NameCensus.

UK surname

Mutch

A surname of Scottish origin referring to a person who carried a walking stick or staff.

In the 1881 census there were 1,340 people recorded with the Mutch surname, ranking it #3,059 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,485, ranked #2,656, up from #3,059 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Deer, Udny and Rayne. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Longside and Rattray, Ellon West and Ellon East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mutch is 2,545 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 85.4%.

1881 census count

1,340

Ranked #3,059

Modern count

2,485

2016, ranked #2,656

Peak year

2010

2,545 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mutch had 1,340 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,059 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,485 in 2016, ranked #2,656.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,692 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mutch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mutch surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mutch 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 647 #4,018
1861 historical 793 #3,473
1881 historical 1,340 #3,059
1891 historical 1,474 #2,987
1901 historical 1,692 #3,051
1911 historical 682 #6,200
1997 modern 2,428 #2,594
1998 modern 2,510 #2,605
1999 modern 2,493 #2,643
2000 modern 2,446 #2,672
2001 modern 2,405 #2,652
2002 modern 2,478 #2,639
2003 modern 2,406 #2,651
2004 modern 2,452 #2,613
2005 modern 2,440 #2,597
2006 modern 2,443 #2,593
2007 modern 2,437 #2,623
2008 modern 2,444 #2,633
2009 modern 2,495 #2,646
2010 modern 2,545 #2,658
2011 modern 2,477 #2,693
2012 modern 2,413 #2,696
2013 modern 2,464 #2,701
2014 modern 2,489 #2,695
2015 modern 2,483 #2,668
2016 modern 2,485 #2,656

Geography

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Where Mutchs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Deer, Udny, Rayne, Ellon and Fraserburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Longside and Rattray, Ellon West, Ellon East, Deer and Mormond and Auchterless and Monquhitter. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 New Deer Aberdeen
2 Udny Aberdeen
3 Rayne Aberdeen
4 Ellon Aberdeen
5 Fraserburgh Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Longside and Rattray Aberdeenshire
2 Ellon West Aberdeenshire
3 Ellon East Aberdeenshire
4 Deer and Mormond Aberdeenshire
5 Auchterless and Monquhitter Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mutch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mutch

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Mutch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mutch household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mutch is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mutch 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

Mutch falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mutch

The surname Mutch has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "mutach," meaning "a person from the opposite shore" or "a sailor." This suggests that the name was initially borne by individuals who lived near the coast or worked as seafarers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mutch can be found in the Scottish parish records of Perthshire in the late 1500s. The name was particularly prevalent in the coastal regions of eastern Scotland, including Angus, Fife, and Aberdeenshire.

In the 17th century, the surname Mutch appeared in various historical documents, such as the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland and the Records of the Parliaments of Scotland. One notable individual was John Mutch, a burgess of Aberdeen, who was mentioned in the Council Register in 1677.

The Mutch surname has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, including Mutchkin Burn in Kincardineshire and Mutch's Mount in Aberdeenshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname, such as Mutchkin and Mitchie.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Mutch throughout history are:

1. Sir John Mutch (1599-1668), a Scottish merchant and member of the Scottish Parliament. 2. George Mutch (1825-1910), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman. 3. Robert Mutch (1860-1936), a Scottish-born Canadian politician and farmer. 4. William Mutch (1866-1949), a Scottish-born New Zealand politician and businessman. 5. Iain Mutch (1929-2013), a Scottish actor and playwright.

The Mutch surname has endured over centuries, with its roots firmly planted in the coastal regions of Scotland. While its original meaning may have been related to seafaring or coastal living, the name has since spread across different parts of the world, carried by individuals of Scottish descent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mutch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mutch 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 720 Mutchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.61x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 720 59.61x
Lancashire 181 1.17x
Cheshire 118 4.10x
Middlesex 40 0.31x
Kincardineshire 36 22.67x
Midlothian 32 1.83x
Lanarkshire 31 0.73x
Orkney 21 14.64x
Angus 20 1.66x
Yorkshire 19 0.15x
Ayrshire 13 1.33x
Morayshire 11 5.43x
Leicestershire 9 0.62x
Stirlingshire 9 1.87x
Northamptonshire 8 0.65x
Surrey 8 0.13x
Clackmannanshire 7 6.50x
Roxburghshire 7 2.96x
Banffshire 6 2.22x
Fife 6 0.78x
Kent 5 0.11x
Northumberland 5 0.26x
Inverness-shire 4 1.03x
Durham 3 0.08x
Ross-shire 3 0.84x
Royal Navy 3 1.93x
Cornwall 2 0.14x
Devon 2 0.07x
Westmorland 2 0.70x
Caithness 1 0.56x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Perthshire 1 0.17x
Renfrewshire 1 0.10x
Selkirkshire 1 0.85x
Wigtownshire 1 0.58x

