NameCensus.

UK surname

Magnay

In the 1881 census there were 46 people recorded with the Magnay surname, ranking it #27,188 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #27,188 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, South Northamptonshire and Gretna.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Magnay is 128 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 141.3%.

1881 census count

46

Ranked #27,188

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

2002

128 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Magnay had 46 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,188 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 89 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Magnay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Magnay surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Magnay 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 41 #25,926
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 46 #27,188
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 60 #27,502
1911 historical 89 #23,922
1997 modern 99 #27,039
1998 modern 119 #24,918
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 126 #24,220
2001 modern 123 #24,242
2002 modern 128 #24,150
2003 modern 127 #24,019
2004 modern 120 #25,078
2005 modern 118 #25,301
2006 modern 112 #26,415
2007 modern 109 #27,253
2008 modern 110 #27,391
2009 modern 122 #26,220
2010 modern 120 #27,124
2011 modern 112 #28,117
2012 modern 105 #29,362
2013 modern 111 #28,856
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 115 #28,319
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Magnays 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 Allerdale, South Northamptonshire, Gretna, Eden and Gateshead. 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 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
2 South Northamptonshire 007 South Northamptonshire
3 Gretna Dumfries and Galloway
4 Eden 002 Eden
5 Gateshead 025 Gateshead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Magnay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Magnay

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Magnay, 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 Magnay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Magnay 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, Magnay 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

Magnay is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Magnay 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 Magnay is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

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

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Magnay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Magnay 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. Cumberland leads with 14 Magnays recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.24x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 14 36.24x
Northumberland 9 13.48x
Yorkshire 7 1.57x
Surrey 6 2.74x
Sussex 5 6.61x
Durham 2 1.50x
Gloucestershire 1 1.14x
Hampshire 1 1.09x
Lancashire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Elswick in Northumberland leads with 8 Magnays recorded in 1881 and an index of 150.09x.

Place Total Index
Elswick 8 150.09x
Rickergate 8 975.61x
Middlesbrough 7 120.90x
Lambeth 6 15.33x
Blencogo 5 16666.67x
Brighton 3 19.66x
Heworth 2 76.05x
Clifton 1 22.47x
Cold Waltham 1 1666.67x
Great Crosby 1 68.97x
Hastings St Mary 1 53.19x
Milford 1 370.37x
Welton 1 10000.00x
Woodside Quarter 1 1111.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Charlotte 3
Margaret 3
Catherine 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Clara 1
Dora 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Isabel 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Lucy 1
Sarah 1
Septlina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 3
George 2
John 2
Thos. 2
William 2
Albert 1
C.J. 1
Ernest 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Percy 1
Thomas 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 Magnay households.

FAQ

Magnay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Magnay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 46 people were recorded with the Magnay surname. That placed it at #27,188 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Magnay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Magnay a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Magnay map show?

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