NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccarty

Son of Ceartuigh, an Irish name derived from a pet form of the personal name Ceardach, meaning "skilled worker."

In the 1881 census there were 1,097 people recorded with the Mccarty surname, ranking it #3,619 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 332, ranked #13,706, down from #3,619 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, St Mary Whitechapel and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, Isle of Wight and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccarty is 1,201 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 69.7%.

1881 census count

1,097

Ranked #3,619

Modern count

332

2016, ranked #13,706

Peak year

1861

1,201 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccarty had 1,097 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,619 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 332 in 2016, ranked #13,706.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,201 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Mccarty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccarty surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mccarty 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 1,073 #2,614
1861 historical 1,201 #2,365
1881 historical 1,097 #3,619
1891 historical 942 #4,394
1901 historical 703 #6,266
1911 historical 544 #7,356
1997 modern 347 #12,251
1998 modern 353 #12,470
1999 modern 354 #12,497
2000 modern 358 #12,356
2001 modern 352 #12,318
2002 modern 360 #12,360
2003 modern 353 #12,345
2004 modern 349 #12,473
2005 modern 338 #12,698
2006 modern 333 #12,941
2007 modern 317 #13,532
2008 modern 329 #13,286
2009 modern 336 #13,345
2010 modern 347 #13,325
2011 modern 356 #12,943
2012 modern 354 #12,851
2013 modern 346 #13,291
2014 modern 347 #13,350
2015 modern 342 #13,396
2016 modern 332 #13,706

Geography

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Where Mccartys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, St Mary Whitechapel, Manchester, Merthyr Tydfil and St Giles-in-the-Fields. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Tyneside, Isle of Wight, Staffordshire Moorlands, Islington and Salford. 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 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
5 St Giles-in-the-Fields London (Central Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 010 South Tyneside
2 Isle of Wight 012 Isle of Wight
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 004 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 Islington 003 Islington
5 Salford 024 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mccarty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mccarty

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Mccarty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mccarty household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mccarty 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

Mccarty 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

Mccarty 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 Mccarty is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mccarty

The surname McCarty is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Cairthigh, meaning "son of Cairthigh." The name is thought to have originated in County Westmeath, Ireland, around the 12th century.

The name is believed to have evolved from the ancient Irish personal name Carthach, which means "loving" or "beloved." Some early spellings of the name include MacCarthy, MacCarty, and McCardie.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a "MacCarthaigh" in the year 1114. The name also appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in England, dated 1194, suggesting that the McCarty family had established itself in England by that time.

In the 14th century, the McCarty clan was among the most powerful families in Munster, Ireland. Cormac MacCarthy, who lived from 1298 to 1338, was a notable member of the clan and served as the King of Desmond, a historic territory in Munster.

Another prominent figure with the McCarty surname was Cormac Óg MacCarthy, who lived from 1459 to 1536. He was a Irish lord and soldier who fought against the English during the Tudor conquest of Ireland.

In the late 16th century, Dermot McCarty, born around 1550, was a notable Irish rebel who fought against English rule in Ireland during the Nine Years' War.

The name also has a connection to the town of Macroon, located in County Cork, Ireland, which was once known as "MacCarthy's Country" due to the prominence of the McCarty clan in the area.

Over time, the McCarty surname spread beyond Ireland to other parts of the world, including England, Scotland, and eventually to the Americas, where it became associated with various place names, such as McCarty's Cove in Newfoundland, Canada, and McCarty's Island in South Carolina, United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mccarty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccarty 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 29 Mccartys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.68x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 29 1.68x
Middlesex 20 1.38x
Surrey 12 1.69x
Denbighshire 11 20.04x
Derbyshire 11 4.83x
Yorkshire 11 0.76x
Devon 10 3.31x
Glamorgan 10 3.95x
Kent 9 1.81x
Cumberland 5 4.00x
Cheshire 4 1.25x
Essex 3 1.05x
Hampshire 3 1.01x
Worcestershire 3 1.58x
Gloucestershire 2 0.70x
Monmouthshire 2 1.90x
Northamptonshire 2 1.46x
Northumberland 1 0.46x
Warwickshire 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 Mccartys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.50x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 11 10.50x
Wrexham Abbot 11 797.10x
Derby All Sts 9 473.68x
Plymouth Charles The 8 60.02x
Deptford St Paul 7 18.30x
Battersea 6 11.22x
Blackburn 5 10.90x
Great Bolton 5 21.89x
Merthyr Tydfil 5 20.56x
St Giles In Fields London 5 70.13x
Manningham 4 22.55x
Monks Coppenhall 4 33.03x
Egremont 3 100.67x
Islington London 3 2.13x
Mile End Old Town London 3 9.70x
Newington 3 5.59x
Swansea Town 3 14.46x
Thornaby 3 55.76x
Bedwellty 2 10.78x
Bristol St James In 2 47.73x
Caldewgate 2 29.15x
Farnborough 2 63.90x
Heckmondwike 2 43.20x
Ilkeston 2 31.35x
Kings Norton 2 11.75x
Northampton All Sts 2 43.10x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 8.58x
Shoreditch London 2 3.17x
St George Hanover Square 2 7.81x
Whitechapel London 2 13.96x
Ashton In Makerfield 1 20.37x
Barking 1 11.92x
Bermondsey 1 2.31x
Bromley London 1 3.13x
Bromsgrove 1 15.65x
Cardiff St John 1 12.09x
Claverdon 1 344.83x
Elswick 1 5.79x
Epping 1 85.47x
Greenwich 1 4.32x
Halliwell 1 15.92x
Herriard 1 500.00x
Holy Trinity 1 2.89x
Kirkdale 1 3.45x
Lambeth 1 0.79x
Leeds 1 1.23x
Leyton 1 20.24x
Manchester 1 1.29x
Roath 1 8.70x
Salford 1 1.97x
Southwark St Saviour 1 13.39x
St Gilesin Fields London 1 81.30x
St Katherine Creechurch 1 400.00x
Toxteth Park 1 1.71x
Warrington 1 4.89x
Wigan 1 4.15x
Woolwich 1 5.46x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
Thomas 9
James 7
Patrick 6
Edward 5
William 4
Charles 3
Dennis 3
Henry 3
Samuel 3
Daniel 2
Jeremiah 2
Joseph 2
Philip 2
Arthur 1
Corneilas 1
Dannel 1
David 1
Denis 1
Duncan 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Leopold 1
Michael 1
Paul 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Mccarty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccarty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,097 people were recorded with the Mccarty surname. That placed it at #3,619 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccarty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 332 in 2016. That gives Mccarty a modern rank of #13,706.

What does the Mccarty surname mean?

Son of Ceartuigh, an Irish name derived from a pet form of the personal name Ceardach, meaning "skilled worker."

What does the Mccarty map show?

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