NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccarthy

A surname of Irish origin meaning "son of Cárthaigh" (loving person) or "son of Artagh" (stone).

In the 1881 census there were 7,804 people recorded with the Mccarthy surname, ranking it #538 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 23,902, ranked #241, up from #538 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St George in the East and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccarthy is 24,279 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 206.3%.

1881 census count

7,804

Ranked #538

Modern count

23,902

2016, ranked #241

Peak year

2010

24,279 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccarthy had 7,804 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #538 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 23,902 in 2016, ranked #241.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10,383 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Mccarthy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccarthy surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mccarthy 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 3,852 #734
1861 historical 4,415 #640
1881 historical 7,804 #538
1891 historical 7,813 #568
1901 historical 9,492 #553
1911 historical 10,383 #469
1997 modern 22,108 #255
1998 modern 22,967 #256
1999 modern 23,244 #255
2000 modern 23,148 #254
2001 modern 22,715 #254
2002 modern 23,325 #252
2003 modern 22,877 #252
2004 modern 22,832 #252
2005 modern 22,504 #252
2006 modern 22,494 #253
2007 modern 22,699 #250
2008 modern 22,921 #249
2009 modern 23,688 #247
2010 modern 24,279 #246
2011 modern 23,926 #246
2012 modern 23,554 #245
2013 modern 24,082 #244
2014 modern 24,229 #244
2015 modern 23,975 #243
2016 modern 23,902 #241

Geography

Back to top

Where Mccarthys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St George in the East, London parishes and All Saints Poplar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent, Knowsley and Torfaen. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 St George in the East London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 All Saints Poplar London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Merthyr Tydfil 008 Merthyr Tydfil
2 Merthyr Tydfil 002 Merthyr Tydfil
3 Blaenau Gwent 007 Blaenau Gwent
4 Knowsley 001 Knowsley
5 Torfaen 009 Torfaen

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mccarthy

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mccarthy

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Mccarthy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Mccarthy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mccarthy 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

Mccarthy 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mccarthy

The surname McCarthy has its origins in Ireland, tracing back to the 11th century. It is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "Mac Carthaidh," meaning "son of Carthach." Carthach was a personal name derived from the Old Irish words "cart" meaning "loving" and "ach" meaning "having the quality of."

The McCarthy family was one of the most prominent ruling clans in the medieval Irish Kingdom of Desmond, which encompassed parts of what is now County Cork and County Kerry. They were descendants of the Eóganacht Chaisil dynasty, which ruled the region from the 5th century until the Norman invasion of Ireland in the late 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McCarthy appears in the Annals of Inisfallen, a medieval Irish chronicle dating back to the 11th century. The annals mention a chieftain named "Carthach, son of Saerbhreathach" who lived in the 10th century and was a member of the Eóganacht Chaisil dynasty.

During the Norman invasion of Ireland, the McCarthys initially resisted the invaders but eventually submitted to King Henry II of England. In return, they were granted lands and recognized as the rulers of Desmond. The most notable member of the McCarthy clan during this period was Donal Gott McCarthy, who lived from 1238 to 1305 and was the King of Desmond.

In the 16th century, the McCarthy clan played a significant role in the Desmond Rebellions against English rule in Ireland. One of the leaders of the rebellion was Donal McCarthy Mor, who lived from 1594 to 1640 and was known for his fierce resistance against the English forces.

Other notable individuals with the surname McCarthy throughout history include:

1. Justin McCarthy (1830-1912), an Irish novelist, historian, and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies. 2. Mary McCarthy (1912-1989), an American novelist, critic, and political activist known for her satirical and polemical works. 3. Joseph McCarthy (1908-1957), the controversial American politician who led the anti-communist campaign known as the "Red Scare" in the 1950s. 4. Cormac McCarthy (born 1933), an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter known for his works such as "Blood Meridian" and "The Road." 5. Melissa McCarthy (born 1970), an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer, known for her roles in films like "Bridesmaids" and "Spy."

The surname McCarthy has evolved over the centuries, with various spellings such as MacCarthy, MacCarty, and Carty being used in different regions and historical periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mccarthy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccarthy 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 526 Mccarthys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.75x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 526 3.75x
Lancashire 178 1.07x
Surrey 165 2.42x
Glamorgan 164 6.72x
Kent 59 1.23x
Hampshire 53 1.85x
Yorkshire 51 0.37x
Essex 40 1.45x
Gloucestershire 29 1.06x
Devon 22 0.75x
Warwickshire 22 0.62x
Monmouthshire 21 2.07x
Staffordshire 19 0.40x
Northumberland 18 0.86x
Sussex 18 0.76x
Somerset 8 0.35x
Denbighshire 5 0.94x
Flintshire 5 1.33x
Leicestershire 5 0.32x
Channel Islands 4 0.96x
Cornwall 4 0.25x
Dorset 3 0.33x
Royal Navy 3 1.80x
Berkshire 2 0.19x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.34x
Cumberland 2 0.17x
Lincolnshire 2 0.09x
Westmorland 2 0.65x
Bedfordshire 1 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.11x
Cardiganshire 1 0.29x
Suffolk 1 0.06x

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 68 Mccarthys recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.72x.

