NameCensus.

UK surname

Maguire

Derived from the Irish surname Mag Uidhir, meaning "son of Odhar" (son of the dun or pale-colored one).

In the 1881 census there were 3,040 people recorded with the Maguire surname, ranking it #1,475 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10,531, ranked #617, up from #1,475 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Keppochhill, Liverpool and Campbeltown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maguire is 10,772 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 246.4%.

1881 census count

3,040

Ranked #1,475

Modern count

10,531

2016, ranked #617

Peak year

2010

10,772 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maguire had 3,040 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,475 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 10,531 in 2016, ranked #617.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,757 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Maguire surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maguire surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Maguire 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 1,158 #2,435
1861 historical 1,431 #1,985
1881 historical 3,040 #1,475
1891 historical 2,573 #1,848
1901 historical 3,757 #1,501
1911 historical 3,633 #1,437
1997 modern 9,641 #649
1998 modern 9,956 #649
1999 modern 10,048 #647
2000 modern 10,050 #645
2001 modern 9,805 #645
2002 modern 10,014 #646
2003 modern 9,788 #648
2004 modern 9,763 #649
2005 modern 9,761 #641
2006 modern 9,857 #634
2007 modern 10,033 #625
2008 modern 10,142 #623
2009 modern 10,426 #623
2010 modern 10,772 #616
2011 modern 10,630 #617
2012 modern 10,373 #617
2013 modern 10,526 #621
2014 modern 10,610 #618
2015 modern 10,552 #615
2016 modern 10,531 #617

Geography

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Where Maguires are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Keppochhill, Liverpool, Campbeltown and Manchester. 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 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Keppochhill Glasgow City
2 Liverpool 060 Liverpool
3 Liverpool 014 Liverpool
4 Campbeltown Argyll and Bute
5 Manchester 015 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Maguire

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Maguire

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

Maguire 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

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

Meaning and origin of Maguire

The surname Maguire is an ancient Irish name that originated from County Fermanagh, Ulster province, Ireland. It is derived from the Gaelic surname Mag Uidhir, which means "son of Odhar" or "son of the dun-colored man". The name can be traced back to the 10th century, and it is believed to have originated from the Irish clan Ui Chremthainn.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Maguire can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which dates back to the 15th century. The annals mention several members of the Maguire clan, including Donal Maguire, who was the chief of the clan in the early 15th century.

The Maguire clan played a significant role in the historical events of Ireland, particularly during the Tudor conquest of Ireland in the 16th century. One of the most notable figures from this era was Hugh Maguire (c. 1500-1600), who was the Lord of Fermanagh and a leader of the Irish resistance against the English forces.

During the Irish Rebellion of 1641, Connor Maguire (1616-1645) was a prominent figure who led the Irish Confederates in Ulster. He was eventually captured and executed by the English forces.

Another notable Maguire was Thomas Maguire (1792-1854), an Irish Catholic priest and historian who wrote extensively about the history of Ireland and the persecution of Irish Catholics during the Penal Laws.

In more recent times, Moira Maguire (1882-1974) was a renowned Irish artist and illustrator who was celebrated for her depictions of Irish folklore and mythology.

The name Maguire has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Maguiresbridge and Lisnaskea in County Fermanagh, reflecting the clan's historical presence and influence in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Maguire families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maguire 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 1,371 Maguires recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.87x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,371 3.87x
Lanarkshire 275 2.85x
Middlesex 230 0.77x
Yorkshire 164 0.55x
Durham 129 1.45x
Surrey 97 0.67x
Midlothian 64 1.60x
Cumberland 63 2.45x
Staffordshire 58 0.58x
Northumberland 57 1.28x
Warwickshire 57 0.76x
Cheshire 56 0.85x
Renfrewshire 47 2.03x
Essex 38 0.64x
Hampshire 33 0.54x
Channel Islands 25 2.83x
Glamorgan 23 0.44x
Kent 22 0.22x
Selkirkshire 20 7.40x
Sussex 17 0.34x
Angus 15 0.54x
Dunbartonshire 15 1.87x
Worcestershire 14 0.36x
Gloucestershire 11 0.19x
Caernarfonshire 9 0.75x
Fife 9 0.51x
Devon 8 0.13x
Northamptonshire 8 0.28x
Ross-shire 8 0.98x
Stirlingshire 8 0.73x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.25x
Berkshire 7 0.31x
Anglesey 6 1.13x
Derbyshire 6 0.13x
Leicestershire 6 0.18x
Monmouthshire 6 0.28x
Perthshire 6 0.45x
Westmorland 6 0.91x
Buteshire 5 2.76x
Dumfriesshire 5 0.76x
Kirkcudbrightshire 5 1.16x
Somerset 5 0.10x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.22x
Norfolk 4 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.16x
Lincolnshire 3 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.07x
Royal Navy 3 0.84x
Berwickshire 2 0.55x
Flintshire 2 0.25x
Herefordshire 2 0.16x
Hertfordshire 2 0.10x
Oxfordshire 2 0.11x
Shropshire 2 0.08x
Suffolk 2 0.06x
Ayrshire 1 0.04x
Bedfordshire 1 0.06x
Cornwall 1 0.03x
Denbighshire 1 0.09x
Dorset 1 0.05x
Kincardineshire 1 0.28x

