NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgillivary

A Scottish surname derived from Gilleamhaire, meaning "servant of (Saint) Mary".

In the 1881 census there were 105 people recorded with the Mcgillivary surname, ranking it #19,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 101, ranked #30,929, down from #19,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kennethmont, Govan Combination and Aberdour. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Firhill and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgillivary is 156 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.8%.

1881 census count

105

Ranked #19,183

Modern count

101

2016, ranked #30,929

Peak year

1891

156 bearers

Map years

5

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgillivary had 105 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016, ranked #30,929.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 156 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcgillivary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgillivary surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgillivary 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 9 #31,675
1861 historical 42 #28,691
1881 historical 105 #19,183
1891 historical 156 #17,842
1901 historical 112 #21,382
1911 historical 6 #33,255
1997 modern 116 #24,688
1998 modern 119 #24,918
1999 modern 116 #25,487
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 88 #29,506
2004 modern 88 #29,758
2005 modern 83 #30,486
2006 modern 89 #30,027
2007 modern 94 #29,650
2008 modern 96 #29,654
2009 modern 104 #28,982
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 113 #27,967
2012 modern 107 #29,017
2013 modern 103 #30,235
2014 modern 109 #29,452
2015 modern 105 #30,092
2016 modern 101 #30,929

Geography

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Where Mcgillivarys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kennethmont, Govan Combination, Aberdour, 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 Kirklees, Firhill, Kensington and Chelsea and Redcar and Cleveland. 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 Kennethmont Aberdeen
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Aberdour Aberdeen
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 025 Kirklees
2 Firhill Glasgow City
3 Kensington and Chelsea 001 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Kirklees 048 Kirklees
5 Redcar and Cleveland 003 Redcar and Cleveland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgillivary

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgillivary

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcgillivary, 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 Mcgillivary surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mcgillivary household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcgillivary 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.

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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

Mcgillivary 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

Mcgillivary falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcgillivary 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 Mcgillivary, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcgillivary

The surname McGillivary has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Gille Bhràthar," which translates to "son of the servant of the brother." This name is believed to have originated in the Highlands region of Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Scottish Clan and Family Records, where a certain Donald McGillivray is mentioned as a member of the Clan Chattan in the year 1597. This clan was a prominent group in the Scottish Highlands, and their influence extended across various regions.

The McGillivary surname has also been associated with the Clan MacGillivray, a branch of the larger Clan Chattan. This clan had strong ties to the area around Lochaber and the Great Glen in the Scottish Highlands. The earliest known chief of the Clan MacGillivray was Ian MacGillivray, who lived in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the McGillivary name appears in several historical records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. One notable figure from this period was Alexander McGillivary, who was born in 1692 and served as a prominent lawyer in Edinburgh.

As the centuries progressed, the McGillivary name spread beyond Scotland to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to various corners of the world. One well-known bearer of this surname was Lachlan McGillivray (1718-1799), a Scottish-born fur trader and explorer who played a significant role in the exploration and settlement of the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

Another notable McGillivary was William McGillivray (1796-1853), a Scottish-born businessman and entrepreneur who co-founded the North West Company, a powerful fur trading company that operated in what is now Canada and the United States.

In the literary realm, the Scottish author William McGillivray (1823-1904) gained recognition for his works, including "The Thrift of Philosophy" and "The Intellectual Repository."

The McGillivary surname has also been associated with military figures, such as Sir John McGillivray (1835-1910), a British Army officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny.

While the McGillivary name has undergone various spellings and variations over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the Scottish Highlands, where it emerged as a patronymic surname associated with the Clan Chattan and the Clan MacGillivray.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mcgillivary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgillivary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 105 people were recorded with the Mcgillivary surname. That placed it at #19,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgillivary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016. That gives Mcgillivary a modern rank of #30,929.

What does the Mcgillivary surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from Gilleamhaire, meaning "servant of (Saint) Mary".

What does the Mcgillivary map show?

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