NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgauley

A surname with Irish origins meaning a bald or tonsured person.

In the 1881 census there were 42 people recorded with the Mcgauley surname, ranking it #27,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 287, ranked #15,212, up from #27,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Arthurlie and North Neilston, Blackpool and Govanhill East and Aikenhead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgauley is 309 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 583.3%.

1881 census count

42

Ranked #27,721

Modern count

287

2016, ranked #15,212

Peak year

1999

309 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgauley had 42 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 287 in 2016, ranked #15,212.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 89 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcgauley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgauley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgauley 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 24 #30,922
1881 historical 42 #27,721
1891 historical 59 #29,325
1901 historical 89 #24,154
1911 historical 70 #25,853
1997 modern 278 #14,210
1998 modern 285 #14,351
1999 modern 309 #13,697
2000 modern 289 #14,272
2001 modern 285 #14,191
2002 modern 286 #14,442
2003 modern 282 #14,410
2004 modern 288 #14,254
2005 modern 271 #14,780
2006 modern 276 #14,700
2007 modern 286 #14,496
2008 modern 286 #14,618
2009 modern 297 #14,519
2010 modern 302 #14,661
2011 modern 291 #14,903
2012 modern 282 #15,158
2013 modern 280 #15,530
2014 modern 292 #15,129
2015 modern 290 #15,117
2016 modern 287 #15,212

Geography

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Where Mcgauleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Arthurlie and North Neilston, Blackpool, Govanhill East and Aikenhead, Tameside and Rossendale. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Arthurlie and North Neilston East Renfrewshire
2 Blackpool 003 Blackpool
3 Govanhill East and Aikenhead Glasgow City
4 Tameside 007 Tameside
5 Rossendale 001 Rossendale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgauley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgauley

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Mcgauley is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcgauley is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcgauley 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 Mcgauley 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgauley

The surname McGauley has its origins in Ireland and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Gamhna," which means "son of the calvesman." The name is believed to have originated in County Cavan, where the McGauleys were a prominent family in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1164, a man named Gilla-Críst Mac Gamhna is mentioned as a member of the Ui Briuin, a powerful dynasty in the area.

The name has undergone various spelling variations throughout history, including McGauley, McGawley, McGaulay, and McGawlay. These variations likely stem from the different dialects and regional pronunciations of the name.

One notable historical figure bearing the McGauley name is Brian McGauley, who lived in the late 16th century. He was a chieftain of the McGauley clan and played a role in the Nine Years' War, a conflict between the Irish chieftains and the English Crown.

Another prominent McGauley was Patrick McGauley, born in County Cavan in 1765. He was a Catholic priest and a leading figure in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, fighting against British rule in Ireland.

In the 19th century, John McGauley (1805-1875) was a prominent Irish-American businessman and politician in New York City. He served as a member of the New York State Assembly and was actively involved in Irish-American affairs.

Francis McGauley (1870-1942) was a renowned Irish botanist and horticulturist. He made significant contributions to the study of Irish flora and was the curator of the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin for many years.

Another notable figure was Michael McGauley (1892-1966), an Irish-American labor leader and political activist. He played a pivotal role in organizing workers' rights movements and advocating for social justice causes in the early 20th century.

While the McGauley surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through Irish emigration and diaspora communities. The name continues to be a part of the rich tapestry of Irish family names and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgauley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgauley 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. Warwickshire leads with 6 Mcgauleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.71x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 6 40.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Coventry Holy Trinity in Warwickshire leads with 6 Mcgauleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1363.64x.

Place Total Index
Coventry Holy Trinity 6 1363.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Bernard 1
Francis 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 Mcgauley households.

Occupation Count
Scholar 2
Iron Filler 1

FAQ

Mcgauley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgauley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 42 people were recorded with the Mcgauley surname. That placed it at #27,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgauley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 287 in 2016. That gives Mcgauley a modern rank of #15,212.

What does the Mcgauley surname mean?

A surname with Irish origins meaning a bald or tonsured person.

What does the Mcgauley map show?

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