NameCensus.

UK surname

Magee

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Aodha," meaning "son of Aodh" (a personal name meaning "fire").

In the 1881 census there were 1,281 people recorded with the Magee surname, ranking it #3,191 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,443, ranked #1,532, up from #3,191 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Drumry East, Ibrox and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Magee is 4,501 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 246.8%.

1881 census count

1,281

Ranked #3,191

Modern count

4,443

2016, ranked #1,532

Peak year

2010

4,501 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Magee had 1,281 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,191 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,443 in 2016, ranked #1,532.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,613 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Magee surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Magee surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Magee 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 776 #3,443
1861 historical 564 #4,667
1881 historical 1,281 #3,191
1891 historical 1,350 #3,224
1901 historical 1,613 #3,209
1911 historical 1,439 #3,362
1997 modern 3,932 #1,657
1998 modern 4,110 #1,642
1999 modern 4,111 #1,650
2000 modern 4,122 #1,648
2001 modern 4,051 #1,636
2002 modern 4,168 #1,618
2003 modern 4,136 #1,584
2004 modern 4,161 #1,582
2005 modern 4,190 #1,552
2006 modern 4,173 #1,569
2007 modern 4,238 #1,554
2008 modern 4,260 #1,556
2009 modern 4,381 #1,555
2010 modern 4,501 #1,549
2011 modern 4,400 #1,553
2012 modern 4,400 #1,528
2013 modern 4,446 #1,541
2014 modern 4,464 #1,547
2015 modern 4,448 #1,534
2016 modern 4,443 #1,532

Geography

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Where Magees are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Drumry East, Ibrox, Doncaster, Drumry West and Hartlepool. 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 Gateshead Durham
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Drumry East Glasgow City
2 Ibrox Glasgow City
3 Doncaster 006 Doncaster
4 Drumry West Glasgow City
5 Hartlepool 001 Hartlepool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Magee

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Magee

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Magee 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

Magee 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

Magee falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Magee

The surname Magee originated in Ireland, likely in the 16th or 17th century. It is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "Mac Aoidh," which means "son of Hugh" or "son of Aodh." The name Aodh is derived from the old Irish word "Aed," meaning "fire."

Historically, the Magee surname was predominantly found in counties Derry and Antrim, in the northern part of Ireland. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 17th century, when it appeared in various historical records and manuscripts from that region.

One of the earliest known references to the name Magee is in the Hearth Money Rolls of 1663, where several individuals with the surname are listed as residing in County Antrim. Additionally, the name appears in the Ulster Plantation Records from the early 17th century, indicating that members of the Magee family were among the Scottish and English settlers who were granted land in Ulster during that time.

Notable individuals with the surname Magee throughout history include James Magee (1707-1793), an Irish-born American merchant and politician who served as the Mayor of Philadelphia from 1766 to 1767. Another prominent figure was John Magee (1794-1868), a Scottish-born American industrialist and politician who played a significant role in the development of the coal and iron industries in Pennsylvania.

In the literary world, John Magee (1922-1941) was an American poet and aviator who wrote the famous poem "High Flight," which was published posthumously after his death in World War II. William Magee (1766-1831), an Irish clergyman and poet, is also remembered for his works, including "On the Making of Books" and "Thoughts in Prison."

Martha Magee (1856-1940), an Irish artist and illustrator, was renowned for her work in the Arts and Crafts movement, and her illustrations in books such as "The Arabian Nights" and "Irish Fairy Tales."

