NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcauliffe

A surname of Irish origin meaning "son of Olaf" or "descendant of Olaf," referring to a Scandinavian ancestor.

In the 1881 census there were 240 people recorded with the Mcauliffe surname, ranking it #11,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,081, ranked #5,404, up from #11,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hinckley and Bosworth, Stratford-on-Avon and Saltcoats Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcauliffe is 1,143 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 350.4%.

1881 census count

240

Ranked #11,410

Modern count

1,081

2016, ranked #5,404

Peak year

2002

1,143 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcauliffe had 240 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,081 in 2016, ranked #5,404.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 396 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Mcauliffe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcauliffe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcauliffe 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 69 #21,148
1861 historical 188 #12,628
1881 historical 240 #11,410
1891 historical 271 #11,992
1901 historical 396 #9,539
1911 historical 337 #10,547
1997 modern 1,053 #5,260
1998 modern 1,079 #5,339
1999 modern 1,100 #5,284
2000 modern 1,123 #5,183
2001 modern 1,084 #5,234
2002 modern 1,143 #5,115
2003 modern 1,089 #5,222
2004 modern 1,088 #5,235
2005 modern 1,056 #5,306
2006 modern 1,052 #5,330
2007 modern 1,059 #5,346
2008 modern 1,060 #5,378
2009 modern 1,071 #5,442
2010 modern 1,091 #5,478
2011 modern 1,079 #5,460
2012 modern 1,068 #5,424
2013 modern 1,097 #5,387
2014 modern 1,099 #5,399
2015 modern 1,091 #5,383
2016 modern 1,081 #5,404

Geography

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Where Mcauliffes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, St Marylebone and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hinckley and Bosworth, Stratford-on-Avon, Saltcoats Central, Conwy and Knowsley. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hinckley and Bosworth 001 Hinckley and Bosworth
2 Stratford-on-Avon 008 Stratford-on-Avon
3 Saltcoats Central North Ayrshire
4 Conwy 001 Conwy
5 Knowsley 003 Knowsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcauliffe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcauliffe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcauliffe, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Mcauliffe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Mcauliffe 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcauliffe 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

Mcauliffe 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

Mcauliffe falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcauliffe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcauliffe

The surname McAuliffe is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Mac Amhalghaidh, which means "son of Amhalghaidh" or "son of the devoted one". This name is believed to have originated in the province of Munster, particularly in the counties of Cork and Kerry.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, which date back to the 12th century. In these annals, the name appears as "Mac Amhalghaidh" and is associated with the Uí Echach Muman, a prominent Irish dynasty.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McAuliffe is found in the Red Book of Ormond, a 14th-century manuscript that contains records of landholdings and grants in County Tipperary. This document mentions a "Gillemor Mac Awlef" in 1337.

In the 16th century, the name McAuliffe is recorded in various records and documents, including the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns and the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters.

Notable individuals with the surname McAuliffe throughout history include:

1. John McAuliffe (c. 1570-1649), an Irish Catholic priest and author, known for his work "The Pious Miscellany" published in 1644.

2. Mary McAuliffe (1795-1878), an Irish revolutionary and activist who participated in the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

3. Jeremiah McAuliffe (1837-1917), an Irish-American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.

4. Michael McAuliffe (1869-1943), an Irish-American labor leader and politician who served as the Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

5. Anthony C. McAuliffe (1898-1975), a highly decorated American military officer who famously responded "Nuts!" to a German surrender demand during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.

The surname McAuliffe has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Ballymacauliffe and Glenacauliffe, which are derived from the Irish Gaelic "Baile Mhic Amhalghaidh" and "Gleann Mhic Amhalghaidh," respectively, meaning "the town/valley of the son of Amhalghaidh."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcauliffe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcauliffe 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. Middlesex leads with 18 Mcauliffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 18 5.27x
Hampshire 5 7.15x
Essex 4 5.94x
Glamorgan 3 5.05x
Gloucestershire 3 4.48x
Lancashire 2 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Poplar London in Middlesex leads with 6 Mcauliffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 93.17x.

Place Total Index
Poplar London 6 93.17x
Kensington London 5 26.36x
St Thomas Winchester 5 1020.41x
Cardiff St Mary 3 91.74x
West Ham 3 20.17x
Bristol St Peter 2 833.33x
Fulham London 2 40.40x
St Marylebone London 2 10.98x
Bristol Christchurch 1 1000.00x
East Bedfont 1 588.24x
Everton 1 7.75x
Hampstead London 1 18.83x
St Pancras London 1 3.64x
Toxteth Park 1 7.29x
Walthamstow 1 41.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Kate 3
Annie 2
Ida 2
Margaret 2
Ann 1
Anne 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Johanna 1
Maggy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Robert 2
William 2
Daniel 1
James 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 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 Mcauliffe households.

FAQ

Mcauliffe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcauliffe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 240 people were recorded with the Mcauliffe surname. That placed it at #11,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcauliffe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,081 in 2016. That gives Mcauliffe a modern rank of #5,404.

What does the Mcauliffe surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin meaning "son of Olaf" or "descendant of Olaf," referring to a Scandinavian ancestor.

What does the Mcauliffe map show?

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