NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcculley

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Uighilin, meaning "son of Uighilin," a personal name of unknown meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 100 people recorded with the Mcculley surname, ranking it #19,750 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 336, ranked #13,583, up from #19,750 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Glasgow, Dalry and Kilmarnock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bridgeton, Old Shettleston and Parkhead North and Central Easterhouse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcculley is 387 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 236.0%.

1881 census count

100

Ranked #19,750

Modern count

336

2016, ranked #13,583

Peak year

2002

387 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcculley had 100 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,750 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 336 in 2016, ranked #13,583.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 173 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Routine Occupations or Retirement.

Mcculley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcculley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcculley 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 58 #26,585
1881 historical 100 #19,750
1891 historical 127 #20,496
1901 historical 173 #16,579
1911 historical 99 #22,850
1997 modern 369 #11,690
1998 modern 385 #11,698
1999 modern 378 #11,935
2000 modern 375 #11,949
2001 modern 373 #11,830
2002 modern 387 #11,713
2003 modern 367 #11,988
2004 modern 353 #12,377
2005 modern 343 #12,546
2006 modern 341 #12,684
2007 modern 356 #12,437
2008 modern 347 #12,786
2009 modern 345 #13,107
2010 modern 358 #13,001
2011 modern 348 #13,134
2012 modern 332 #13,501
2013 modern 332 #13,713
2014 modern 338 #13,624
2015 modern 339 #13,493
2016 modern 336 #13,583

Geography

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Where Mcculleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Glasgow, Dalry, Kilmarnock, Bishop Wearmouth and Carlisle St Mary, Eaglesfield Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bridgeton, Old Shettleston and Parkhead North, Central Easterhouse, Knowsley and Windsor and Maidenhead. 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 Glasgow Lanark
2 Dalry Ayr
3 Kilmarnock Ayr
4 Bishop Wearmouth Durham
5 Carlisle St Mary, Eaglesfield Abbey Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bridgeton Glasgow City
2 Old Shettleston and Parkhead North Glasgow City
3 Central Easterhouse Glasgow City
4 Knowsley 005 Knowsley
5 Windsor and Maidenhead 005 Windsor and Maidenhead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcculley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcculley

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Routine Occupations or Retirement

Nationally, the Mcculley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Routine Occupations or Retirement, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcculley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are characterised by high proportions of single, often never-married adults of normal retirement age or older, including many that are in the most advanced age groups. Most adults are UK born and live at high residential densities, and many of the children living with parents are in adulthood. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are uncommon, but above average proportions of households include individuals that identify with different ethnic groups. Long-term disability is relatively common, and the dominant accommodation type is flats. Unemployment rates are high, with most of those employed working in routine occupations. Few individuals have high level qualifications. Car ownership is not high.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mcculley is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcculley is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcculley 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 Mcculley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mcculley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcculley

The surname McCulley has its origins in Scotland, with records tracing it back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "collie," which was a nickname for someone with dark or swarthy complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the parish records of Ayr, Scotland, where a John McCulley was listed in 1583. It is believed that the family may have originated from the region of Galloway, located in the southwestern part of Scotland.

In the 17th century, the McCulley surname appears in various historical documents, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1691, where a William McCulley is recorded as residing in the parish of Kirkmichael, Ayrshire.

A notable figure bearing the McCulley name was Sir Robert McCulley (1642-1708), a Scottish merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1692. He was knighted by King William III for his services to the Crown.

Another prominent McCulley was John McCulley (1758-1828), a Scottish-born American surveyor and cartographer who is credited with producing some of the earliest maps of the Ohio Territory and the state of Ohio.

In the 19th century, the surname gained prominence in the United States with the birth of John McCulley (1835-1895), a Confederate officer during the American Civil War who later became a successful businessman in Texas.

Another individual of note was William McCulley (1877-1961), an American author and screenwriter best known for creating the character of Zorro, the fictional masked vigilante. McCulley's works, including the novel "The Curse of Capistrano," helped popularize the Zorro legend.

Throughout history, variations in the spelling of the surname have been observed, such as McCully, McColley, and McColly, reflecting regional differences and phonetic adaptations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcculley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcculley 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. Cumberland leads with 2 Mcculleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.37x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 2 79.37x
Yorkshire 1 3.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caldewgate in Cumberland leads with 2 Mcculleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1428.57x.

Place Total Index
Caldewgate 2 1428.57x
Roundhay 1 10000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 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 Mcculley households.

FAQ

Mcculley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcculley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 100 people were recorded with the Mcculley surname. That placed it at #19,750 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcculley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 336 in 2016. That gives Mcculley a modern rank of #13,583.

What does the Mcculley surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Uighilin, meaning "son of Uighilin," a personal name of unknown meaning.

What does the Mcculley map show?

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