NameCensus.

UK surname

Macnamara

An Irish surname derived from Mac Con Mara, meaning "son of the hound of the sea".

In the 1881 census there were 472 people recorded with the Macnamara surname, ranking it #7,076 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 755, ranked #7,252, down from #7,076 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace and Wimbledon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dacorum, Motherwell West and Gracemount, Southhouse and Burdiehouse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Macnamara is 793 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.0%.

1881 census count

472

Ranked #7,076

Modern count

755

2016, ranked #7,252

Peak year

2010

793 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Macnamara had 472 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,076 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 755 in 2016, ranked #7,252.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 663 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Macnamara surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Macnamara surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Macnamara 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 186 #11,024
1861 historical 202 #11,906
1881 historical 472 #7,076
1891 historical 360 #9,614
1901 historical 663 #6,541
1911 historical 565 #7,146
1997 modern 752 #6,869
1998 modern 769 #6,976
1999 modern 754 #7,125
2000 modern 753 #7,078
2001 modern 724 #7,169
2002 modern 745 #7,146
2003 modern 738 #7,097
2004 modern 751 #7,012
2005 modern 728 #7,117
2006 modern 731 #7,126
2007 modern 757 #7,000
2008 modern 750 #7,104
2009 modern 769 #7,108
2010 modern 793 #7,079
2011 modern 784 #7,065
2012 modern 758 #7,165
2013 modern 766 #7,220
2014 modern 765 #7,245
2015 modern 754 #7,276
2016 modern 755 #7,252

Geography

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Where Macnamaras are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace, Wimbledon and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dacorum, Motherwell West, Gracemount, Southhouse and Burdiehouse, Cherwell and Stockbridge. 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 Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace Shropshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wimbledon Surrey
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dacorum 004 Dacorum
2 Motherwell West North Lanarkshire
3 Gracemount, Southhouse and Burdiehouse City of Edinburgh
4 Cherwell 010 Cherwell
5 Stockbridge City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Macnamara

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Macnamara

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Macnamara is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Macnamara 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

Macnamara falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Macnamara is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Macnamara

The surname MACNAMARA is of Irish origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. Originally spelled as 'Mac Conmara', it is derived from the Irish Gaelic words 'mac' meaning 'son of' and 'Conmara', a personal name meaning 'hound of the sea'.

The MACNAMARA clan was historically based in County Clare, particularly in the Tulla region. They were a prominent sept of the Dalcassian tribe, who ruled over the territory of Thomond (now North Munster) from the 10th to the 16th century.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a Conmara O'Brien in the year 1268. The anglicized spelling 'MACNAMARA' started appearing in records from the 16th century onwards.

The MACNAMARA family played a significant role in Irish history, with several notable members. John MACNAMARA (1690-1759) was a member of the Irish Parliament and an influential landowner in County Clare. Another prominent figure was Francis MACNAMARA (1810-1892), a renowned Irish nationalist and member of the Repeal Association, who campaigned for the repeal of the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland.

In the 19th century, Daniel MACNAMARA (1834-1911) was a distinguished Irish judge who served as the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1905 to 1911. His son, Thomas James MACNAMARA (1868-1941), was a British politician and served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty during World War I.

Another notable bearer of the name was Brinsley Le Fanu MACNAMARA (1890-1963), an Irish author, and poet who was part of the Celtic Revival movement. He is best known for his work 'The Valley of the Squinting Windows', which explored Irish folklore and mythology.

While the name MACNAMARA has its origins in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to Irish immigration. However, its earliest recorded instances and most significant historical figures can be traced back to the western Irish province of Munster.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Macnamara families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Macnamara 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 99 Macnamaras recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.06x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 99 2.06x
Middlesex 74 1.83x
Surrey 26 1.32x
Glamorgan 23 3.26x
Angus 16 4.27x
Yorkshire 16 0.40x
Worcestershire 15 2.84x
Midlothian 13 2.40x
Shropshire 13 3.72x
Lanarkshire 12 0.92x
Kent 10 0.72x
Monmouthshire 9 3.08x
Devon 8 0.95x
Warwickshire 8 0.78x
Cheshire 7 0.78x
Renfrewshire 7 2.23x
Durham 6 0.50x
Ayrshire 5 1.65x
Dunbartonshire 5 4.60x
Gloucestershire 5 0.63x
Perthshire 5 2.75x
Sussex 5 0.73x
Westmorland 4 4.50x
Hertfordshire 3 1.08x
West Lothian 3 4.92x
Essex 2 0.25x
Hampshire 2 0.24x
Lincolnshire 2 0.31x
Northamptonshire 2 0.53x
Staffordshire 2 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.39x
Channel Islands 1 0.83x
Cumberland 1 0.29x
Derbyshire 1 0.16x
Fife 1 0.42x
Leicestershire 1 0.22x
Royal Navy 1 2.07x
Somerset 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kings Norton in Worcestershire leads with 15 Macnamaras recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.65x.

