the Suez Crisis and the Vietnam War during his career.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Meiklejohn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Meiklejohn 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 187 Meiklejohns recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.78x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 187 8.78x
Caithness 102 113.14x
Stirlingshire 99 40.77x
Fife 65 16.68x
Midlothian 55 6.24x
Perthshire 38 12.86x
Renfrewshire 33 6.47x
Clackmannanshire 32 58.85x
Middlesex 12 0.18x
Durham 6 0.31x
Shetland 6 8.92x
Surrey 6 0.19x
Ayrshire 5 1.01x
Sutherland 5 9.88x
Buteshire 4 10.03x
Argyllshire 3 1.64x
Kent 3 0.13x
Berkshire 2 0.40x
Berwickshire 2 2.51x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.13x
Essex 2 0.15x
Gloucestershire 2 0.15x
Devon 1 0.07x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 1.05x
Orkney 1 1.38x
West Lothian 1 1.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 72 Meiklejohns recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.67x.

Place Total Index
Govan 72 13.67x
St Ninians 48 199.42x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 36 10.14x
Barony 35 6.49x
Glasgow 31 8.20x
Stirling 30 97.98x
Thurso 30 213.37x
Dunfermline 27 45.05x
Tillicoultry 25 206.61x
Bothwell 24 41.56x
Abbey 17 21.83x
Reay 15 303.64x
Watten 15 473.19x
Wick 15 51.51x
Culross 12 468.75x
Bower 10 275.48x
Dunnet 10 276.24x
Carnock 9 378.15x
St Andrews 9 50.73x
Alva 8 69.08x
Paisley High Church 8 19.69x
Fowlis Wester 7 277.78x
Inveresk 7 29.31x
Wemyss 7 42.45x
Alloa 6 22.75x
Bressay 6 566.04x
Cambusnethan 6 12.69x
Dysart 6 22.86x
Falkirk 6 10.55x
Hamilton 6 10.10x
Houghton Le Spring 6 44.31x
Neilston 6 23.42x
Willesden 6 9.67x
Battersea 5 2.06x
Fenwick 5 191.57x
Saline 5 231.48x
Canisbay 4 67.57x
Cockpen 4 38.80x
Kingarth 4 139.37x
Logie 4 37.74x
Maryhill 4 9.59x
Old Monkland 4 4.73x
Shoreditch London 4 1.40x
Tongue 4 91.53x
Dunblane 3 42.43x
Dunoon Kilmun 3 20.99x
Edinburgh Canongate 3 13.36x
Halkirk 3 49.18x
Swanscombe 3 29.73x
Tulliallan 3 59.88x
Ardoch 2 80.32x
Clifton 2 3.06x
Denny 2 15.48x
Dull 2 33.78x
Dunipace 2 47.06x
Greenlaw 2 70.92x
Lanark 2 11.68x
Row 2 8.74x
South Leith 2 2.01x
Winkfield 2 24.39x
Auchterarder 1 12.12x
Bothkennar 1 13.79x
Dollar 1 17.76x
Erskine 1 26.95x
Falkland 1 16.31x
Kilmadock 1 14.71x
Kincardine 1 32.79x
Lairg 1 32.47x
Lambeth 1 0.17x
Monzievaird Strowan 1 63.29x
New Monkland 1 1.59x
Paisley Low Church 1 6.19x
Perth Middle Church 1 9.00x
Queensferry 1 41.32x
Rayleigh 1 33.44x
South Ronaldshay 1 13.33x
St Marylebone London 1 0.28x
St Pancras London 1 0.19x
Torryburn 1 59.52x
Troqueer 1 8.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Mary 3
Eliza 2
Jane 2
Janet 2
Sarah 2
Caroline 1
Christina 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 4
Alexander 3
George 3
John 2
Robert 2
Charles 1
David 1
Neill 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 Meiklejohn households.

FAQ

Meiklejohn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Meiklejohn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 673 people were recorded with the Meiklejohn surname. That placed it at #5,361 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Meiklejohn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 646 in 2016. That gives Meiklejohn a modern rank of #8,212.

What does the Meiklejohn surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the ancient personal name "Mickle John", meaning "big John".

What does the Meiklejohn map show?

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