Place Total Index
Poplar London 68 25.72x
Liverpool 51 5.05x
Camberwell 37 4.14x
Shoreditch London 32 5.27x
Bermondsey 28 6.71x
Cardiff St Mary 28 20.84x
Croydon 28 7.39x
Mile End Old Town London 28 9.39x
Leckwith 26 452.96x
Westminster St John 25 14.66x
Whitechapel London 25 18.11x
St Luke London 24 10.68x
Ratcliffe London 23 29.73x
West Ham 23 3.77x
Cardiff St John 22 27.61x
Islington London 22 1.62x
Toxteth Park 21 3.73x
Bethnal Green London 20 3.29x
Fulham London 20 9.84x
Manchester 19 2.54x
Chatham 17 12.93x
Shadwell London 17 43.37x
St Anne Soho London 17 21.25x
Bow London 16 8.97x
Plymouth St Andrew 16 7.12x
St Andrew Holborn London 16 26.38x
Kensington London 15 1.93x
Roath 15 13.54x
Everton 14 2.64x
Leeds 14 1.79x
St Giles In Fields London 14 20.37x
Portsea 13 2.31x
St Botolph Aldgate London 13 45.06x
St George In East London 13 9.87x
St Pancras London 13 1.15x
Alverstoke 12 11.55x
Royton 12 23.60x
Southampton St Mary 12 6.65x
Southwark St Saviour 12 16.67x
St Giles Cripplegate 12 64.52x
Swansea Town 12 6.00x
Aberdare 11 6.57x
Lambeth 11 0.90x
Merthyr Tydfil 11 4.69x
Aldershot 10 10.40x
Bromley London 10 3.24x
Coventry St Michael 10 8.81x
Deptford St Paul 10 2.71x
Sheffield 10 2.26x
Stapleton 10 19.19x
Clerkenwell London 9 2.72x
Gelligaer 9 16.16x
Kirkdale 9 3.22x
Spitalfields London 9 8.54x
St Marylebone London 9 1.20x
Great Bolton 8 3.63x
Hackney London 8 1.02x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 2.84x
Trevethin 8 8.37x
Wednesbury 8 6.77x
Barking 7 8.65x
Birmingham 7 0.59x
Hunslet 7 3.23x
Llancarvan 7 259.26x
Newington 7 1.35x
Putney 7 10.96x
Sully 7 721.65x
Bedminster 6 2.83x
Bristol St Augustine 6 13.53x
Cheam 6 82.19x
Elton 6 10.45x
Newhaven 6 31.28x
Bedwellty 5 2.80x
Brighton 5 1.05x
Eston 5 16.54x
Limehouse London 5 3.25x
Llandaff 5 6.16x
Maidstone 5 3.51x
St Martin In Fields 5 5.96x
Stafford St Mary 5 7.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 171
Ellen 84
Margaret 58
Catherine 53
Elizabeth 27
Ann 26
Julia 22
Jane 21
Bridget 20
Sarah 19
Hannah 16
Alice 14
Kate 14
Eliza 13
Annie 12
Johanna 8
Johannah 7
Maria 7
Emma 6
Florence 6
Harriett 5
Norah 5
Caroline 4
Elizth. 4
Honora 4
Margt. 4
Agnes 3
Eleanor 3
Emily 3
Louisa 3
M. 3
Martha 3
Anna 2
Anne 2
Anora 2
Charlotte 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Hannora 2
Helen 2
Honorah 2
Lucy 2
Margeret 2
May 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Elen 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 121
James 53
Charles 46
Daniel 41
Patrick 36
William 35
Michael 33
Jeremiah 22
Thomas 22
Dennis 21
Edward 20
Timothy 19
George 14
Denis 13
Joseph 9
Cornelius 8
Wm. 8
Francis 7
Henry 6
Richard 6
Owen 5
Peter 5
Robert 5
Alfred 4
Eugene 4
Florence 4
Frederick 4
Jerry 4
Chas. 3
Dan 3
J. 3
Justin 3
Maurice 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Arthur 2
Augustus 2
Austin 2
Danl. 2
Dominick 2
Edwd. 2
Florance 2
Horace 2
Jas. 2
Jos. 2
Philip 2
Calaghan 1
Chares 1
E. 1
Hugh 1

FAQ

Mccarthy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccarthy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,804 people were recorded with the Mccarthy surname. That placed it at #538 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccarthy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 23,902 in 2016. That gives Mccarthy a modern rank of #241.

What does the Mccarthy surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin meaning "son of Cárthaigh" (loving person) or "son of Artagh" (stone).

What does the Mccarthy map show?

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