NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccay

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Aodha," meaning "son of Aodh" (a personal name meaning "fire").

In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Mccay surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 280, ranked #15,491, up from #25,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Telford and Wrekin, Hillingdon and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccay is 292 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 374.6%.

1881 census count

59

Ranked #25,281

Modern count

280

2016, ranked #15,491

Peak year

2010

292 bearers

Map years

4

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccay had 59 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 280 in 2016, ranked #15,491.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 126 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mccay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccay surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mccay 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 92 #18,050
1861 historical 126 #17,569
1881 historical 59 #25,281
1891 historical 86 #25,951
1901 historical 68 #26,598
1911 historical 74 #25,423
1997 modern 195 #17,912
1998 modern 218 #17,159
1999 modern 216 #17,364
2000 modern 227 #16,792
2001 modern 220 #16,914
2002 modern 240 #16,291
2003 modern 232 #16,447
2004 modern 226 #16,829
2005 modern 229 #16,631
2006 modern 246 #15,907
2007 modern 246 #16,086
2008 modern 262 #15,550
2009 modern 277 #15,260
2010 modern 292 #15,018
2011 modern 290 #14,933
2012 modern 286 #15,012
2013 modern 279 #15,574
2014 modern 285 #15,416
2015 modern 279 #15,527
2016 modern 280 #15,491

Geography

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Where Mccays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Toxteth Park, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Telford and Wrekin, Hillingdon, East Northamptonshire, Mount Florida and Gwynedd. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Telford and Wrekin 004 Telford and Wrekin
2 Hillingdon 003 Hillingdon
3 East Northamptonshire 009 East Northamptonshire
4 Mount Florida Glasgow City
5 Gwynedd 017 Gwynedd

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mccay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mccay

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Mccay is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mccay 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mccay

The surname McCay has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the 13th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic Mac Aidh, which means "son of Aedh" or "son of fire." Aedh was a popular personal name among the ancient Scots and Irish.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Scottish records, such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list several individuals bearing variations of the name, including Macay and Mackey. These variations likely arose from regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

The McCay surname is particularly associated with the Hebrides Islands off the west coast of Scotland, where it was common among clans such as the MacKays of Strathnaver. One notable figure from this clan was Iye Du MacKay, also known as the "Black Iye," who led a rebellion against the Earl of Sutherland in the late 16th century.

Another historical figure with the McCay surname was Robert McCay, a Scottish soldier who fought in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. McCay served under General John Burgoyne and was captured by American forces at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777.

In Ireland, the McCay surname is found predominantly in Ulster, where it is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Mac Aodha. One notable Irish bearer of the name was John McCay, a United Irishman who was executed for his role in the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

As the Scottish and Irish diaspora spread throughout the world, the McCay surname traveled with them. In the United States, one notable bearer of the name was Winsor McCay, a pioneering cartoonist and animator born in 1867. McCay is credited with creating the iconic comic strip "Little Nemo in Slumberland" and is considered a founding father of the art of animation.

Other notable individuals with the McCay surname include John McCay, a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the late 19th century, and Robert McCay, a British poet and literary critic who was born in 1914 and is known for his works on the Romantic poets.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mccay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccay 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 6 Mccays recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.46x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 6 3.46x
Durham 4 9.20x
Yorkshire 3 2.07x
Staffordshire 1 2.03x
Surrey 1 1.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 6 Mccays recorded in 1881 and an index of 108.70x.

Place Total Index
Everton 6 108.70x
Stockton On Tees 4 191.39x
Manningham 3 168.54x
Beddington 1 357.14x
Maer 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 2
Isabella 2
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Josephine 1
Mary 1
Minnie 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
George 1
Joseph 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 Mccay households.

FAQ

Mccay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Mccay surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 280 in 2016. That gives Mccay a modern rank of #15,491.

What does the Mccay surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Aodha," meaning "son of Aodh" (a personal name meaning "fire").

What does the Mccay map show?

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