NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcghie

A surname of Scottish origin referring to someone who lived near a nook or corner of land.

In the 1881 census there were 729 people recorded with the Mcghie surname, ranking it #5,013 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,405, ranked #4,339, up from #5,013 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Govan Combination and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dalbeattie, Stonehouse and Machars South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcghie is 1,409 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 92.7%.

1881 census count

729

Ranked #5,013

Modern count

1,405

2016, ranked #4,339

Peak year

2014

1,409 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcghie had 729 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,013 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,405 in 2016, ranked #4,339.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,068 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcghie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcghie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcghie 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 381 #6,272
1861 historical 425 #6,043
1881 historical 729 #5,013
1891 historical 798 #5,045
1901 historical 1,068 #4,522
1911 historical 197 #15,101
1997 modern 1,351 #4,259
1998 modern 1,401 #4,276
1999 modern 1,393 #4,325
2000 modern 1,383 #4,332
2001 modern 1,351 #4,326
2002 modern 1,394 #4,310
2003 modern 1,359 #4,319
2004 modern 1,374 #4,292
2005 modern 1,344 #4,322
2006 modern 1,326 #4,381
2007 modern 1,332 #4,398
2008 modern 1,352 #4,368
2009 modern 1,394 #4,346
2010 modern 1,405 #4,391
2011 modern 1,395 #4,368
2012 modern 1,375 #4,363
2013 modern 1,387 #4,411
2014 modern 1,409 #4,370
2015 modern 1,401 #4,350
2016 modern 1,405 #4,339

Geography

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Where Mcghies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Govan Combination, Glasgow, Dalserf 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 Dalbeattie, Stonehouse, Machars South, Lochmaben and Rhins North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Hamilton Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Dalserf Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dalbeattie Dumfries and Galloway
2 Stonehouse South Lanarkshire
3 Machars South Dumfries and Galloway
4 Lochmaben Dumfries and Galloway
5 Rhins North Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcghie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcghie

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

Mcghie 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcghie

The surname MCGHIE has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is a variant of the Scottish surname McGhee or Magee, which is believed to derive from the Gaelic name Mag Aodha, meaning "son of Aodh" or "son of Hugh". Aodh was a popular personal name among the Scots, particularly in the western regions of Scotland.

The earliest recorded instances of the name MCGHIE can be found in historical records and charters from the Scottish Highlands and Hebrides islands. One notable mention is in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, which references a "Gillechrist McGhye" from the Isle of Mull.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name MCGHIE was particularly prevalent in the regions of Argyllshire and the Hebrides. The MacGhies were a sept or branch of the powerful Clan Donald, one of the largest Scottish clans of the time. They held lands on the islands of Islay and Jura, as well as in parts of Argyll on the mainland.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure bearing the name MCGHIE was Donald McGhie, a Scottish warrior and clan chief who fought alongside the Marquess of Montrose during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (1639-1651). Donald McGhie was killed in battle in 1647 while defending the royalist cause.

Another notable MCGHIE was Archibald McGhie (1693-1770), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1767. He was born in Argyllshire and played a significant role in the religious life of Scotland during the 18th century.

In the 19th century, one of the most prominent individuals with the surname MCGHIE was John McGhie (1804-1879), a Scottish-born Australian explorer and settler. He was one of the first European settlers in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria, Australia, and played a key role in the early development of the area.

Another notable figure was Archibald McGhie (1851-1935), a Scottish-born Australian businessman and politician. He served as a member of the Victorian Legislative Council and was involved in various commercial ventures, including mining and pastoral industries.

While the surname MCGHIE has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Scottish migration and settlement. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the Scottish Highlands and the rich heritage of the Clan Donald.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcghie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcghie 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. Cumberland leads with 8 Mcghies recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.59x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 8 63.59x
Lancashire 3 1.73x
Isle of Man 2 73.80x
Berkshire 1 9.12x
Middlesex 1 0.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cleator in Cumberland leads with 8 Mcghies recorded in 1881 and an index of 1538.46x.

Place Total Index
Cleator 8 1538.46x
Onchan 2 256.41x
Simonstone 2 10000.00x
Hornsey 1 54.05x
Kirkdale 1 34.25x
Sandhurst 1 476.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Ann 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Hannah 1
Martha 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Alexander 1
Charles 1
Thomas 1
Wilfred 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 Mcghie households.

FAQ

Mcghie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcghie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 729 people were recorded with the Mcghie surname. That placed it at #5,013 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcghie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,405 in 2016. That gives Mcghie a modern rank of #4,339.

What does the Mcghie surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin referring to someone who lived near a nook or corner of land.

What does the Mcghie map show?

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