NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcauley

Derived from the Gaelic "Mac Amhalghaidh," meaning "son of Amhalghaidh," a personal name meaning "like a prince."

In the 1881 census there were 704 people recorded with the Mcauley surname, ranking it #5,166 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,443, ranked #1,982, up from #5,166 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Bothwell and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Airdrie North, Thrashbush and Kirkshaws.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcauley is 3,495 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 389.1%.

1881 census count

704

Ranked #5,166

Modern count

3,443

2016, ranked #1,982

Peak year

2010

3,495 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcauley had 704 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,166 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,443 in 2016, ranked #1,982.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 881 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcauley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcauley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcauley 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 336 #6,970
1861 historical 308 #8,233
1881 historical 704 #5,166
1891 historical 793 #5,071
1901 historical 881 #5,217
1911 historical 219 #14,136
1997 modern 2,978 #2,175
1998 modern 3,089 #2,173
1999 modern 3,110 #2,177
2000 modern 3,138 #2,144
2001 modern 3,041 #2,166
2002 modern 3,161 #2,122
2003 modern 3,121 #2,103
2004 modern 3,154 #2,081
2005 modern 3,207 #2,030
2006 modern 3,229 #2,025
2007 modern 3,303 #2,009
2008 modern 3,346 #1,998
2009 modern 3,419 #1,998
2010 modern 3,495 #1,991
2011 modern 3,477 #1,971
2012 modern 3,394 #1,980
2013 modern 3,470 #1,976
2014 modern 3,494 #1,976
2015 modern 3,464 #1,970
2016 modern 3,443 #1,982

Geography

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Where Mcauleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Bothwell, Govan Combination, 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 Airdrie North, Thrashbush, Kirkshaws, Keppochhill and Coatdyke and Whinhall. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 New Monkland Lanark
2 Bothwell Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Airdrie North North Lanarkshire
2 Thrashbush North Lanarkshire
3 Kirkshaws North Lanarkshire
4 Keppochhill Glasgow City
5 Coatdyke and Whinhall North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcauley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcauley

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mcauley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcauley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcauley

The surname McAuley has its origins in Ireland, particularly in the northern part of the country. It is believed to have emerged sometime around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "Amhalghaidh" which is a personal name, likely meaning "servant of the rock" or "follower of the king."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. This manuscript mentions a "MacAuley" as early as the 14th century. The name was also found in various historical records from counties such as Armagh and Tyrone, where it was particularly prevalent.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the McAuley name was Felim McAuley, who was a renowned Irish bard and poet from County Tyrone. He was known for his works that celebrated Irish culture and history. Another noteworthy individual was Sir Auley McAuley, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries and was a prominent leader during the Nine Years' War in Ireland.

The spelling of the name has evolved over time, with variations such as MacAuley, McAwley, and McAughley appearing in different historical records. Some of these variations may have been influenced by regional dialects or the phonetic interpretation of the name by scribes or record-keepers.

In the 18th century, a distinguished member of the McAuley family was Richard McAuley, who was born in County Armagh in 1706. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, and his family played a significant role in the economic and social life of the region.

Another notable figure from the 19th century was Thomas McAuley, born in 1823 in County Tyrone. He was a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on Irish history and literature, making important contributions to the preservation of Irish cultural heritage.

As the McAuley name spread beyond Ireland, it was also associated with various place names, such as McAuley's Falls in County Antrim, which was named after a local landowner. The name has also been found in historical records from other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and England, where Irish immigrants settled.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcauley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcauley 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 22 Mcauleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.87x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 22 4.87x
Middlesex 7 1.84x
Renfrewshire 3 10.18x
Northumberland 2 3.53x
Berkshire 1 3.50x
Cheshire 1 1.19x
Lanarkshire 1 0.81x
Royal Navy 1 22.08x
Yorkshire 1 0.27x

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 11 Mcauleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.13x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 11 40.13x
Toxteth Park 6 39.27x
Everton 4 27.80x
Clerkenwell London 3 33.41x
Mile End Old Town 3 50.00x
West Greenock 3 56.71x
Anderston 1 3333.33x
Birkenhead 1 14.95x
Hackness 1 3333.33x
Morpeth 1 149.25x
Old Windsor 1 303.03x
St Anne Soho London 1 46.08x
Wallsend 1 55.87x
Withington 1 68.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Ellen 4
Catherine 2
Eliza 2
Margaret 2
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Emily 1
Matilda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Neal 2
Alfred 1
Daniel 1
Hugh 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Rodger 1
Samull 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 Mcauley households.

FAQ

Mcauley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcauley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 704 people were recorded with the Mcauley surname. That placed it at #5,166 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcauley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,443 in 2016. That gives Mcauley a modern rank of #1,982.

What does the Mcauley surname mean?

Derived from the Gaelic "Mac Amhalghaidh," meaning "son of Amhalghaidh," a personal name meaning "like a prince."

What does the Mcauley map show?

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