NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcghee

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Aodha," meaning "son of Aodh" (a personal name meaning "fire").

In the 1881 census there were 1,271 people recorded with the Mcghee surname, ranking it #3,206 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,866, ranked #1,390, up from #3,206 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Port Glasgow, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Cumnock, Kirkshaws and Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcghee is 4,866 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 282.8%.

1881 census count

1,271

Ranked #3,206

Modern count

4,866

2016, ranked #1,390

Peak year

2016

4,866 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcghee had 1,271 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,206 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,866 in 2016, ranked #1,390.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,264 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcghee surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcghee surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcghee 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 569 #4,474
1861 historical 845 #3,273
1881 historical 1,271 #3,206
1891 historical 1,820 #2,525
1901 historical 2,264 #2,391
1911 historical 259 #12,585
1997 modern 4,214 #1,539
1998 modern 4,386 #1,538
1999 modern 4,392 #1,546
2000 modern 4,400 #1,537
2001 modern 4,309 #1,534
2002 modern 4,374 #1,542
2003 modern 4,271 #1,546
2004 modern 4,316 #1,531
2005 modern 4,292 #1,521
2006 modern 4,350 #1,507
2007 modern 4,459 #1,481
2008 modern 4,542 #1,464
2009 modern 4,638 #1,472
2010 modern 4,751 #1,468
2011 modern 4,658 #1,476
2012 modern 4,626 #1,454
2013 modern 4,706 #1,458
2014 modern 4,798 #1,440
2015 modern 4,825 #1,410
2016 modern 4,866 #1,390

Geography

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Where Mcghees are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Port Glasgow, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, 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 New Cumnock, Kirkshaws, Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl, Greenock East and Greenock Upper Central. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Port Glasgow Renfrew
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Cumnock East Ayrshire
2 Kirkshaws North Lanarkshire
3 Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl Inverclyde
4 Greenock East Inverclyde
5 Greenock Upper Central Inverclyde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcghee

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcghee

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcghee, 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 Mcghee surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcghee 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcghee 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.

Read profile summary

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

Mcghee 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcghee

The surname McGhee is of Scottish origin, with its roots traceable back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic Mac Ghie, which translates to "son of the stranger" or "son of the outsider." This suggests that the name's earliest bearers may have been immigrants or settlers from another region, perhaps Ireland or elsewhere.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "McGhee" and is believed to refer to a family from the region of Argyll.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, variations of the name, such as "McGhie," "McGhee," and "McGhye," were prevalent in the counties of Ayr and Dumfries in southwestern Scotland. Several notable individuals bearing this surname emerged during this period, including John McGhie (1549-1622), a respected minister in the Scottish Kirk.

As the centuries progressed, the name spread beyond Scotland's borders. In Ireland, the McGhee name can be found in counties such as Antrim and Down, particularly among Protestant settlers from Scotland. One notable bearer of the name was Sir Ralph McGhee (1738-1823), an Irish-born British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.

In the United States, the McGhee name first gained prominence in the late 18th century, as Scottish and Scots-Irish immigrants began arriving in significant numbers. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of James McGhee (1765-1843), a Revolutionary War veteran from Pennsylvania who later settled in Tennessee.

Other notable individuals bearing the McGhee surname include George Crews McGhee (1851-1912), an American politician and lawyer who served as the 36th Governor of Arkansas, and John McGhee (1854-1933), a Canadian businessman and philanthropist who founded the McGhee Memorial Institute in Norfolk, Virginia.

Throughout its long history, the McGhee name has maintained a strong connection to its Scottish roots, while also becoming well-established in various parts of the English-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcghee families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcghee 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 13 Mcghees recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.02x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 13 4.02x
Middlesex 12 4.40x
Northumberland 1 2.46x
Surrey 1 0.75x
Warwickshire 1 1.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bootle Cum Linacre in Lancashire leads with 12 Mcghees recorded in 1881 and an index of 466.93x.

Place Total Index
Bootle Cum Linacre 12 466.93x
Westminster St John 8 240.96x
Bethnal Green London 3 25.32x
Camberwell 1 5.74x
Lancaster 1 51.81x
Longbenton 1 58.14x
Old Stratford 1 256.41x
St Marylebone London 1 6.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Marian 2
Ann 1
Catherine 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Isabell 1
Janie 1
Mary 1
Susannah 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 4
John 3
William 3
Thomas 2
Charles 1
George 1
Hugh 1
Willm.Melvin 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 Mcghee households.

FAQ

Mcghee surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcghee surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,271 people were recorded with the Mcghee surname. That placed it at #3,206 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcghee surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,866 in 2016. That gives Mcghee a modern rank of #1,390.

What does the Mcghee surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Aodha," meaning "son of Aodh" (a personal name meaning "fire").

What does the Mcghee map show?

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