NameCensus.

UK surname

Michie

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Bheachaidh meaning son of the beekeeper.

In the 1881 census there were 1,481 people recorded with the Michie surname, ranking it #2,825 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,713, ranked #3,644, down from #2,825 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Alloa, Hawick and Wilton and Alva. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Pitsligo, Paisley South East and Barrahill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Michie is 1,745 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.7%.

1881 census count

1,481

Ranked #2,825

Modern count

1,713

2016, ranked #3,644

Peak year

2010

1,745 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Michie had 1,481 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,825 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,713 in 2016, ranked #3,644.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,615 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Michie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Michie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Michie 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 904 #3,044
1861 historical 994 #2,806
1881 historical 1,481 #2,825
1891 historical 1,555 #2,847
1901 historical 1,615 #3,202
1911 historical 295 #11,597
1997 modern 1,607 #3,686
1998 modern 1,668 #3,695
1999 modern 1,684 #3,687
2000 modern 1,665 #3,705
2001 modern 1,639 #3,691
2002 modern 1,656 #3,724
2003 modern 1,625 #3,712
2004 modern 1,653 #3,669
2005 modern 1,638 #3,658
2006 modern 1,639 #3,664
2007 modern 1,637 #3,701
2008 modern 1,650 #3,698
2009 modern 1,691 #3,693
2010 modern 1,745 #3,658
2011 modern 1,708 #3,683
2012 modern 1,655 #3,729
2013 modern 1,664 #3,774
2014 modern 1,693 #3,732
2015 modern 1,691 #3,704
2016 modern 1,713 #3,644

Geography

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Where Michies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Alloa, Hawick and Wilton, Alva, Edinburgh and Strathdon. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to New Pitsligo, Paisley South East, Barrahill, Deer and Mormond and Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Alloa Clackmannan
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 Alva Stirling
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Strathdon Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Pitsligo Aberdeenshire
2 Paisley South East Renfrewshire
3 Barrahill Aberdeenshire
4 Deer and Mormond Aberdeenshire
5 Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Michie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Michie

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Michie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Michie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Michie is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Michie 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

Michie falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Michie

The surname Michie has its origins in Scotland, deriving from the Gaelic personal name Micheil, which is a Scottish form of the name Michael. The name is believed to have emerged in the 12th century, particularly in the regions of Aberdeenshire and Forfarshire (now known as Angus).

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the records of the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where a William Michie is mentioned in 1365. This suggests that the name was already established by the 14th century. The name also appears in various charters and legal documents from that time period, often spelled in variations such as Mychie, Mitchie, or Mitchell.

The Michie surname is closely associated with the parish of Strachan in Kincardineshire, where a family of that name held significant landholdings and influence for several centuries. In the 16th century, records show a John Michie serving as the Vicar of Strachan in 1541.

One notable bearer of the Michie name was Sir Archibald Michie (1597-1668), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1663 to 1668. He played a significant role in the legal and political affairs of Scotland during the turbulent period of the 17th century.

Another prominent figure was John Michie (1744-1793), a Scottish merchant and trader who established a successful business in the West Indies. He amassed considerable wealth and became a prominent figure in the city of Glasgow, where he served as a magistrate and contributed to various civic projects.

In the literary world, Jonathan Michie (1784-1847) was a Scottish poet and writer who gained recognition for his lyrical compositions and contributions to Scottish literature. His works, such as "The Aye Bygane" and "The Lament of the Piper," celebrated Scottish culture and traditions.

Moving into the 20th century, Iain Michie (1921-2007) was a renowned Scottish artist and painter, known for his vibrant landscapes and depictions of rural life in Scotland. His works are held in various galleries and collections throughout the country.

