NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccormack

Son of Cormac, a popular Irish first name derived from the Gaelic "corb," meaning "raven," and "mac," meaning "son."

In the 1881 census there were 2,139 people recorded with the Mccormack surname, ranking it #2,071 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,546, ranked #672, up from #2,071 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cowie, Cardenden and West Calder and Polbeth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccormack is 9,699 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 346.3%.

1881 census count

2,139

Ranked #2,071

Modern count

9,546

2016, ranked #672

Peak year

2010

9,699 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccormack had 2,139 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,071 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,546 in 2016, ranked #672.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,462 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mccormack surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccormack surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mccormack 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 604 #4,255
1861 historical 731 #3,729
1881 historical 2,139 #2,071
1891 historical 2,206 #2,119
1901 historical 3,462 #1,608
1911 historical 1,946 #2,554
1997 modern 8,763 #720
1998 modern 9,070 #723
1999 modern 9,254 #718
2000 modern 9,161 #721
2001 modern 8,982 #718
2002 modern 9,179 #719
2003 modern 8,988 #715
2004 modern 8,983 #714
2005 modern 9,029 #700
2006 modern 9,111 #694
2007 modern 9,214 #694
2008 modern 9,265 #690
2009 modern 9,520 #687
2010 modern 9,699 #686
2011 modern 9,484 #697
2012 modern 9,369 #687
2013 modern 9,529 #689
2014 modern 9,588 #686
2015 modern 9,538 #678
2016 modern 9,546 #672

Geography

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Where Mccormacks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cowie, Cardenden, West Calder and Polbeth, Twechar and Harestanes East and Borestone. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cowie Stirling
2 Cardenden Fife
3 West Calder and Polbeth West Lothian
4 Twechar and Harestanes East East Dunbartonshire
5 Borestone Stirling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mccormack

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mccormack

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

Mccormack 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mccormack

The surname McCormack has its origins in Ireland, where it first emerged in the medieval era. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Mac Cormaic, which means "son of Cormac." Cormac was a popular personal name derived from the Old Irish words corb, meaning "chariot," and macc, meaning "son."

The McCormack name can be traced back to the 12th century, when it first appeared in ancient manuscripts and records from the province of Ulster. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Fergus McCormack, a landowner and chieftain who lived in County Armagh in the early 1200s.

Over the centuries, the McCormack name spread throughout Ireland, with various spellings emerging, such as McCormick, McCormick, and McCormac. The name was particularly prevalent in Counties Armagh, Monaghan, and Fermanagh, where several prominent McCormack families established themselves.

In the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, many McCormacks were displaced from their ancestral lands and scattered across Ireland and beyond. Some became soldiers and fought in various conflicts, including the Williamite Wars and the Jacobite Risings.

One notable figure bearing the McCormack name was John McCormack (1884-1945), an acclaimed Irish tenor and one of the most famous singers of the early 20th century. He was born in Athlone and had a successful international career, performing in prestigious venues around the world.

Another distinguished McCormack was John McCormack (1766-1833), an Irish-born American politician and lawyer who served as a United States Representative from Virginia from 1811 to 1833. He was a prominent figure in the early years of the United States.

In the literary realm, James McCormack (1826-1858) was an Irish poet and writer known for his contributions to the Young Ireland movement. His works, imbued with Irish nationalism, played a significant role in the cultural revival of the 19th century.

John McCormack (1858-1941), an Irish-born American prelate, served as the Bishop of Altoona, Pennsylvania, from 1904 to 1918. He was a respected figure in the Catholic Church and played a key role in the growth of the diocese during his tenure.

Another notable bearer of the McCormack name was John McCormack (1834-1901), an Irish-born American businessman and philanthropist. He amassed a considerable fortune in the mining industry and dedicated much of his wealth to charitable causes, supporting education and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mccormack families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccormack 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 101 Mccormacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.80x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 101 2.80x
Middlesex 64 2.10x
Yorkshire 38 1.26x
Cheshire 18 2.68x
Warwickshire 13 1.69x
Durham 12 1.33x
Leicestershire 11 3.26x
Staffordshire 11 1.07x
Hampshire 10 1.60x
Devon 8 1.26x
Northumberland 6 1.33x
Gloucestershire 4 0.67x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.98x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.56x
Lincolnshire 3 0.62x
Denbighshire 1 0.87x
Flintshire 1 1.22x
Glamorgan 1 0.19x
Shropshire 1 0.38x
Surrey 1 0.07x
Sussex 1 0.19x

