UK surname
An Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic surname Mac Gille Bhrìghde, denoting "son of the servant of St. Brigid".
In the 1881 census there were 130 people recorded with the Mcgilvery surname, ranking it #16,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 70, ranked #33,700, down from #16,911 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Kirkintilloch, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgilvery is 130 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 46.2%.
1881 census count
130
Ranked #16,911
Modern count
70
2016, ranked #33,700
Peak year
1881
130 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1881
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Mcgilvery surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Mcgilvery surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 88 | #18,569 |
| 1861 | historical | 114 | #19,011 |
| 1881 | historical | 130 | #16,911 |
| 1891 | historical | 90 | #25,399 |
| 1901 | historical | 54 | #28,178 |
| 1911 | historical | 1 | #34,332 |
| 1997 | modern | 63 | #31,335 |
| 1998 | modern | 64 | #31,562 |
| 1999 | modern | 63 | #31,798 |
| 2000 | modern | 62 | #31,939 |
| 2001 | modern | 60 | #31,985 |
| 2002 | modern | 59 | #32,468 |
| 2003 | modern | 57 | #32,704 |
| 2004 | modern | 58 | #32,880 |
| 2005 | modern | 56 | #33,264 |
| 2006 | modern | 49 | #34,152 |
| 2007 | modern | 50 | #34,347 |
| 2008 | modern | 47 | #34,699 |
| 2009 | modern | 49 | #34,728 |
| 2010 | modern | 52 | #34,726 |
| 2011 | modern | 51 | #34,751 |
| 2012 | modern | 62 | #34,155 |
| 2013 | modern | 64 | #34,127 |
| 2014 | modern | 67 | #33,959 |
| 2015 | modern | 67 | #33,911 |
| 2016 | modern | 70 | #33,700 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Kirkintilloch, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kirkintilloch | Dunbarton |
| 2 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 3 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 4 | Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry | Forfar |
| 5 | Greenock | Renfrew |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Mcgilvery surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcgilvery, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Mcgilvery surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Mcgilvery household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Mcgilvery is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcgilvery is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Mcgilvery, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname MCGILVERY is a Scottish name that originated in the Highlands of Scotland in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "giolla" meaning "servant" or "follower", combined with a personal name such as "Fhearchair" or "Fearchair" meaning "the truthful one".
One of the earliest records of the name MCGILVERY can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of homage rolls that recorded the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appeared as "McGilleweray" and was likely a variant spelling of the name MCGILVERY.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the MCGILVERY family was prominent in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the counties of Argyll and Inverness. The name was often associated with the Clan MacGillivray, which was a branch of the larger Clan Chattan confederation of clans.
One notable bearer of the MCGILVERY surname was John McGilvery, a Scottish merchant and landowner who lived in the late 17th century. He was known for his successful trading ventures and for acquiring a significant amount of land in the Highlands.
In the 18th century, the name MCGILVERY was also found in Ireland, where it likely arrived through Scottish settlers and traders. One example is James McGilvery, an Irish Presbyterian minister who lived from 1750 to 1838 and served as the moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
Another notable figure with the MCGILVERY surname was Alexander McGilvery, a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who lived from 1790 to 1868. He was a successful merchant and served as a member of the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada.
As the MCGILVERY family spread across the British Isles and beyond, the name underwent various spellings and variations, such as McGillivray, McGillivery, and McGillevray. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained rooted in the Gaelic language and Scottish heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgilvery surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 8 Mcgilverys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.69x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 8 | 7.69x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 5.57x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heaton Norris in Lancashire leads with 5 Mcgilverys recorded in 1881 and an index of 847.46x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Heaton Norris | 5 | 847.46x |
| Liverpool | 3 | 47.47x |
| Aldershot | 1 | 166.67x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mcgilvery surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mcgilvery surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Mcgilvery households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Cotton Reeler | 2 |
| Domestic Servant Gardener | 1 |
| Genl Labr | 1 |
| Knotter In Cotton Mill | 1 |
| Private 109th Ft | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 130 people were recorded with the Mcgilvery surname. That placed it at #16,911 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 70 in 2016. That gives Mcgilvery a modern rank of #33,700.
An Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic surname Mac Gille Bhrìghde, denoting "son of the servant of St. Brigid".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mcgilvery bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.