NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgilvary

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic personal name "Gille Bhàire", meaning "servant of St. Barr".

In the 1881 census there were 160 people recorded with the Mcgilvary surname, ranking it #14,860 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, down from #14,860 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breich Valley, Wealden and Portsmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgilvary is 228 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 36.3%.

1881 census count

160

Ranked #14,860

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

1891

228 bearers

Map years

5

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgilvary had 160 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,860 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 228 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcgilvary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgilvary surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgilvary 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 70 #21,020
1861 historical 62 #26,041
1881 historical 160 #14,860
1891 historical 228 #13,582
1901 historical 153 #17,844
1911 historical 6 #33,255
1997 modern 119 #24,302
1998 modern 124 #24,316
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 128 #24,015
2001 modern 124 #24,114
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 100 #27,722
2004 modern 97 #28,455
2005 modern 95 #28,817
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 91 #30,061
2008 modern 91 #30,431
2009 modern 93 #30,682
2010 modern 91 #31,497
2011 modern 92 #31,301
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 102 #30,415
2014 modern 102 #30,714
2015 modern 100 #31,005
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Mcgilvarys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Greenock, Glasgow and Carnwath. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breich Valley, Wealden, Portsmouth, Whisky Isles and Heathfield. 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 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Carnwath Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breich Valley West Lothian
2 Wealden 013 Wealden
3 Portsmouth 017 Portsmouth
4 Whisky Isles Argyll and Bute
5 Heathfield South Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgilvary

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgilvary

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcgilvary 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

Mcgilvary 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

Mcgilvary falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcgilvary is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 20-25 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

4
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgilvary

The surname McGilvary is of Scottish origin, originating from the lands of Argyll in western Scotland as early as the 11th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "gillebhrath" meaning "servant of judgment". The name is believed to have been initially used to refer to the bearer's ancestors who were judges or legal professionals.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of homage rolls rendered to King Edward I of England. The name is listed as "McGillewraith" in these records, reflecting the evolution of the spelling over time.

The McGilvrays, a branch of the larger McGilvary clan, were prominent in the Highlands of Scotland and played a significant role in the Jacobite uprisings of the 17th and 18th centuries. Notably, John McGilvray (1721-1808), a renowned Scottish Jacobite, was a staunch supporter of the Stuart cause and fought alongside Bonnie Prince Charlie at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

In the 16th century, the name McGilvary was also associated with the lands of Drumnakill in Argyllshire. A notable figure from this era was Duncan McGilvary (c. 1530-1605), a respected clan chief known for his prowess in battle and leadership during clan conflicts.

The name has also been found in various historical records and manuscripts, such as the Book of Arran from the 14th century, which mentions a "McGillewray" among the inhabitants of the Isle of Arran.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname McGilvary include:

1. Alexander McGilvary (1820-1890), a Scottish-born American missionary and educator who founded the McGilvary Theological Seminary in Chiang Mai, Thailand. 2. Margaret McGilvary (1838-1921), an American educator and missionary who established the first school for girls in northern Thailand. 3. Daniel McGilvary (1828-1911), a Scottish-born American Presbyterian missionary who spent over 60 years in Thailand and translated the Bible into several Thai dialects. 4. John McGilvray (1755-1837), a Scottish-born Canadian fur trader and explorer who was instrumental in establishing the North West Company's operations in the Canadian Northwest. 5. James McGilvray (1756-1825), a Scottish-born Canadian fur trader and explorer, known for his expeditions in the Canadian Rockies and his involvement in the Tonquin Affair of 1811.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgilvary families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgilvary 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. Lanarkshire leads with 1 Mcgilvarys recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.05x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 1 32.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tradeston in Lanarkshire leads with 1 Mcgilvarys recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.00x.

Place Total Index
Tradeston 1 0.00x

FAQ

Mcgilvary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgilvary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 160 people were recorded with the Mcgilvary surname. That placed it at #14,860 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgilvary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Mcgilvary a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Mcgilvary surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic personal name "Gille Bhàire", meaning "servant of St. Barr".

What does the Mcgilvary map show?

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