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 31 Mccormacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.13x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 31 14.13x
Kensington London 14 8.27x
Birmingham 13 5.08x
West Derby 12 11.36x
Leicester All Sts 11 165.91x
Rusholme 10 103.84x
Toxteth Park 10 8.18x
Wolstanton Chatterly 10 943.40x
Bethnal Green London 9 6.81x
Heap 8 41.78x
Oldham 8 6.86x
Ratcliffe London 8 47.59x
Chelsea London 7 7.63x
Islington London 7 2.37x
Plymouth Charles The 7 25.08x
Bradford 6 8.22x
Hulme 6 7.96x
Leeds 6 3.52x
Northwich 6 560.75x
Hapton 5 221.24x
Middlesbrough 5 12.73x
Portsea 5 4.09x
Whitworth 5 75.41x
Bishopwearmouth 4 5.15x
Congleton 4 34.45x
Everton 4 3.48x
Farnborough 4 61.07x
Hyde 4 20.18x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 14.79x
Pudsey 4 24.81x
Radford 4 19.19x
Sheffield 4 4.17x
St Pancras London 4 1.63x
Great Grimsby 3 9.71x
Hendon 3 27.40x
Horton In Bradford 3 6.37x
Kirkdale 3 4.94x
Spitalfields London 3 13.11x
St George Hanover Square 3 5.59x
Warrington 3 7.01x
Bollin Fee 2 67.11x
Bristol St James In 2 22.78x
Cheltenham 2 4.34x
Halifax 2 4.52x
Northallerton 2 51.95x
Norton In Malton 2 54.64x
Shoreditch London 2 1.52x
St Andrewthe Less 2 9.08x
Westminster St John 2 5.40x
Aldershot 1 4.78x
Altrincham 1 8.52x
Cardiff St Mary 1 3.43x
Cowpen 1 9.59x
Coxhoe 1 38.91x
Dewsbury 1 3.23x
Flint 1 21.55x
Fulham London 1 2.27x
Harborne 1 3.04x
Hartlepool 1 7.77x
Hastings St Mary 1 7.83x
Haydock 1 16.08x
Macclesfield 1 3.35x
Manningham 1 2.69x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.54x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 4.26x
Newport 1 31.55x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 2.05x
Putney 1 7.21x
Ruabon 1 6.33x
Scriven Cum Tentergate 1 89.29x
St Marythe Less 1 85.47x
Trimdon 1 31.25x
Wakefield 1 4.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Elizabeth 10
Ellen 9
Bridget 8
Catherine 8
Jane 8
Amelia 7
Ann 7
Sarah 7
Annie 4
Margaret 4
Alice 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Anne 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Julia 2
Lucy 2
Maggie 2
Martha 2
Sophia 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Agness 1
Aiml 1
Alexandria 1
Alfred 1
B. 1
Bella 1
Blanch 1
Boniface 1
Bridgett 1
Caroline 1
Celia 1
Elizth. 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Jamie 1
Janet 1
Louisa 1
Margerit 1
Margt. 1
Maud 1
Millicent 1
Nellie 1
Rosanna 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
James 16
William 16
Thomas 10
Joseph 7
Patrick 7
Edward 5
George 5
Charles 4
Michael 4
Frank 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
Thos. 3
Alexander 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Hugh 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Almander 1
Archibald 1
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
Bertram 1
Chris. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Felix 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Hobert 1
Jas. 1
Jerimiah 1
Jno. 1
Laurence 1
Micheal 1
Micl. 1
Morris 1
Partrick 1
Paterick 1
Richd. 1
Roger 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Mccormack surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccormack surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,139 people were recorded with the Mccormack surname. That placed it at #2,071 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccormack surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,546 in 2016. That gives Mccormack a modern rank of #672.

What does the Mccormack surname mean?

Son of Cormac, a popular Irish first name derived from the Gaelic "corb," meaning "raven," and "mac," meaning "son."

What does the Mccormack map show?

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