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 109 Mutchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.22x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 109 43.22x
Fraserburgh 55 161.76x
Peterhead 54 84.55x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 48 21.24x
Birkenhead 48 20.92x
Udny 41 560.11x
Ellon 40 240.82x
Everton 33 6.69x
Foveran 29 317.29x
New Deer 27 123.46x
Rayne 27 470.38x
West Derby 24 5.30x
Prescot 21 75.03x
Cruden 20 128.62x
Stromness 20 185.87x
Islington London 19 1.50x
Fyvie 17 86.25x
Tyrie 17 112.14x
Auchterless 14 145.99x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 14 1.99x
Govan 14 1.34x
Liverpool 14 1.49x
Longside 14 97.09x
Old Deer 14 61.16x
Ashton Under Lyne 12 3.55x
Glasgow 12 1.60x
Meldrum 12 117.99x
Strichen 12 114.29x
Tarves 12 105.08x
Allerton Bywater 11 157.14x
Bootle Cum Linacre 11 8.95x
Dundee 11 2.44x
Fetteresso 11 44.19x
Hyde 11 12.95x
Monquhitter 11 88.00x
Oxton 11 67.57x
Keithhall 10 253.16x
Oyne 10 233.10x
Edinburgh Old Church 9 64.15x
Kintore 9 85.71x
Kirkdale 9 3.46x
Moreton 9 327.27x
Pendleton In Salford 9 4.88x
Rathen 9 71.09x
St Ninians 9 18.88x
Turriff 9 46.15x
Upton By Birkenhead 9 323.74x
Altrincham 8 15.90x
Inverurie 8 58.57x
Kings Sutton 8 146.79x
Cluny 7 120.48x
Dollar 7 62.72x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 7 68.83x
King Edward 7 50.29x
Lonmay 7 63.87x
Methlick 7 72.39x
Skene 7 87.39x
Whiston 7 58.00x
Barrow In Furness 6 2.85x
Bidston Cum Ford 6 495.87x
Dunfermline 6 5.05x
Durris 6 132.16x
Marple 6 30.36x
Maybole 6 20.19x
Premnay 6 144.58x
Slains 6 106.57x
St Pancras London 6 0.57x
Widnes 6 5.38x
Banchory Ternan 5 36.42x
Barony 5 0.47x
Croydon 5 1.42x
Dyke 5 90.09x
Forgue 5 46.08x
Inverarity 5 128.87x
Leicester St Margaret 5 1.42x
Logie Buchan 5 144.51x
Poplar London 5 2.03x
St Cyrus 5 75.30x
Wardleworth 5 5.65x
Ancrum 4 65.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 37
Elizabeth 19
Sarah 16
Jane 15
Ann 14
Ellen 11
Alice 6
Agnes 5
Hannah 5
Eliza 4
Harriett 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Annie 3
Catherine 3
Emma 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Adelaide 1
Amey 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Cath. 1
Christina 1
Edith 1
Eliz 1
Elizebeth 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Infant 1
Isabella 1
Jeanette 1
Jessie 1
Lila 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margt.A.B. 1
Minnie 1
Rosana 1
Uxa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 35
John 32
James 24
Thomas 22
George 17
Joseph 10
Henry 9
Robert 8
Edward 5
Alfred 3
Nathan 3
Richard 3
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Adam 1
Alex.R. 1
Alexander 1
C. 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
Daken 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edwd. 1
Edwd.J. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Forbes 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Job 1
Joe 1
Martin 1
Stephen 1
Theodor 1
Will. 1
Will.H. 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Mutch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mutch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,340 people were recorded with the Mutch surname. That placed it at #3,059 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mutch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,485 in 2016. That gives Mutch a modern rank of #2,656.

What does the Mutch surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin referring to a person who carried a walking stick or staff.

What does the Mutch map show?

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