Place Total Index
Kings Norton 15 31.65x
Dalton In Wigan 12 1739.13x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 12 5.50x
Bishopston Lower 11 2200.00x
Wigan 11 16.39x
Manchester 10 4.63x
Toxteth Park 10 6.15x
Wimbledon 10 45.15x
St Giles In Fields 9 64.47x
Hackney London 8 3.52x
Oldham 8 5.16x
St George Hanover 8 15.14x
Widnes 8 23.09x
Accrington 7 16.03x
Barony 7 2.11x
Birmingham 7 2.06x
Deptford St Paul 7 6.57x
Shrewsbury St Mary 7 50.72x
St George In East 7 25.42x
Dundee 6 4.29x
Islington London 6 1.53x
Oystermouth 6 110.09x
St Clement Danes 6 91.60x
West Greenock 6 10.66x
Brighton 5 3.63x
Bromley London 5 5.61x
Charlton Kings 5 91.07x
Dumbarton 5 33.03x
Fulham London 5 8.52x
Largs 5 70.03x
Newton Abbot St Mary 5 70.72x
Oswestry Town 5 44.64x
Perth St Pauls 5 118.76x
Roath 5 15.62x
St Luke London 5 7.70x
Trevethin 5 18.09x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 3.81x
Barry 4 88.89x
Batley 4 10.49x
Birkenhead 4 5.62x
Cornsay 4 123.46x
Gate Fulford 4 42.69x
Kendal 4 24.55x
Mortlake 4 45.51x
Richmond 4 14.47x
St Woollos 4 12.25x
Wavertree 4 26.01x
West Derby 4 2.85x
Bathgate 3 22.68x
Berkhampstead 3 47.85x
Chelsea London 3 2.46x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 3.93x
Glasgow 3 1.29x
Great Bolton 3 4.71x
Heap 3 11.77x
Kensington London 3 1.33x
Lambeth 3 0.85x
Liff Benvie 3 5.27x
Lochee 3 89.55x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 3.68x
St Marylebone London 3 1.39x
Altrincham 2 12.81x
Battersea 2 1.34x
Broughton In Salford 2 4.55x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 13.89x
East Stonehouse 2 12.05x
Govan 2 0.62x
Hipperholme Cum 2 11.34x
Mountnessing 2 165.29x
St Pancras London 2 0.61x
Cheetham 1 2.79x
Derby St Peter 1 4.95x
Dewsbury 1 2.43x
Gorton 1 2.21x
Habergham Eaves 1 2.28x
Llanrhidian Higher 1 22.32x
Northampton All Sts 1 7.74x
Sowerby In Halifax 1 7.62x
St Helier 1 2.56x
Trentham 1 8.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 27
Thomas 22
James 16
Patrick 10
Michael 9
William 8
Henry 6
Joseph 6
Charles 5
Peter 4
Walter 4
Anthony 3
David 3
Edward 3
Matthew 3
Richard 3
Arthur 2
George 2
Martin 2
Mathew 2
Robert 2
Simon 2
Thos. 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
F.O. 1
Henr. 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Jas.T. 1
Jos. 1
Jos.Jno. 1
Lawrence 1
Lenord 1
Leonard 1
Notlidd 1
Nugent 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Timoth 1
Timothy 1
W.H. 1
Wilfred 1
Willim. 1

FAQ

Macnamara surname: questions and answers

How common was the Macnamara surname in 1881?

In 1881, 472 people were recorded with the Macnamara surname. That placed it at #7,076 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Macnamara surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 755 in 2016. That gives Macnamara a modern rank of #7,252.

What does the Macnamara surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from Mac Con Mara, meaning "son of the hound of the sea".

What does the Macnamara map show?

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