Throughout history, the Magee surname has been associated with various place names and locations, particularly in Ireland and Scotland. For instance, the town of Magee in County Antrim, Ireland, is believed to have derived its name from the Magee family who once lived in the area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Magee families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Magee 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 379 Magees recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.49x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 379 2.49x
Yorkshire 133 1.04x
Durham 114 2.98x
Lanarkshire 107 2.58x
Cumberland 79 7.14x
Middlesex 75 0.58x
Cheshire 53 1.87x
Kent 42 0.96x
Isle of Man 35 14.67x
Ayrshire 32 3.33x
Renfrewshire 31 3.11x
Warwickshire 23 0.71x
Midlothian 21 1.22x
Surrey 18 0.29x
Hampshire 17 0.65x
Angus 15 1.26x
Essex 14 0.55x
Northamptonshire 13 1.08x
Lincolnshire 11 0.54x
Northumberland 11 0.58x
Stirlingshire 11 2.32x
Sussex 11 0.51x
Derbyshire 10 0.50x
Roxburghshire 7 3.01x
Worcestershire 7 0.42x
Cornwall 6 0.41x
Devon 5 0.19x
Gloucestershire 4 0.16x
Oxfordshire 3 0.38x
Shropshire 3 0.27x
Somerset 3 0.15x
Staffordshire 3 0.07x
Anglesey 2 0.88x
Berwickshire 2 1.29x
Norfolk 2 0.10x
Perthshire 2 0.35x
Royal Navy 2 1.31x
Berkshire 1 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.19x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.12x
Cardiganshire 1 0.32x
Dorset 1 0.12x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.29x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.39x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.54x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Suffolk 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 86 Magees recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.29x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 86 9.29x
Everton 43 8.85x
Govan 35 3.41x
Manchester 35 5.11x
Glasgow 30 4.07x
Hulme 28 8.80x
Barony 24 2.28x
Workington 24 37.90x
Onchan 18 26.19x
Birmingham 15 1.39x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 15 2.17x
Hurdsfield 15 85.96x
Eastwood 14 22.83x
Leeds 14 1.95x
Toxteth Park 14 2.71x
Widnes 14 12.73x
Dundee 13 2.93x
Hetton Le Hole 13 26.84x
Barnsley 12 9.14x
Holy Trinity 12 3.92x
Stevenston 12 47.89x
Tranmere 12 11.51x
Braddan 11 84.42x
Idle 11 18.63x
Kirkdale 11 4.29x
Monk Hesleden 11 103.29x
Portsea 11 2.13x
Little Ilford 10 228.31x
St Cuthbert W O 10 18.55x
West Derby 10 2.24x
Crosscanonby 9 24.60x
Cudworth 9 196.08x
Hastings St Clement 9 44.16x
Hutton Henry 9 111.80x
Little Bolton 9 4.59x
Macclesfield 9 7.14x
Shoreditch London 9 1.62x
St Pancras London 9 0.87x
Tanfield 9 19.80x
Broughton In Salford 8 5.74x
Castle Eden 8 206.72x
Egremont 8 30.34x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 4.83x
Wakefield 8 8.19x
Westminster St James 8 6.06x
Beith 7 24.40x
Deal 7 18.72x
Denny 7 27.78x
Deptford St Paul 7 2.07x
Great Bolton 7 3.47x
Great Crosby 7 16.84x
Great Grimsby 7 5.37x
Hartlepool 7 12.89x
Heaton 7 51.17x
Higher Booths 7 25.47x
Kirkby Moorside 7 86.42x
Linthorpe 7 9.21x
Pendleton In Salford 7 3.85x
Preston 7 1.72x
Prudhoe 7 52.63x
Rotherhithe 7 4.41x
Waldridge 7 109.38x
Wilton 7 27.42x
Birtley 6 38.46x
Castleton 6 3.94x
Crossgate 6 35.91x
Derby St Michael 6 142.18x
Droylsden 6 12.07x
Dundonald 6 16.93x
Elvet 6 21.75x
Greenwich 6 2.93x
Hunslet 6 3.02x
Oldham 6 1.22x
Peterborough Minster Close 6 491.80x
Shotts 6 12.07x
West Greenock 6 3.36x
Whitehaven 6 10.18x
Wigan 6 2.82x
Islington London 5 0.40x
Newton In Makerfield 5 10.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 95
Elizabeth 49
Margaret 38
Jane 35
Sarah 32
Ann 18
Annie 17
Ellen 16
Alice 14
Catherine 14
Martha 11
Agnes 10
Eliza 10
Kate 10
Emma 8
Bridget 7
Anne 6
Fanny 5
Hannah 5
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Esther 4
Florence 4
Caroline 3
Catharine 3
Frances 3
Helen 3
Louisa 3
Maggie 3
Margt. 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Beatrice 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Elisabeth 2
Eliz. 2
Elizth. 2
Euphemia 2
Georgina 2
Isabel 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Margret 2
Maria 2
Maud 2
Rosanna 2
Rose 2
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 96
James 70
William 51
Thomas 38
Patrick 24
George 21
Henry 21
Joseph 20
Edward 19
Robert 14
Francis 11
Charles 10
Richard 10
Daniel 7
David 7
Hugh 7
Peter 6
Alfred 5
Michael 5
Arthur 4
Felix 4
Thos. 4
Walter 4
Andrew 3
Frank 3
Martin 3
Wm. 3
Bernard 2
Dennis 2
Ed. 2
Jas. 2
Jmes. 2
Jno. 2
Owen 2
Tom 2
Bailn 1
Barney 1
Chas. 1
Christy 1
Cornelious 1
Edwin 1
Evans 1
Fred 1
G. 1
G.I. 1
Geo. 1
Johnson 1
Jonas 1
Jos. 1
Jos.H. 1

FAQ

Magee surname: questions and answers

How common was the Magee surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,281 people were recorded with the Magee surname. That placed it at #3,191 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Magee surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,443 in 2016. That gives Magee a modern rank of #1,532.

What does the Magee surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Aodha," meaning "son of Aodh" (a personal name meaning "fire").

What does the Magee map show?

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