NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccormac

An Irish surname derived from mac Cormaic, meaning 'son of Cormac'.

In the 1881 census there were 76 people recorded with the Mccormac surname, ranking it #22,745 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 127, ranked #26,566, down from #22,745 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Beath, London parishes and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Skye North West, Cheshire West and Chester and Eastleigh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccormac is 166 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.1%.

1881 census count

76

Ranked #22,745

Modern count

127

2016, ranked #26,566

Peak year

1999

166 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccormac had 76 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,745 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016, ranked #26,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 156 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Mccormac surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccormac surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mccormac 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 52 #23,915
1861 historical 42 #28,691
1881 historical 76 #22,745
1891 historical 58 #29,439
1901 historical 156 #17,638
1911 historical 66 #26,249
1997 modern 144 #21,660
1998 modern 152 #21,481
1999 modern 166 #20,458
2000 modern 159 #20,975
2001 modern 151 #21,375
2002 modern 160 #21,011
2003 modern 155 #21,217
2004 modern 152 #21,628
2005 modern 150 #21,786
2006 modern 150 #21,915
2007 modern 147 #22,510
2008 modern 143 #23,160
2009 modern 145 #23,473
2010 modern 149 #23,598
2011 modern 145 #23,837
2012 modern 132 #25,289
2013 modern 126 #26,585
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 130 #26,093
2016 modern 127 #26,566

Geography

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Where Mccormacs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Beath, London parishes, Toxteth Park and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Skye North West, Cheshire West and Chester, Eastleigh, Shropshire and Wirral. 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 Beath Fife
2 London parishes London 3
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Skye North West Highland
2 Cheshire West and Chester 003 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Eastleigh 013 Eastleigh
4 Shropshire 020 Shropshire
5 Wirral 006 Wirral

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mccormac

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mccormac

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Mccormac 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

Mccormac 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

Mccormac falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mccormac 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 Mccormac, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mccormac

The surname McCormac is of Irish origin, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It originated from the Gaelic name 'Mac Cormaic', which translates to 'son of Cormac'. Cormac was a popular personal name in Ireland, derived from the Old Irish word 'corb', meaning 'chariot', and 'macc', meaning 'son'.

The McCormac surname is believed to have emerged in the 12th century, particularly in the province of Ulster, where it was closely associated with the powerful O'Neill clan. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a 'Mac Cormaic' in the year 1193.

In the 14th century, the McCormac name appeared in various legal documents and land records, indicating the family's prominence and landholdings in counties such as Armagh, Down, and Antrim. One notable individual from this period was Seán McCormac, a prominent chieftain and military leader who fought alongside the O'Neills during the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s.

The McCormac surname also has strong ties to the town of Ballymacormick (derived from 'Baile Mhic Cormaic', meaning 'town of the son of Cormac') in County Longford. This place name is thought to have been associated with a prominent McCormac family who held lands in the area during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the McCormac surname. One of the earliest was Archbishop Michael McCormac (1497-1572), who served as the Archbishop of Armagh and played a significant role in the Reformation in Ireland. Another prominent figure was Sir William McCormac (1670-1737), a wealthy landowner and member of the Irish Parliament.

In the 19th century, James McCormac (1819-1884) was a notable Irish-American engineer who designed and constructed several bridges and railroads in the United States. Another notable McCormac was William McCormac (1830-1901), a successful businessman and philanthropist who founded the McCormac Charity Trust in Belfast.

The McCormac surname has also been associated with several literary figures, including the Irish poet and novelist John McCormac (1884-1945) and the American writer and journalist John McCormac (1913-1996).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mccormac families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccormac 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 9 Mccormacs recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.80x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 9 7.80x
Middlesex 1 1.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eccleston In Prescot in Lancashire leads with 4 Mccormacs recorded in 1881 and an index of 689.66x.

Place Total Index
Eccleston In Prescot 4 689.66x
Toxteth Park 3 76.73x
Everton 1 27.17x
Kensington London 1 18.48x
Ormskirk 1 454.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Mary 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
John 1
Oscar 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 Mccormac households.

FAQ

Mccormac surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccormac surname in 1881?

In 1881, 76 people were recorded with the Mccormac surname. That placed it at #22,745 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccormac surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016. That gives Mccormac a modern rank of #26,566.

What does the Mccormac surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from mac Cormaic, meaning 'son of Cormac'.

What does the Mccormac map show?

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