NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcbratney

Irish patronymic surname meaning "son of the Briton or Welshman".

In the 1881 census there were 24 people recorded with the Mcbratney surname, ranking it #30,215 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, up from #30,215 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stornoway East, Machars South and Haringey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcbratney is 117 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 354.2%.

1881 census count

24

Ranked #30,215

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

1998

117 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcbratney had 24 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,215 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016, ranked #29,402.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 43 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcbratney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcbratney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcbratney 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 30 #27,891
1861 historical 32 #29,944
1881 historical 24 #30,215
1891 historical 32 #31,754
1901 historical 43 #29,380
1911 historical 39 #29,025
1997 modern 114 #24,967
1998 modern 117 #25,190
1999 modern 113 #25,913
2000 modern 111 #26,111
2001 modern 107 #26,328
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 107 #26,617
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 97 #28,485
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 95 #29,493
2008 modern 96 #29,654
2009 modern 102 #29,286
2010 modern 101 #30,078
2011 modern 110 #28,478
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 103 #30,235
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

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Where Mcbratneys 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 Stornoway East, Machars South, Haringey, Taunton Deane and Knightswood Park West. 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 Stornoway East Na h-Eileanan Siar
2 Machars South Dumfries and Galloway
3 Haringey 034 Haringey
4 Taunton Deane 003 Taunton Deane
5 Knightswood Park West Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcbratney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcbratney

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

Mcbratney is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcbratney falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcbratney 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcbratney

The surname MCBRATNEY is of Irish origin, rooted in the Gaelic language. It emerged in the early medieval period, likely around the 12th or 13th century, in the northern regions of Ireland. The name is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "Brádánaigh," which may refer to a person's occupation as a fisherman or someone living near a salmon river.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MCBRATNEY name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, dating back to the 15th century. The annals mention a "Domhnall Mac Bradánaigh" in the year 1423, indicating the presence of this surname in that era.

In the 16th century, the name MCBRATNEY appeared in several land surveys and rent rolls in County Antrim, suggesting that the family had established a presence in that region during that time period. One notable entry is from the Fiants of the Reign of Elizabeth I, which mentions a "Patrick McBradney" in 1589.

The earliest known bearer of the MCBRATNEY surname was likely Aodh Ó Bradánaigh, a prominent Irish chieftain who lived in the late 14th century. He was a member of the Gaelic nobility and held lands in what is now County Tyrone.

Another notable figure with the MCBRATNEY surname was John McBratney (1822-1892), an Irish-born journalist and political activist who played a significant role in the Land War of the late 19th century in Ireland. He was a vocal advocate for tenants' rights and worked tirelessly to improve the living conditions of Irish peasants.

In the realm of literature, Francis McBratney (1917-2002) was an Irish poet and short story writer known for his works that captured the essence of rural life in Northern Ireland. His poetry collection, "The Hillsman's Harvest," published in 1979, received critical acclaim.

The MCBRATNEY name also has a connection to the field of education. Michael McBratney (1866-1941) was a renowned educator and headmaster who served as the Principal of St. Columb's College in Derry, Northern Ireland, from 1903 to 1933.

In more recent times, the MCBRATNEY surname gained international recognition through the work of Sam McBratney (born 1943), an Irish author best known for his beloved children's book, "Guess How Much I Love You," published in 1994. The book has been translated into numerous languages and has become a beloved classic for generations of families around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcbratney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcbratney 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. Kent leads with 2 Mcbratneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.40x.

County Total Index
Kent 2 30.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deptford St Paul in Kent leads with 2 Mcbratneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 392.16x.

Place Total Index
Deptford St Paul 2 392.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charlotte 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
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 Mcbratney households.

Occupation Count
Army Pensioner 1

FAQ

Mcbratney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcbratney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 24 people were recorded with the Mcbratney surname. That placed it at #30,215 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcbratney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016. That gives Mcbratney a modern rank of #29,402.

What does the Mcbratney surname mean?

Irish patronymic surname meaning "son of the Briton or Welshman".

What does the Mcbratney map show?

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