NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcateer

An Irish surname derived from Mac an tSaoir, meaning "son of the craftsman" or "son of the carpenter."

In the 1881 census there were 193 people recorded with the Mcateer surname, ranking it #13,144 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,633, ranked #3,810, up from #13,144 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Toxteth Park and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fankerton, Stoneywood and Denny Town, Balmalloch and Barrow-in-Furness.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcateer is 1,652 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 746.1%.

1881 census count

193

Ranked #13,144

Modern count

1,633

2016, ranked #3,810

Peak year

2014

1,652 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcateer had 193 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,144 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,633 in 2016, ranked #3,810.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 284 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcateer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcateer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcateer 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 23 #29,205
1861 historical 52 #27,369
1881 historical 193 #13,144
1891 historical 198 #15,033
1901 historical 284 #12,093
1911 historical 78 #25,013
1997 modern 1,472 #3,975
1998 modern 1,533 #3,975
1999 modern 1,509 #4,056
2000 modern 1,497 #4,071
2001 modern 1,480 #4,027
2002 modern 1,506 #4,061
2003 modern 1,500 #4,000
2004 modern 1,513 #3,965
2005 modern 1,517 #3,922
2006 modern 1,546 #3,843
2007 modern 1,580 #3,807
2008 modern 1,570 #3,853
2009 modern 1,638 #3,805
2010 modern 1,650 #3,854
2011 modern 1,646 #3,824
2012 modern 1,592 #3,865
2013 modern 1,617 #3,878
2014 modern 1,652 #3,826
2015 modern 1,624 #3,850
2016 modern 1,633 #3,810

Geography

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Where Mcateers are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Fankerton, Stoneywood and Denny Town, Balmalloch, Barrow-in-Furness, Milnwood and Preston. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fankerton, Stoneywood and Denny Town Falkirk
2 Balmalloch North Lanarkshire
3 Barrow-in-Furness 010 Barrow-in-Furness
4 Milnwood North Lanarkshire
5 Preston 009 Preston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcateer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcateer

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

Mcateer is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mcateer

The surname McAteer is of Scottish origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Mac an t-Saoir," which means "son of the carpenter" or "son of the skilled worker." The name is believed to have originated in the areas around Ayrshire and Lanarkshire, where it was common for families to adopt occupational surnames.

In historical records, the name appears with various spellings, including McAtyre, McAttor, and McAter. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists a "Johannes McAtoure" from Roxburghshire. This document contains the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

The McAteer name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Patrick McAteer (c. 1520-1592), a Scottish Catholic priest who was a prominent figure during the Scottish Reformation. He served as the vicar of Dreghorn and was known for his opposition to the Protestant reforms of John Knox.

Another significant figure was Sir William McAteer (1749-1813), a Scottish merchant and landowner from Ayrshire. He played an active role in the Scottish Enlightenment and was a member of the Literary Society of Glasgow, where he rubbed shoulders with luminaries such as Adam Smith and James Watt.

In the 19th century, John McAteer (1815-1891) was a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor. He is best known for his role in the exploration of the Gippsland region of Victoria, where he helped establish several towns and settlements.

James McAteer (1838-1912) was a prominent Irish-American politician and lawyer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate and was a prominent figure in the Democratic Party.

More recently, Michael McAteer (1932-2008) was a Scottish actor and writer best known for his roles in television shows like "Taggart" and "Tutti Frutti." He was also a prolific writer of plays and screenplays, many of which explored his working-class roots in Glasgow.

The McAteer name has been associated with various place names in Scotland, including McAteer's Flow, a wetland area in Ayrshire, and McAteer's Farm, a historical site in Dumfries and Galloway. These place names reflect the long-standing presence of the McAteer family in these regions and their contributions to the local communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcateer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcateer 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 9 Mcateers recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.65x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 9 8.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 8 Mcateers recorded in 1881 and an index of 227.27x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 8 227.27x
Manchester 1 21.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Patrick 2
George 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 Mcateer households.

FAQ

Mcateer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcateer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 193 people were recorded with the Mcateer surname. That placed it at #13,144 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcateer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,633 in 2016. That gives Mcateer a modern rank of #3,810.

What does the Mcateer surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from Mac an tSaoir, meaning "son of the craftsman" or "son of the carpenter."

What does the Mcateer map show?

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