NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcconnell

A Scottish surname originating from the Gaelic "Mac Dhomhnaill," meaning "son of Domhnall" (a personal name meaning "world ruler").

In the 1881 census there were 2,388 people recorded with the Mcconnell surname, ranking it #1,870 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,306, ranked #1,069, up from #1,870 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Auchinleck, Redcar and Cleveland and Craigend and Ruchazie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcconnell is 6,389 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 164.1%.

1881 census count

2,388

Ranked #1,870

Modern count

6,306

2016, ranked #1,069

Peak year

2010

6,389 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcconnell had 2,388 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,870 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,306 in 2016, ranked #1,069.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,330 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcconnell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcconnell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcconnell 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 854 #3,185
1861 historical 1,218 #2,336
1881 historical 2,388 #1,870
1891 historical 2,654 #1,797
1901 historical 3,330 #1,681
1911 historical 1,540 #3,150
1997 modern 5,760 #1,139
1998 modern 5,928 #1,144
1999 modern 6,004 #1,139
2000 modern 6,010 #1,129
2001 modern 5,886 #1,130
2002 modern 6,088 #1,118
2003 modern 5,908 #1,123
2004 modern 5,930 #1,117
2005 modern 5,937 #1,101
2006 modern 5,958 #1,098
2007 modern 6,023 #1,093
2008 modern 6,107 #1,082
2009 modern 6,212 #1,098
2010 modern 6,389 #1,090
2011 modern 6,307 #1,086
2012 modern 6,191 #1,083
2013 modern 6,311 #1,082
2014 modern 6,357 #1,077
2015 modern 6,311 #1,073
2016 modern 6,306 #1,069

Geography

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Where Mcconnells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Manchester, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Auchinleck, Redcar and Cleveland, Craigend and Ruchazie, Rutland and Govan and Linthouse. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Auchinleck East Ayrshire
2 Redcar and Cleveland 013 Redcar and Cleveland
3 Craigend and Ruchazie Glasgow City
4 Rutland 002 Rutland
5 Govan and Linthouse Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcconnell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcconnell

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

Mcconnell 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcconnell

The surname McConnell is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Dhomhnaill, meaning "son of Donald". It is a patronymic name, which means it originated from a personal name of an ancestor. The name Donald itself comes from the Old Irish name Domhnall, which means "world ruler" or "world mighty".

The McConnell surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the Hebrides islands of Scotland. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was in 1292, when John McConnell was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls, a historical record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

During the Middle Ages, the McConnell clan held lands in Argyll and the Isles, and they were known for their seafaring and maritime traditions. The clan was also involved in clan conflicts and battles, such as the Battle of Glenlivet in 1594, where they fought alongside the Gordons against the Earls of Huntly and Errol.

In the 16th century, the McConnells were among the first Scots to settle in the Ulster Plantation in Ireland, where they established a strong presence in County Antrim and County Down. This led to the formation of a distinct Irish branch of the family.

Notable individuals with the McConnell surname include:

1. John McConnell (1768-1835), an Irish-born American merchant and founder of McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania. 2. Robert McConnell (1829-1909), an Irish-born American businessman and co-founder of the Avery Dennison Corporation. 3. Mitch McConnell (born 1942), an American politician and the current Senate Minority Leader. 4. Malcolm McConnell (1888-1962), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist, who co-founded the McConnell Foundation in Canada. 5. Gwen McConnell (1886-1961), a Scottish-born Australian artist and painter known for her landscape and portrait works.

The McConnell surname has also been associated with various place names, such as McConnellsburg in Pennsylvania, McConnellsville in Ohio, and McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas, named after brothers Fred and Thomas McConnell, who were aviation pioneers in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcconnell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcconnell 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 81 Mcconnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.57x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 81 3.57x
Durham 23 4.04x
Yorkshire 20 1.06x
Ayrshire 11 7.69x
Middlesex 11 0.58x
Glamorgan 8 2.40x
Nottinghamshire 7 2.72x
Cumberland 6 3.65x
Surrey 6 0.64x
Derbyshire 5 1.67x
Kent 5 0.77x
Cheshire 2 0.47x
Hampshire 2 0.51x
Northumberland 2 0.70x
Oxfordshire 2 1.69x
Sussex 2 0.62x
Essex 1 0.27x
Warwickshire 1 0.21x
Worcestershire 1 0.40x

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 33 Mcconnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.95x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 33 23.95x
Toxteth Park 17 22.13x
West Derby 10 15.07x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 9 138.89x
Bishopwearmouth 9 18.44x
Thornaby 9 127.12x
Gateshead 7 16.44x
Nottingham St Mary 7 10.50x
Roath 7 46.30x
Ferryhill 6 301.51x
Girvan 6 167.13x
Hammersmith London 6 12.74x
Ardwick 5 24.44x
Canterbury St Mary N 5 1136.36x
Everton 5 6.92x
Lambeth 5 3.00x
Ockbrook 5 393.70x
Islington London 4 2.16x
Kirkdale 4 10.48x
Workington 4 42.46x
Kirkoswald 3 256.41x
East Grinstead 2 43.86x
Oxford St Giles 2 35.52x
Tweedmouth 2 56.34x
Aldershot 1 7.62x
Ayr 1 14.81x
Battersea 1 1.42x
Bury 1 3.86x
Cardiff St Mary 1 5.45x
Chapel Haddlesey 1 833.33x
Chigwell 1 28.09x
Craigie 1 256.41x
Crumpsall 1 18.69x
Cummersdale 1 178.57x
Droylsden 1 13.51x
Great Bolton 1 3.33x
Harton 1 44.44x
North Meols 1 4.50x
Norton By Kempsey 1 181.82x
Runcorn 1 10.28x
Ryde 1 11.88x
Sale 1 19.31x
Sheldon 1 384.62x
Thornton In Fylde 1 20.16x
Walton On Hill 1 8.14x
Westminster St John 1 4.30x
Whitehaven 1 11.40x
York St Margaret 1 85.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Sarah 9
Elizabeth 7
Margaret 6
Alice 3
Ann 3
Ethel 3
Hannah 3
Isabella 3
Jane 3
Annie 2
Cath. 2
Ellen 2
Maggie 2
Margt. 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
C. 1
Carrie 1
Catherine 1
Cathrine 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Gertrude 1
Hermina 1
J.C. 1
Johannah 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Littia 1
Mabel 1
Margret 1
Maude 1
May 1
Rebecca 1
Tamar 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
James 11
William 10
Samuel 7
Charles 3
Edward 3
Francis 3
Hugh 3
Thomas 3
Alexander 2
George 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Patrick 2
Robert 2
Alex 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Bernard 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Ernest 1
F.C. 1
Felix 1
Frances 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Hy. 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
Richd. 1
Robt. 1
Sidney 1
Vincint 1
Walter 1
Wm.C. 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Mcconnell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcconnell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,388 people were recorded with the Mcconnell surname. That placed it at #1,870 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcconnell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,306 in 2016. That gives Mcconnell a modern rank of #1,069.

What does the Mcconnell surname mean?

A Scottish surname originating from the Gaelic "Mac Dhomhnaill," meaning "son of Domhnall" (a personal name meaning "world ruler").

What does the Mcconnell map show?

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