NameCensus.

UK surname

Meiklem

In the 1881 census there were 74 people recorded with the Meiklem surname, ranking it #23,062 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 157, ranked #23,006, up from #23,062 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Govan Combination and Perth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Crossford, Braidwood and Yieldshields, Hilltown and Whitfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Meiklem is 161 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 112.2%.

1881 census count

74

Ranked #23,062

Modern count

157

2016, ranked #23,006

Peak year

2015

161 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Meiklem had 74 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,062 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016, ranked #23,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 105 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Meiklem surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Meiklem surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Meiklem 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 13 #30,970
1861 historical 32 #29,944
1881 historical 74 #23,062
1891 historical 101 #23,870
1901 historical 105 #22,179
1911 historical 3 #33,789
1997 modern 118 #24,423
1998 modern 130 #23,603
1999 modern 149 #21,924
2000 modern 154 #21,415
2001 modern 148 #21,664
2002 modern 131 #23,793
2003 modern 133 #23,359
2004 modern 124 #24,559
2005 modern 131 #23,737
2006 modern 130 #24,053
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 126 #25,131
2009 modern 138 #24,276
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 139 #24,507
2012 modern 151 #23,166
2013 modern 154 #23,210
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 161 #22,599
2016 modern 157 #23,006

Geography

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Where Meiklems are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Govan Combination, Perth, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Crossford, Braidwood and Yieldshields, Hilltown, Whitfield, Bute and Ardler and St Marys. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Hamilton Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Perth Perth
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Crossford, Braidwood and Yieldshields South Lanarkshire
2 Hilltown Dundee City
3 Whitfield Dundee City
4 Bute Argyll and Bute
5 Ardler and St Marys Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Meiklem

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Meiklem

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Meiklem is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Meiklem is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Meiklem families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Meiklem 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 45 Meiklems recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.95x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 45 21.95x
Perthshire 8 28.12x
Renfrewshire 7 14.25x
Angus 4 6.81x
Stirlingshire 1 4.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hamilton in Lanarkshire leads with 14 Meiklems recorded in 1881 and an index of 244.76x.

Place Total Index
Hamilton 14 244.76x
Barony 9 17.34x
Govan 9 17.75x
Glasgow 6 16.48x
Kilbarchan 5 335.57x
Perth Middle Church 5 467.29x
Dundee 4 18.24x
Maryhill 4 99.75x
Lanark 3 181.82x
Perth East Church 3 111.94x
Abbey 1 13.33x
Denny 1 80.65x
Eastwood 1 33.00x

FAQ

Meiklem surname: questions and answers

How common was the Meiklem surname in 1881?

In 1881, 74 people were recorded with the Meiklem surname. That placed it at #23,062 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Meiklem surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016. That gives Meiklem a modern rank of #23,006.

What does the Meiklem map show?

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