The Michie surname has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Michie's Hillock in Aberdeenshire and Michie's Burn in Kincardineshire, reflecting the historical presence and influence of the family in these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Michie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Michie 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 497 Michies recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.53x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 497 37.53x
Fife 154 18.19x
Banffshire 92 31.01x
Clackmannanshire 88 74.51x
Roxburghshire 72 27.80x
Stirlingshire 61 11.57x
Angus 60 4.53x
Midlothian 52 2.71x
Lanarkshire 47 1.02x
Perthshire 36 5.61x
Inverness-shire 29 6.79x
Surrey 29 0.42x
Middlesex 27 0.19x
Dunbartonshire 24 6.25x
Ross-shire 21 5.35x
Kent 19 0.39x
Kincardineshire 14 8.04x
Morayshire 13 5.85x
Essex 12 0.43x
Peeblesshire 11 16.35x
Selkirkshire 11 8.50x
Durham 10 0.24x
East Lothian 9 4.75x
Kinross-shire 9 24.90x
Lancashire 9 0.05x
Yorkshire 9 0.06x
Nairnshire 7 16.04x
Leicestershire 6 0.38x
Northumberland 6 0.28x
Orkney 5 3.18x
Westmorland 4 1.27x
Hampshire 3 0.10x
Merionethshire 3 1.15x
Somerset 3 0.13x
Berkshire 2 0.19x
Devon 2 0.07x
Renfrewshire 2 0.18x
Ayrshire 1 0.09x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.17x
Channel Islands 1 0.24x
Cheshire 1 0.03x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.32x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.48x
Royal Navy 1 0.59x
Sussex 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 59 Michies recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.34x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 59 21.34x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 47 18.97x
Leslie 47 219.22x
Crathie Braemar 43 542.93x
Alloa 42 73.34x
Alva 41 162.96x
Tillicoultry 38 144.65x
Glenbucket 35 1411.29x
Hawick 35 60.38x
Strathdon 35 543.48x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 29 3.76x
Newhills 28 103.24x
Jedburgh 25 98.46x
Barony 22 1.88x
Glenmuick Tullich 21 219.90x
Dysart 20 35.08x
Marnoch 18 112.99x
Old Deer 17 67.73x
Kintore 16 139.01x
Kirkcaldy 16 38.10x
Tarland 16 278.75x
Dunfermline 15 11.52x
Clunie 14 492.96x
Foveran 14 139.58x
Longside 14 88.50x
Falkland 13 97.67x
Lochcarron 13 182.07x
Glenelg 12 152.87x
Peterculter 12 128.48x
St Ninians 12 22.95x
Arbroath 11 25.05x
Cardross 11 23.84x
Forfar 11 15.33x
Lonmay 11 91.51x
Cullen 10 90.99x
Gamrie 10 30.19x
Greenwich 10 4.39x
Kincardine O Neil 10 105.71x
Logie 10 43.42x
Melrose 10 30.71x
Portree 10 63.29x
Abbotshall 9 28.45x
Auchindoir Kearn 9 120.97x
Lethnot Navar 9 638.30x
Rathven 9 16.15x
Rothiemay 9 133.73x
Stranton 9 6.28x
Walthamstow 9 8.86x
Birse 8 148.98x
Cambusnethan 8 7.79x
Clackmannan 8 35.84x
Forgue 8 67.23x
Huntly 8 37.12x
Kinnettles 8 423.28x
Kinross 8 64.57x
Leochel Cushnie 8 134.00x
Logie Buchan 8 211.08x
Sheffield 8 1.77x
Wemyss 8 22.33x
Duffus 7 35.75x
Govan 7 0.61x
Inveravon 7 55.38x
King Edward 7 45.87x
Nairn 7 26.43x
Ormiston 7 139.44x
Peebles 7 35.21x
St Pancras London 7 0.61x
Strichen 7 60.82x
Auchterderran 6 28.20x
Chelsea London 6 1.39x
Duirinish 6 27.56x
Dumbarton 6 11.22x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 6 13.24x
Fortrose 6 252.10x
Gillingham 6 5.96x
Hamilton 6 4.65x
Kelso 6 23.25x
Lambeth 6 0.48x
Leicester St Margaret 6 1.55x
St Marylebone London 6 0.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Jane 6
Jessie 5
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Elizabeth 3
Helen 3
Louisa 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Annie 2
Emily 2
Lillie 2
Margaret 2
Agness 1
Amy 1
Anges 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Belle 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Harriet 1
Jean 1
Jessy 1
Joanna 1
Katherine 1
Lilian 1
Mabel 1
Margrt. 1
Martha 1
May 1
Nellie 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 9
Alexander 7
Charles 5
John 5
George 4
Robert 4
William 4
Arthur 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Richard 2
Adam 1
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Chas. 1
Clyde 1
David 1
Donald 1
Douglas 1
Edward 1
Fredk. 1
Hannah 1
Jno. 1
Rob't. 1
Thomas 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Michie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Michie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,481 people were recorded with the Michie surname. That placed it at #2,825 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Michie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,713 in 2016. That gives Michie a modern rank of #3,644.

What does the Michie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Bheachaidh meaning son of the beekeeper.

What does the Michie map show?

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