NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccleary

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "plain of the cleric" or "level ground of the cleric."

In the 1881 census there were 244 people recorded with the Mccleary surname, ranking it #11,258 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 794, ranked #6,962, up from #11,258 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Langholm, Wrexham and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newton Stewart, Gretna and Castle Douglas.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccleary is 799 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 225.4%.

1881 census count

244

Ranked #11,258

Modern count

794

2016, ranked #6,962

Peak year

2010

799 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccleary had 244 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,258 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 794 in 2016, ranked #6,962.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 379 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mccleary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccleary surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mccleary 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 107 #16,402
1861 historical 112 #19,279
1881 historical 244 #11,258
1891 historical 292 #11,351
1901 historical 379 #9,841
1911 historical 224 #13,914
1997 modern 635 #7,808
1998 modern 696 #7,505
1999 modern 721 #7,354
2000 modern 679 #7,671
2001 modern 669 #7,626
2002 modern 703 #7,483
2003 modern 694 #7,433
2004 modern 689 #7,504
2005 modern 695 #7,392
2006 modern 694 #7,408
2007 modern 732 #7,199
2008 modern 737 #7,204
2009 modern 766 #7,125
2010 modern 799 #7,035
2011 modern 772 #7,149
2012 modern 760 #7,150
2013 modern 783 #7,091
2014 modern 791 #7,068
2015 modern 791 #7,000
2016 modern 794 #6,962

Geography

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Where Mcclearys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Langholm, Wrexham, Eccles, 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 Newton Stewart, Gretna, Castle Douglas, Carrick South and Carlisle. 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 Langholm Dumfries
2 Wrexham Denbighshire
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newton Stewart Dumfries and Galloway
2 Gretna Dumfries and Galloway
3 Castle Douglas Dumfries and Galloway
4 Carrick South South Ayrshire
5 Carlisle 001 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mccleary

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mccleary

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

Mccleary is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mccleary

The surname McCleary has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "lèirich" meaning "clerk" or "secretary". This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify the son of a cleric or scribe.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Among those listed is "John McClerich", believed to be an early spelling variation of McCleary.

In the 16th century, the McCleary family held lands in the county of Wigtown, located in the southwestern region of Scotland. Records from this time show various spellings such as "McClerich", "McClerrie", and "McClery".

One notable figure bearing the McCleary name was Sir Samuel McCleary (1610-1673), a Scottish merchant and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1668 to 1670. He played a significant role in the city's governance and infrastructure development during his tenure.

Another prominent individual was Reverend William McCleary (1741-1819), a Presbyterian minister from County Antrim, Ireland. He is known for his involvement in the United Irish rebellion of 1798 and his subsequent exile to the United States, where he continued his ministerial work.

In the 19th century, the McCleary name gained recognition through the work of Archibald McCleary (1831-1901), a Scottish-born civil engineer who made significant contributions to the design and construction of railroads in India during the British Raj.

The name also appears in historical records from the United States, such as the diary of Sarah McCleary (1779-1864), a pioneer who documented her family's journey and settlement in the American West in the early 1800s.

Another notable McCleary was John McCleary (1843-1913), a Canadian farmer and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and played a role in the province's agricultural development.

While the McCleary surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including Ireland, England, Canada, and the United States, where it has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mccleary families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccleary 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. Cumberland leads with 8 Mcclearys recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.10x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 8 56.10x
Lancashire 6 3.05x
Glamorgan 2 6.93x
Hampshire 1 2.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitehaven in Cumberland leads with 8 Mcclearys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1052.63x.

Place Total Index
Whitehaven 8 1052.63x
Hulme 4 97.56x
Swansea Town 2 84.75x
Alverstoke 1 81.30x
Manchester 1 11.31x
Toxteth Park 1 15.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Eliza 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Daniel 1
Jno. 1
Thomas 1
William 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 Mccleary households.

FAQ

Mccleary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccleary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 244 people were recorded with the Mccleary surname. That placed it at #11,258 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccleary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 794 in 2016. That gives Mccleary a modern rank of #6,962.

What does the Mccleary surname mean?

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "plain of the cleric" or "level ground of the cleric."

What does the Mccleary map show?

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