NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgarvie

A Scottish surname probably derived from the Scottish Gaelic "Mac Garbh Shìth" meaning son of the rough peace.

In the 1881 census there were 326 people recorded with the Mcgarvie surname, ranking it #9,167 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 469, ranked #10,491, down from #9,167 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Old Luce. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Alloa South and East, Carlisle and Paisley Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgarvie is 499 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.9%.

1881 census count

326

Ranked #9,167

Modern count

469

2016, ranked #10,491

Peak year

2010

499 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgarvie had 326 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,167 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 469 in 2016, ranked #10,491.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 412 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcgarvie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgarvie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgarvie 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 176 #11,489
1861 historical 272 #9,167
1881 historical 326 #9,167
1891 historical 334 #10,198
1901 historical 412 #9,283
1911 historical 45 #28,332
1997 modern 428 #10,451
1998 modern 430 #10,772
1999 modern 434 #10,784
2000 modern 447 #10,497
2001 modern 443 #10,371
2002 modern 458 #10,295
2003 modern 451 #10,274
2004 modern 452 #10,270
2005 modern 470 #9,879
2006 modern 473 #9,871
2007 modern 468 #10,039
2008 modern 470 #10,102
2009 modern 483 #10,114
2010 modern 499 #10,078
2011 modern 488 #10,135
2012 modern 475 #10,232
2013 modern 470 #10,478
2014 modern 476 #10,457
2015 modern 470 #10,480
2016 modern 469 #10,491

Geography

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Where Mcgarvies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Old Luce, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Alloa South and East, Carlisle, Paisley Central, Largs Central and Cumbrae and Wyndford. 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 Old Luce Wigtown
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Alloa South and East Clackmannanshire
2 Carlisle 011 Carlisle
3 Paisley Central Renfrewshire
4 Largs Central and Cumbrae North Ayrshire
5 Wyndford Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgarvie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgarvie

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

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mcgarvie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcgarvie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Mcgarvie is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcgarvie 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgarvie

The surname McGarvie has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Garbh,' which means 'son of the rough or uncouth one.' This could suggest that the name was originally given as a descriptive nickname to someone with a rugged or uncouth appearance or personality.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the parish records of Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland, from the late 1500s. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John McGarvie, who was born in Kilwinning in 1589.

In the 17th century, the McGarvie surname began to appear in various historical records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of Ayrshire from the 1690s. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region by this time.

One notable individual with the McGarvie surname was Robert McGarvie (1726-1802), a Scottish merchant and landowner who lived in Greenock, Renfrewshire. He was a prominent figure in the local community and served as a magistrate and a member of the town council.

Another notable bearer of the name was James McGarvie (1790-1870), a Scottish minister and author who served as the minister of the parish of Moffat in Dumfriesshire. He was known for his writings on religious topics and published several books, including "The Life of the Rev. John Livingstone" and "The Pilgrim's Progress Illustrated."

In the 19th century, the McGarvie surname began to spread beyond Scotland, with some bearers of the name emigrating to other parts of the British Empire, including Canada and Australia. One such individual was John McGarvie (1846-1923), a Scottish-born Canadian farmer and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

Another notable figure was William McGarvie (1862-1940), a Scottish-born Australian journalist and newspaper editor who worked for several publications in Sydney, including the Sydney Morning Herald and the Bulletin.

Robert McGarvie (1888-1962) was a Scottish-born Canadian lawyer and politician who served as a member of the House of Commons of Canada, representing the riding of Moose Jaw from 1925 to 1940.

Overall, the McGarvie surname has a rich history that spans several centuries and countries, with its origins firmly rooted in Scotland. While the name may have begun as a descriptive nickname, it has since become a well-established surname with many notable bearers throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgarvie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgarvie 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. Middlesex leads with 7 Mcgarvies recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.97x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 7 8.97x
Ayrshire 1 17.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 7 Mcgarvies recorded in 1881 and an index of 111.47x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 7 111.47x
Maybole 1 555.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Caroline 1
Esther 1
Jane 1
Louisa 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Edward 1
Edwin 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 Mcgarvie households.

FAQ

Mcgarvie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgarvie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 326 people were recorded with the Mcgarvie surname. That placed it at #9,167 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgarvie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 469 in 2016. That gives Mcgarvie a modern rank of #10,491.

What does the Mcgarvie surname mean?

A Scottish surname probably derived from the Scottish Gaelic "Mac Garbh Shìth" meaning son of the rough peace.

What does the Mcgarvie map show?

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