NameCensus.

UK surname

Mackney

A locational surname derived from an area called Macknee or Mac Knee.

In the 1881 census there were 149 people recorded with the Mackney surname, ranking it #15,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 220, ranked #18,376, down from #15,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Dartford and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Plymouth, St Albans and Breckland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mackney is 231 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.7%.

1881 census count

149

Ranked #15,551

Modern count

220

2016, ranked #18,376

Peak year

2013

231 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mackney had 149 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 220 in 2016, ranked #18,376.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 226 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Mackney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mackney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mackney 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 106 #16,512
1861 historical 131 #17,052
1881 historical 149 #15,551
1891 historical 207 #14,546
1901 historical 171 #16,689
1911 historical 226 #13,840
1997 modern 201 #17,564
1998 modern 205 #17,850
1999 modern 207 #17,855
2000 modern 215 #17,388
2001 modern 208 #17,513
2002 modern 209 #17,803
2003 modern 198 #18,252
2004 modern 198 #18,308
2005 modern 195 #18,458
2006 modern 197 #18,465
2007 modern 194 #18,855
2008 modern 206 #18,300
2009 modern 215 #18,179
2010 modern 225 #18,000
2011 modern 215 #18,379
2012 modern 210 #18,604
2013 modern 231 #17,703
2014 modern 231 #17,813
2015 modern 226 #17,995
2016 modern 220 #18,376

Geography

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Where Mackneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Dartford, St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford, Northbourne and Tottenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Plymouth, St Albans, Breckland, Tendring and Dartford. 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 3
2 Dartford Kent
3 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)
4 Northbourne Kent
5 Tottenham Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Plymouth 013 Plymouth
2 St Albans 001 St Albans
3 Breckland 002 Breckland
4 Tendring 011 Tendring
5 Dartford 006 Dartford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mackney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mackney

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Mackney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Mackney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mackney 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

Mackney is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mackney falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mackney

The surname Mackney is believed to have its origins in Ireland, with some historical evidence pointing towards a Celtic lineage. The surname may have been derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cnáimhí," which loosely translates to "son of the bony one." This stems from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "cnámh" meaning "bone" or "descendant of Cnámh." The surname suggests a nickname-based origin, possibly referring to an ancestor known for being particularly thin or having a skeletal frame.

Documents from medieval Ireland contain references to the Mackney surname, including old notarial records and church manuscripts. The name can be traced back to the 11th and 12th centuries, where it appears in various forms such as MacCnámh and MacConmidhe. Significant historical documents like the Annals of the Four Masters, which chronicle medieval Irish history, include mentions of descendants bearing these variations.

One of the earliest instances of the name can be found in a 14th-century tax roll, where a "Maolmhuire MacCnámh" is recorded. Another individual, Eoghain MacConmidhe, served as a scribe and historian during the late 15th century, providing important contributions to historical records maintained by monastic communities.

The movement and presence of the Mackney surname can also be detected in areas outside of Ireland. After the Norman invasion of Ireland, some of the Gaelic gentry, including those with the Mackney surname, migrated to different regions. By the 17th century, a branch of the Mackney family had settled in Scotland, identifying themselves within local parish records as of Irish descent.

In the 18th century, the name continued to feature prominently. John Mackney, born in 1765, was a noted landowner in County Galway, and his records provide insight into the local history of the time. Additionally, Timothy Mackney (1783-1842) served as a well-known barrister in Dublin, known for his legal contributions to public and property law.

By the 19th century, the surname had spread further due to emigration, particularly during the Great Famine period. One example is Bridget Mackney, born in 1821, who emigrated to Canada in 1847. Her descendants continued to carry the Mackney surname across North America, contributing to various facets of societal development.

Another prominent figure is Thomas Mackney (1845-1912), an Irish politician who was instrumental in the tenant rights movement. His roles in land reform and advocating for farmers' rights in the late 19th and early 20th centuries left a lasting impact on Irish legal and social history.

The surname Mackney, therefore, carries a rich historical tapestry linked with the Gaelic culture, its adaptation post-Norman invasion, and subsequent migration patterns. The lineage can be traced through various notable individuals and through official records, contributing to its continued presence and historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mackney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mackney 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. Kent leads with 43 Mackneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.61x.

County Total Index
Kent 43 8.61x
Middlesex 42 2.87x
Surrey 29 4.07x
Glamorgan 12 4.71x
Devon 8 2.63x
Hampshire 4 1.33x
Suffolk 4 2.24x
Lancashire 3 0.17x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.13x
Lanarkshire 1 0.21x
Pembrokeshire 1 2.15x
Perthshire 1 1.52x
Royal Navy 1 5.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dartford in Kent leads with 14 Mackneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 274.51x.

Place Total Index
Dartford 14 274.51x
Tottenham 12 51.50x
Camberwell 11 11.77x
Lambeth 10 7.84x
Stone In Dartford 8 625.00x
Llangeinor 7 466.67x
Shadwell London 7 171.15x
Chatham 6 43.70x
Newington 5 9.25x
Northbourne 5 1041.67x
Stoke Damerel 5 23.46x
Swansea Town 5 23.93x
Portsea 4 6.81x
Shoreditch London 4 6.31x
Stowmarket 4 194.17x
Bermondsey 3 6.89x
Eastry 3 434.78x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 12.79x
St Pancras London 3 2.55x
Darenth 2 259.74x
Deptford St Paul 2 5.19x
Enfield 2 20.83x
Hanwell 2 77.22x
St George In East 2 20.10x
St Marylebone London 2 2.56x
Westminster St James 2 13.30x
Abernethy 1 116.28x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.57x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.90x
Govan 1 0.85x
Great Marlow 1 41.84x
Kensington London 1 1.23x
Milford Haven 1 263.16x
Preston 1 2.15x
Royal Navy 1 6.71x
Salford 1 1.96x
Sandwich St Peter 1 192.31x
Speldhurst 1 39.37x
St Lawrence 1 29.15x
St Martin In Fields 1 11.42x
Towerof London London 1 217.39x
West Derby 1 1.97x
Whitechapel London 1 6.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charles 11
John 9
Henry 6
William 6
George 5
Francis 4
Walter 3
(NK) 2
Alfred 2
Edmond 2
Frederick 2
Gorge 2
James 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Archibald 1
Arnold 1
Arthur 1
Augustus 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Fredk.J. 1
Infant 1
Joseph 1
Robert 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Mackney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mackney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 149 people were recorded with the Mackney surname. That placed it at #15,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mackney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 220 in 2016. That gives Mackney a modern rank of #18,376.

What does the Mackney surname mean?

A locational surname derived from an area called Macknee or Mac Knee.

What does the Mackney map show?

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