NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgarry

A surname of Irish origin meaning "son of Garaidh," derived from a personal name meaning "gentleness" or "decency."

In the 1881 census there were 1,174 people recorded with the Mcgarry surname, ranking it #3,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,050, ranked #1,673, up from #3,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool, Doncaster and Bassetlaw.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgarry is 4,095 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 245.0%.

1881 census count

1,174

Ranked #3,428

Modern count

4,050

2016, ranked #1,673

Peak year

2014

4,095 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgarry had 1,174 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,050 in 2016, ranked #1,673.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,587 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcgarry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgarry surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgarry 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 382 #6,266
1861 historical 489 #5,336
1881 historical 1,174 #3,428
1891 historical 1,251 #3,453
1901 historical 1,587 #3,254
1911 historical 1,047 #4,389
1997 modern 3,678 #1,764
1998 modern 3,844 #1,755
1999 modern 3,862 #1,762
2000 modern 3,851 #1,751
2001 modern 3,754 #1,758
2002 modern 3,873 #1,749
2003 modern 3,805 #1,747
2004 modern 3,823 #1,738
2005 modern 3,791 #1,721
2006 modern 3,818 #1,715
2007 modern 3,855 #1,712
2008 modern 3,935 #1,684
2009 modern 4,035 #1,683
2010 modern 4,076 #1,702
2011 modern 4,018 #1,709
2012 modern 3,893 #1,729
2013 modern 4,026 #1,702
2014 modern 4,095 #1,686
2015 modern 4,042 #1,689
2016 modern 4,050 #1,673

Geography

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Where Mcgarrys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool, Doncaster and Bassetlaw. 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 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 003 Hartlepool
2 Doncaster 004 Doncaster
3 Bassetlaw 001 Bassetlaw
4 Hartlepool 007 Hartlepool
5 Doncaster 006 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgarry

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgarry

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mcgarry is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mcgarry 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgarry

The surname McGarry originated in Ireland and is derived from the Irish Gaelic name MacGaradha, which means "son of Garaidh". Garaidh was a personal name that came from the Old Irish word gár, meaning "near" or "close".

The McGarry name can be traced back to the 11th century in County Fermanagh, Ulster Province, where it was first recorded as MacGaraidhe. The family was part of the ancient Gaelic clans that inhabited the region.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name McGarry appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, dating back to the year 1131. The entry refers to Mael Mhuire Mac Garadha, who was described as a notable cleric.

In the 16th century, the McGarry surname was found in various parts of Ireland, including Counties Fermanagh, Cavan, and Monaghan. Historical records from this period show variations in the spelling, such as McGarry, McGarrey, and McGarray.

Notable individuals with the surname McGarry include:

1. Sir John McGarry (1730-1801), an Irish-born soldier who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. 2. Patrick McGarry (1808-1891), an Irish-born Catholic priest and educational advocate who founded several schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. 3. Nicol Williamson McGarry (1835-1913), a Scottish-born politician and journalist who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons. 4. William McGarry (1865-1940), an Australian politician and the 16th Premier of New South Wales from 1920 to 1921. 5. Francis Patrick McGarry (1867-1936), an Irish-born prelate who served as the Bishop of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA, from 1910 to 1936.

The McGarry name has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as McGarry's Cross in County Fermanagh and McGarry's Hill in County Monaghan, reflecting the historical presence of the family in these areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgarry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgarry 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 39 Mcgarrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.48x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 39 2.48x
Middlesex 20 1.51x
Cheshire 12 4.10x
Yorkshire 12 0.91x
Lincolnshire 11 5.19x
Cumberland 8 7.00x
Staffordshire 7 1.56x
Derbyshire 5 2.41x
Hampshire 5 1.84x
Northumberland 5 2.53x
Warwickshire 5 1.49x
Durham 3 0.76x
Lanarkshire 2 0.47x
Leicestershire 2 1.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Congleton in Cheshire leads with 12 Mcgarrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 237.15x.

Place Total Index
Congleton 12 237.15x
Alford 11 839.69x
Liverpool 11 11.51x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 23.26x
Mile End Old Town 8 38.20x
Cleator 6 126.32x
Leeds 6 8.08x
Benwell 5 231.48x
Derby St Michael 5 1136.36x
Newcastle Under Lyme 5 63.13x
Salford 5 10.80x
St George In East 5 55.43x
Havant 4 289.86x
Hulme 4 12.17x
Newton 4 32.98x
Birmingham 3 2.69x
Aston 2 2.17x
Leicester St Margaret 2 5.58x
Manchester 2 2.83x
Shadwell London 2 53.91x
St Luke London 2 9.40x
Toxteth Park 2 3.75x
Whitehaven 2 32.84x
Wyke In Wetherby 2 3333.33x
Anderston 1 909.09x
Bishopwearmouth 1 2.95x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 8.00x
Fulham London 1 5.20x
Gateshead 1 3.38x
Hampstead London 1 4.84x
Kensington London 1 1.36x
Lanchester 1 138.89x
New Monkland 1 7.89x
Portsea 1 1.88x
Preston 1 2.37x
Rawmarsh 1 21.55x
Sheffield 1 2.39x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 2.11x
Tanshelf 1 95.24x
West Bromwich 1 3.90x
West Derby 1 2.17x
York St Crux 1 270.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Margaret 9
Catherine 6
Ann 5
Ellen 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Bridget 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bridgett 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Honoria 1
Kity 1
Rosa 1
Sarah 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 10
John 10
Thomas 9
Patrick 5
Michael 3
Peter 3
Barnard 2
Martin 2
Mitchel 2
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Bernard 1
Charles 1
Chas 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Eugene 1
Frank 1
George 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Joseph 1
Michel 1
Morris 1
Neil 1
Owen 1
Robert 1
Timothy 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Mcgarry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgarry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,174 people were recorded with the Mcgarry surname. That placed it at #3,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgarry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,050 in 2016. That gives Mcgarry a modern rank of #1,673.

What does the Mcgarry surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin meaning "son of Garaidh," derived from a personal name meaning "gentleness" or "decency."

What does the Mcgarry map show?

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