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 269 Maguires recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.50x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 269 12.50x
Manchester 132 8.28x
Barony 89 3.64x
Salford 75 7.20x
Govan 72 3.01x
Toxteth Park 69 5.75x
Glasgow 67 3.91x
Warrington 60 14.28x
Hulme 57 7.71x
Preston 54 5.70x
Leeds 51 3.05x
Everton 46 4.07x
West Derby 37 3.57x
Chorlton On Medlock 34 6.04x
Blackburn 33 3.50x
Birmingham 31 1.24x
Chelsea London 28 3.11x
Kensington London 27 1.63x
Spotland 27 6.85x
Pendleton In Salford 24 5.69x
Kirkdale 22 3.69x
Aston 20 0.96x
Elswick 20 5.64x
St Marylebone London 20 1.25x
Gomersal 19 13.76x
Lancaster 19 9.01x
St Pancras London 19 0.79x
West Ham 19 1.46x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 18 1.12x
Barton Upon Irwell 17 6.37x
Gorton 17 5.10x
St Cuthbert W O 17 13.57x
Widnes 16 6.26x
Accrington 15 4.66x
Aldershot 15 7.32x
Bootle Cum Linacre 15 5.33x
Wavertree 15 13.23x
Wigan 15 3.03x
Wolstanton 15 4.90x
Bradford 14 8.44x
Broughton In Salford 14 4.32x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 14 3.64x
Lanark 14 18.02x
Litherland 14 18.90x
St George Hanover 14 3.59x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 1.31x
Birkenhead 13 2.47x
Paisley High Church 13 7.06x
Camberwell 12 0.63x
Framwellgate 12 22.80x
Habergham Eaves 12 3.71x
Heaton Norris 12 5.95x
Islington London 12 0.41x
Middle Greenock 12 19.00x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 12 4.52x
Shettleston 12 13.88x
St Helier 12 4.17x
St Peter Port 12 7.33x
Tottenham 12 2.52x
East Ham 11 10.06x
Thornton In Fylde 11 14.19x
Ardwick 10 3.13x
Lambeth 10 0.38x
Little Bolton 10 2.20x
Maryhill 10 5.29x
Merthyr Tydfil 10 2.00x
Paddington London 10 0.91x
Selkirk 10 13.14x
South Leith 10 2.22x
Aighton Bailey 9 52.72x
Bangor 9 7.73x
Barmston 9 135.54x
Battersea 9 0.82x
Bishopwearmouth 9 1.18x
Cranston 9 88.24x
Edinburgh Canongate 9 8.84x
Neilston 9 7.75x
Newcastle On Tyne St 9 3.91x
Tranmere 9 3.72x
Windle 9 4.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 271
Catherine 88
Elizabeth 80
Margaret 75
Ann 73
Ellen 62
Sarah 58
Bridget 47
Annie 39
Jane 36
Alice 22
Eliza 22
Kate 18
Emma 17
Hannah 17
Isabella 13
Martha 12
Agnes 11
Emily 10
Maria 10
Rose 9
Anne 8
Caroline 7
Julia 7
Margret 7
Florence 6
Lizzie 6
Margt. 6
Eleanor 5
Elizth. 5
Harriet 5
Louisa 5
Sophia 5
Susan 5
Amelia 4
Anna 4
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Edith 4
Lucy 4
Matilda 4
Rebecca 4
Teresa 4
Theresa 4
Winifred 4
Cathrine 3
Jessie 3
Kathleen 3
Minnie 3
Norah 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 212
Thomas 170
James 166
William 83
Patrick 73
Edward 40
Peter 35
Michael 34
Hugh 29
Joseph 28
Henry 27
Charles 26
George 26
Francis 24
Robert 21
Thos. 13
Daniel 12
Bernard 11
Philip 11
Richard 10
Andrew 8
Martin 8
Arthur 7
Frederick 7
Phillip 7
Alfred 6
Dennis 6
Christopher 5
Owen 5
Alexander 4
David 4
Edmund 4
Nicholas 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Anthony 3
Barnard 3
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Fredk. 3
Herbert 3
Jas. 3
Mathew 3
Stephen 3
Terence 3
Vincent 3
Archibald 2
Ebenezer 2
Matthew 2
Miles 2

FAQ

Maguire surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maguire surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,040 people were recorded with the Maguire surname. That placed it at #1,475 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maguire surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 10,531 in 2016. That gives Maguire a modern rank of #617.

What does the Maguire surname mean?

Derived from the Irish surname Mag Uidhir, meaning "son of Odhar" (son of the dun or pale-colored one).

What does the Maguire map show?

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