NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcconnel

Scottish surname meaning "son of the pleasant or excellent one."

In the 1881 census there were 339 people recorded with the Mcconnel surname, ranking it #8,948 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, down from #8,948 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkmichael, Govan Combination and Auckland St Andrew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Monmouthshire, Stratford-on-Avon and Mid Nithsdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcconnel is 453 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 67.8%.

1881 census count

339

Ranked #8,948

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

1851

453 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcconnel had 339 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,948 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016, ranked #29,402.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 453 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mcconnel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcconnel surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcconnel 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 453 #5,441
1861 historical 396 #6,476
1881 historical 339 #8,948
1891 historical 339 #10,089
1901 historical 180 #16,171
1911 historical 95 #23,294
1997 modern 129 #23,143
1998 modern 129 #23,722
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 132 #23,562
2001 modern 123 #24,242
2002 modern 103 #27,443
2003 modern 107 #26,617
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 107 #26,875
2006 modern 102 #27,926
2007 modern 104 #28,020
2008 modern 106 #28,016
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 105 #29,287
2012 modern 102 #29,902
2013 modern 110 #29,028
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 106 #29,895
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

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Where Mcconnels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkmichael, Govan Combination, Auckland St Andrew, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Stranraer. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Monmouthshire, Stratford-on-Avon, Mid Nithsdale, South Gloucestershire and Brighton and Hove. 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 Kirkmichael Ayr
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Auckland St Andrew Durham
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Stranraer Wigtown

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Monmouthshire 005 Monmouthshire
2 Stratford-on-Avon 015 Stratford-on-Avon
3 Mid Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
4 South Gloucestershire 032 South Gloucestershire
5 Brighton and Hove 016 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcconnel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcconnel

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Mcconnel 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

Mcconnel 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcconnel

The surname MCCONNEL is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic "MacConghail" which means "son of the undaunted one." It is a patronymic name, indicating ancestry from a person named Conghal or Conghail. The name originated in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and the Isles.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century. In 1296, a Thomas McConnel appeared in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls for King Edward I of England. This document listed Scottish landowners who swore fealty to the English monarch during the Scottish Wars of Independence.

The McConnels were a prominent family in the Scottish Highlands, with several notable members throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John McConnel (c. 1450-1512), a Scottish nobleman and military leader who fought alongside King James IV at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.

Another notable figure was Charles McConnel (1675-1751), a Scottish merchant and landowner who helped establish the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland, as a major center of trade and industry. He was instrumental in the development of the linen industry in Ulster.

In the late 18th century, Alexander McConnel (1766-1840) was a prominent Scottish-American merchant and philanthropist. He immigrated to the United States in 1795 and became a successful businessman in New York City, founding the trading firm McConnel & Co.

James McConnel (1790-1869) was a Scottish-American inventor and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in the United States. He is credited with introducing the use of water power in textile mills and developing several innovations in textile machinery.

The name McConnel has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as McConnel's Land near Loch Awe and McConnel's Farm in Ayrshire. These locations likely derived their names from early settlers with the surname.

Throughout its history, the surname MCCONNEL has undergone various spellings, including McConnell, McConnal, and McConnill, reflecting regional variations and phonetic adaptations. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in its Scottish Gaelic heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcconnel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcconnel 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 16 Mcconnels recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.95x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 16 3.95x
Ayrshire 8 31.32x
Cumberland 3 10.21x
Northumberland 3 5.91x
Cheshire 1 1.33x
Durham 1 0.99x
Hertfordshire 1 4.25x
Middlesex 1 0.29x
Royal Navy 1 24.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Failsworth in Lancashire leads with 9 Mcconnels recorded in 1881 and an index of 967.74x.

Place Total Index
Failsworth 9 967.74x
Dalmellington 8 1066.67x
Liverpool 4 16.27x
Longbenton 3 139.53x
Toxteth Park 2 14.59x
Workington 2 119.05x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 22.73x
Hertford St John 1 285.71x
Little Bolton 1 19.19x
Sale 1 108.70x
St Pancras London 1 3.64x
Whitehaven 1 63.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Edward 3
James 2
Abraham 1
Hugh 1
Owen 1
Patrick 1
Richard 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 Mcconnel households.

FAQ

Mcconnel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcconnel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 339 people were recorded with the Mcconnel surname. That placed it at #8,948 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcconnel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016. That gives Mcconnel a modern rank of #29,402.

What does the Mcconnel surname mean?

Scottish surname meaning "son of the pleasant or excellent one."

What does the Mcconnel map show?

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