NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcclusky

Son of Cuddy, a diminutive of the Irish name Cuddigan.

In the 1881 census there were 516 people recorded with the Mcclusky surname, ranking it #6,607 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 223, ranked #18,222, down from #6,607 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Carlisle St Cuthbert and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Bolton and Tameside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcclusky is 516 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 56.8%.

1881 census count

516

Ranked #6,607

Modern count

223

2016, ranked #18,222

Peak year

1881

516 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcclusky had 516 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,607 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016, ranked #18,222.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 516 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcclusky surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcclusky surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcclusky 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 285 #7,952
1861 historical 335 #7,610
1881 historical 516 #6,607
1891 historical 428 #8,377
1901 historical 458 #8,593
1911 historical 133 #19,214
1997 modern 199 #17,668
1998 modern 198 #18,224
1999 modern 188 #18,931
2000 modern 200 #18,209
2001 modern 203 #17,787
2002 modern 205 #18,009
2003 modern 189 #18,738
2004 modern 203 #18,061
2005 modern 210 #17,572
2006 modern 215 #17,441
2007 modern 215 #17,633
2008 modern 213 #17,903
2009 modern 220 #17,911
2010 modern 232 #17,657
2011 modern 225 #17,841
2012 modern 217 #18,184
2013 modern 223 #18,135
2014 modern 223 #18,279
2015 modern 220 #18,346
2016 modern 223 #18,222

Geography

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Where Mccluskys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Carlisle St Cuthbert, Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Bolton and Tameside. 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 Carlisle St Cuthbert Cumberland
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 067 Leeds
2 Bolton 021 Bolton
3 Tameside 003 Tameside
4 Tameside 006 Tameside
5 Tameside 002 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcclusky

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcclusky

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

Mcclusky is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mcclusky

The surname McClusky has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the early 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "lucais" or "lughaidh", which was a personal name meaning "bright" or "shining".

The name was initially found in the areas of Galloway and Ayrshire, where it was likely first adopted as a hereditary surname. Variations in spelling included McCluskey, McCluskie, and McCluskey among others.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a series of administrative documents recording the submission of Scottish nobles to Edward I of England. The name is listed as "Thomas McClusky" from the county of Ayr.

In the 16th century, a McClusky is mentioned in the records of the Privy Council of Scotland, which dealt with legal matters of the time. This reference is to a "William McClusky" from the year 1546.

Notable historical figures with the surname McClusky include John McClusky (1714-1799), a Scottish merchant and landowner who emigrated to America in the mid-18th century. He became a prominent figure in the city of Philadelphia.

Another notable McClusky was Thomas McClusky (1828-1901), an Irish-born journalist and editor who worked for several newspapers in New York City during the late 19th century.

In the field of sports, James McClusky (1853-1925) was a Scottish professional golfer who won several prestigious tournaments in the late 19th century, including the Open Championship in 1872.

A more recent historical figure was Mollie McClusky (1919-2004), an American journalist and author who covered World War II as a war correspondent and later wrote several books about her experiences.

Finally, John McClusky (1920-2004) was a notable American computer scientist and pioneer in the field of digital circuit design, making significant contributions to the development of electronic computers in the mid-20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcclusky families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcclusky 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 11 Mccluskys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.07x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 11 3.07x
Cumberland 9 34.58x
Denbighshire 6 52.54x
Durham 4 4.45x
Northumberland 1 2.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ruabon in Denbighshire leads with 6 Mccluskys recorded in 1881 and an index of 382.17x.

Place Total Index
Ruabon 6 382.17x
Caldewgate 5 349.65x
Stranton 4 132.01x
Kirkdale 3 49.67x
Whitehaven 3 215.83x
Everton 2 17.48x
Thornton In Fylde 2 256.41x
Toxteth Park 2 16.46x
Cleator 1 92.59x
Liverpool 1 4.59x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 37.17x
Walton On Hill 1 51.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Ann 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Ellen 1
Hariet 1
Maggie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Thomas 3
Alexander 1
George 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
James 1
Jas. 1
Patrick 1
Wiliam 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 Mcclusky households.

FAQ

Mcclusky surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcclusky surname in 1881?

In 1881, 516 people were recorded with the Mcclusky surname. That placed it at #6,607 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcclusky surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016. That gives Mcclusky a modern rank of #18,222.

What does the Mcclusky surname mean?

Son of Cuddy, a diminutive of the Irish name Cuddigan.

What does the Mcclusky map show?

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