NameCensus.

UK surname

Macguire

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name MacGuire meaning "son of Odhar" or "son of the pale-colored one".

In the 1881 census there were 202 people recorded with the Macguire surname, ranking it #12,753 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 152, ranked #23,516, down from #12,753 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dollar and Muckhart, Cannock Chase and Islington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macguire is 224 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 24.8%.

1881 census count

202

Ranked #12,753

Modern count

152

2016, ranked #23,516

Peak year

1997

224 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macguire had 202 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,753 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016, ranked #23,516.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 202 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Macguire surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macguire surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macguire 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 165 #12,053
1861 historical 160 #14,468
1881 historical 202 #12,753
1891 historical 195 #15,211
1901 historical 197 #15,272
1911 historical 112 #21,274
1997 modern 224 #16,392
1998 modern 201 #18,047
1999 modern 154 #21,455
2000 modern 154 #21,415
2001 modern 140 #22,441
2002 modern 140 #22,876
2003 modern 143 #22,367
2004 modern 145 #22,289
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 151 #21,818
2007 modern 146 #22,596
2008 modern 146 #22,822
2009 modern 157 #22,271
2010 modern 162 #22,292
2011 modern 161 #22,187
2012 modern 155 #22,762
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 152 #23,631
2015 modern 151 #23,613
2016 modern 152 #23,516

Geography

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Where Macguires are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dollar and Muckhart, Cannock Chase, Islington, Gateshead and Dudley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dollar and Muckhart Clackmannanshire
2 Cannock Chase 010 Cannock Chase
3 Islington 012 Islington
4 Gateshead 002 Gateshead
5 Dudley 015 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macguire

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macguire

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Macguire, 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 Macguire surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Macguire 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Macguire is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Macguire is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Macguire falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Macguire 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 - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Macguire, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Macguire

The surname MacGuire originated from Ireland and dates back to the 12th century. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Mac Ghiolla Odhar, meaning "son of the pale youth" or "son of the dun-colored lad."

The name is believed to have originated in County Fermanagh, in the northern part of Ireland. The prefix "Mac" signifies "son of" in Gaelic, while "Giolla Odhar" refers to a personal name or epithet meaning "pale youth" or "dun-colored lad."

The MacGuire clan was one of the most powerful and influential families in Ulster during the Middle Ages. They were lords of Fermanagh and played a significant role in the Northern Irish struggles against English rule.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name MacGuire can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a chieftain named Donn Og MacGuire in the year 1333.

Another notable figure bearing the MacGuire surname was Cormac MacGuire (c. 1570-1636), an Irish Franciscan friar and historian who wrote several works on Irish history and the lives of Irish saints.

In the 17th century, the MacGuire clan was involved in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 against English rule. One of the leaders of the rebellion was Rory Maguire (c. 1600-1653), a member of the MacGuire clan and a prominent figure in the uprising.

During the 19th century, many Irish families with the surname MacGuire immigrated to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to events such as the Great Famine and political unrest.

Other notable figures with the MacGuire surname include John Francis Maguire (1815-1872), an Irish politician and writer, and Thomas Maguire (1894-1957), an English actor and playwright known for his performances in Shakespearean plays.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macguire families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macguire 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. Lancashire leads with 31 Macguires recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.63x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 31 1.63x
Middlesex 24 1.50x
Lanarkshire 18 3.48x
Yorkshire 12 0.76x
Renfrewshire 11 8.87x
West Lothian 10 41.51x
Glamorgan 8 2.87x
Surrey 6 0.77x
Midlothian 5 2.33x
Nottinghamshire 5 2.32x
Sussex 5 1.85x
Argyllshire 4 8.98x
Devon 4 1.20x
Northumberland 4 1.68x
Cumberland 2 1.45x
Fife 2 2.11x
Kent 2 0.37x
Warwickshire 2 0.50x
Buteshire 1 10.32x
Cheshire 1 0.28x
Derbyshire 1 0.40x
Durham 1 0.21x
Hampshire 1 0.31x
Ross-shire 1 2.28x
Staffordshire 1 0.19x
Stirlingshire 1 1.69x
Worcestershire 1 0.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Bolton in Lancashire leads with 10 Macguires recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.78x.

Place Total Index
Great Bolton 10 39.78x
Whitburn 10 287.36x
Govan 9 7.03x
Thornaby 9 152.03x
Barton Upon Irwell 7 48.99x
Kensington London 6 6.75x
Llanwonno 6 59.94x
Manchester 6 7.03x
Shoreditch London 6 8.65x
Battersea 5 8.49x
Nottingham St Mary 5 8.97x
Paisley High Church 5 50.66x
Brighton 4 7.35x
Fremington 4 588.24x
Haydock 4 122.32x
Southend 4 769.23x
St Andrew Holborn 4 73.80x
East Greenock 3 25.62x
Hexham 3 81.52x
New Monkland 3 19.62x
Shotts 3 48.47x
Toxteth Park 3 4.67x
Abbey 2 10.57x
Barony 2 1.53x
Bethnal Green London 2 2.88x
Edinburgh St Georges 2 44.94x
Edinburgh St Stephens 2 47.39x
Scoonie 2 97.56x
Alnwick 1 24.45x
Aston 1 0.90x
Birmingham 1 0.74x
Cardiff St John 1 10.99x
Chelsea London 1 2.07x
Cockpen 1 40.00x
Crosby On Eden 1 454.55x
Cumbrae 1 98.04x
Dudley 1 3.94x
Eaglesham 1 131.58x
Ealing 1 6.99x
Elvet 1 29.07x
Erith 1 18.59x
Glasgow 1 1.09x
Halifax 1 4.30x
Hampstead London 1 4.01x
Honley 1 36.10x
Hook Malden 1 322.58x
Horsham 1 19.08x
Islington London 1 0.64x
Leeds 1 1.12x
Liscard 1 15.72x
Litchurch 1 9.92x
North Meols 1 5.38x
Portsea 1 1.56x
St Marylebone London 1 1.17x
Stirling 1 13.44x
Urray 1 73.53x
Wednesbury 1 7.41x
Westminster St James 1 6.08x
Whitehaven 1 13.62x
Woolwich 1 4.96x
Ynysawdre 1 222.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Margaret 5
Elizabeth 4
Rose 3
Caroline 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Sarah 2
Able 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliza 1
Emelia 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Hanorah 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
James 7
Alfred 5
Richard 5
William 4
Henry 3
Michael 3
Thomas 3
Donald 2
Joseph 2
Alonsues 1
Austin 1
Bernard 1
Charles 1
Errington 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Owen 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Thos.J. 1

FAQ

Macguire surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macguire surname in 1881?

In 1881, 202 people were recorded with the Macguire surname. That placed it at #12,753 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macguire surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016. That gives Macguire a modern rank of #23,516.

What does the Macguire surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name MacGuire meaning "son of Odhar" or "son of the pale-colored one".

What does the Macguire map show?

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