NameCensus.

UK surname

Mackenna

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Ionnaidh meaning "son of the stout handsome one".

In the 1881 census there were 55 people recorded with the Mackenna surname, ranking it #25,862 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 63, ranked #34,163, down from #25,862 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fort William South, Manchester and Fort William North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mackenna is 148 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.5%.

1881 census count

55

Ranked #25,862

Modern count

63

2016, ranked #34,163

Peak year

1997

148 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Mackenna had 55 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,862 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 63 in 2016, ranked #34,163.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 66 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mackenna surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mackenna surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mackenna 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 21 #31,242
1881 historical 55 #25,862
1891 historical 66 #28,541
1901 historical 61 #27,379
1911 historical 45 #28,332
1997 modern 148 #21,295
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 70 #31,135
2000 modern 72 #30,977
2001 modern 59 #32,080
2002 modern 65 #31,903
2003 modern 62 #32,258
2004 modern 61 #32,581
2005 modern 55 #33,349
2006 modern 54 #33,780
2007 modern 57 #33,800
2008 modern 62 #33,565
2009 modern 62 #33,832
2010 modern 62 #34,069
2011 modern 63 #33,982
2012 modern 62 #34,155
2013 modern 64 #34,127
2014 modern 64 #34,141
2015 modern 62 #34,233
2016 modern 63 #34,163

Geography

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Where Mackennas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fort William South, Manchester, Fort William North, Inverness Drakies and Polwarth. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fort William South Highland
2 Manchester 047 Manchester
3 Fort William North Highland
4 Inverness Drakies Highland
5 Polwarth City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mackenna

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mackenna

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Mackenna surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mackenna household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Mackenna is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mackenna 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mackenna

The surname MacKenna has its origins in Ireland, where it first appeared in the 9th century. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Mac Cionaoith," which means "son of Cionaoth." Cionaoth was a personal name derived from the Old Irish words "cion" (head) and "aith" (fire), suggesting that the name may have originally referred to someone with red hair or a fiery temper.

The MacKennas were a prominent clan in County Monaghan, Ireland, and their name can be found in various historical records from the region. One of the earliest documented references to the name dates back to the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a "Cionaoth Mac Cionaoith" in the year 865 AD.

In the 12th century, the name appears in the Book of Leinster, an important medieval Irish manuscript containing a collection of historical and literary texts. The entry refers to a "Cionaoth Ua Cionaoith," using the Gaelic prefix "Ua" instead of "Mac," indicating that the individual was a descendant of Cionaoth.

Notable individuals with the surname MacKenna throughout history include:

1. Theobald MacKenna (1590-1653), an Irish Franciscan friar and author, known for his work "Apologia pro Vita Sua." 2. Stephen MacKenna (1872-1934), an Irish poet and translator who produced one of the first English translations of Plotinus' Enneads. 3. Reginald MacKenna (1863-1943), a British politician and diplomat who served as the Governor of Singapore from 1904 to 1910. 4. Siobhán McKenna (1923-1986), an Irish actress renowned for her performances in plays by Sean O'Casey and Samuel Beckett. 5. Kenneth MacKenna (1899-1962), an American film director and actor who directed several movies in the early 20th century, including "The Love Gambler" (1925) and "The Trespasser" (1929).

While the name has evolved over time, with variations such as McKenna and MacKenney emerging, the core meaning and Irish heritage of the surname MacKenna remain deeply rooted in its Gaelic origins and the rich history of County Monaghan.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mackenna families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mackenna 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 9 Mackennas recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.16x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 9 2.16x
Ayrshire 8 30.44x
Durham 8 7.66x
Middlesex 4 1.14x
Midlothian 3 6.38x
Kent 2 1.67x
Lanarkshire 1 0.88x
Yorkshire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Girvan in Ayrshire leads with 8 Mackennas recorded in 1881 and an index of 1212.12x.

Place Total Index
Girvan 8 1212.12x
Hartlepool 8 540.54x
Ardwick 6 159.57x
Kensington London 3 15.37x
Liverpool 3 11.85x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 160.00x
Barony 1 3.48x
Carlton In Barnsley 1 769.23x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 102.04x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 1 370.37x
Liberton 1 136.99x
St Marylebone London 1 5.33x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
John 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 Mackenna households.

FAQ

Mackenna surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mackenna surname in 1881?

In 1881, 55 people were recorded with the Mackenna surname. That placed it at #25,862 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mackenna surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 63 in 2016. That gives Mackenna a modern rank of #34,163.

What does the Mackenna surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Ionnaidh meaning "son of the stout handsome one".

What does the Mackenna map show?

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