NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcelhinney

An Irish surname meaning "son of the wealthy one" or "son of the prosperous one".

In the 1881 census there were 52 people recorded with the Mcelhinney surname, ranking it #26,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 814, ranked #6,810, up from #26,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Govan Combination and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Muirend and Old Cathcart, Linwood South and IZ08.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcelhinney is 820 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1465.4%.

1881 census count

52

Ranked #26,281

Modern count

814

2016, ranked #6,810

Peak year

2011

820 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcelhinney had 52 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 814 in 2016, ranked #6,810.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 173 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcelhinney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcelhinney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcelhinney 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 7 #32,070
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 52 #26,281
1891 historical 60 #29,204
1901 historical 173 #16,579
1911 historical 47 #28,110
1997 modern 753 #6,864
1998 modern 774 #6,938
1999 modern 762 #7,057
2000 modern 777 #6,934
2001 modern 763 #6,900
2002 modern 779 #6,925
2003 modern 750 #7,018
2004 modern 744 #7,071
2005 modern 756 #6,913
2006 modern 753 #6,963
2007 modern 800 #6,691
2008 modern 788 #6,839
2009 modern 788 #6,976
2010 modern 801 #7,018
2011 modern 820 #6,804
2012 modern 806 #6,792
2013 modern 807 #6,903
2014 modern 814 #6,882
2015 modern 813 #6,840
2016 modern 814 #6,810

Geography

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Where Mcelhinneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bothwell, Govan Combination, Leeds, 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 Muirend and Old Cathcart, Linwood South, IZ08, Old Shettleston and Parkhead North and Gallowgate North and Bellgrove. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bothwell Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Muirend and Old Cathcart Glasgow City
2 Linwood South Renfrewshire
3 IZ08 West Dunbartonshire
4 Old Shettleston and Parkhead North Glasgow City
5 Gallowgate North and Bellgrove Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcelhinney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcelhinney

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

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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

Mcelhinney 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcelhinney

The surname MCELHINNEY is of Scottish origin, emerging from the historical region of Galloway in southwestern Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is a territorial name, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Illeathain," meaning "son of the servant of St. John." This suggests the name's bearers may have been associated with a church or monastery dedicated to St. John.

The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in the 16th century, with variations in spelling such as McElhinney, McIlhinney, and McIlhenney. These spelling differences likely arose due to the inconsistencies in transcribing Gaelic names into English during that time period.

One notable bearer of the name was John McIlhinney, a Scottish merchant and shipowner from Stranraer, Wigtownshire, who lived from 1775 to 1842. He played a significant role in the development of trade and commerce in the region.

Another individual of note was William McIlhenney, born in 1810 in Ayrshire, Scotland. He emigrated to the United States in the mid-19th century and became a successful businessman in Philadelphia, establishing the McIlhenney Company, which produced the famous Tabasco sauce.

In the early 20th century, John McElhinney (1876-1938) was a prominent Irish nationalist and politician who served as a member of the Irish Republican Army and later as a member of the Irish Parliament (Dáil Éireann) for the Sinn Féin party.

The name MCELHINNEY has also been associated with notable figures in the fields of education and literature. For example, Dr. James McElhinney (1869-1949) was a distinguished Scottish educator and author who served as the principal of Aberdeen Grammar School and wrote several books on education and philosophy.

Another bearer of the name was the Scottish novelist and short story writer, Helen McElhinney (1910-1991), whose works explored themes of Scottish identity and the experiences of women in rural communities.

While the name MCELHINNEY has roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through immigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia, where bearers of the name have made significant contributions across various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mcelhinney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcelhinney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 52 people were recorded with the Mcelhinney surname. That placed it at #26,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcelhinney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 814 in 2016. That gives Mcelhinney a modern rank of #6,810.

What does the Mcelhinney surname mean?

An Irish surname meaning "son of the wealthy one" or "son of the prosperous one".

What does the Mcelhinney map show?

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