NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcginnes

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ingine" meaning a brave warrior.

In the 1881 census there were 467 people recorded with the Mcginnes surname, ranking it #7,122 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 325, ranked #13,930, down from #7,122 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Dalziel and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tollcross, Monifieth East and Braidfauld.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcginnes is 477 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 30.4%.

1881 census count

467

Ranked #7,122

Modern count

325

2016, ranked #13,930

Peak year

1891

477 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcginnes had 467 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,122 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 325 in 2016, ranked #13,930.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 477 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcginnes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcginnes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcginnes 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 238 #9,120
1861 historical 356 #7,171
1881 historical 467 #7,122
1891 historical 477 #7,705
1901 historical 363 #10,145
1911 historical 18 #31,542
1997 modern 335 #12,575
1998 modern 339 #12,810
1999 modern 327 #13,209
2000 modern 311 #13,588
2001 modern 305 #13,594
2002 modern 320 #13,414
2003 modern 318 #13,291
2004 modern 314 #13,473
2005 modern 314 #13,403
2006 modern 309 #13,633
2007 modern 325 #13,291
2008 modern 325 #13,406
2009 modern 326 #13,630
2010 modern 333 #13,717
2011 modern 332 #13,608
2012 modern 330 #13,571
2013 modern 334 #13,648
2014 modern 331 #13,851
2015 modern 329 #13,800
2016 modern 325 #13,930

Geography

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Where Mcginnes' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Tollcross, Monifieth East, Braidfauld, Newmains and Charnwood. 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 Bothwell Lanark
2 Dalziel Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tollcross Glasgow City
2 Monifieth East Angus
3 Braidfauld Glasgow City
4 Newmains North Lanarkshire
5 Charnwood 009 Charnwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcginnes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcginnes

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Mcginnes is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcginnes is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mcginnes

The surname McGinnes has its roots in Ireland, originating in the 16th century or earlier. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Mag Aonghusa," which means "son of Angus." The name Angus itself is derived from the Celtic word "oenghus," meaning "one strength" or "one choice."

The McGinnes name was particularly prevalent in County Donegal, located in the northern region of Ulster. Historical records suggest that the surname was closely associated with the influential Clan MacDonnell, a powerful Irish family with Scottish origins.

One of the earliest documented references to the McGinnes name can be found in the "Annals of the Four Masters," a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention several individuals bearing the name, including Aodh McGinnes, who was involved in a battle in 1559.

In the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, many McGinnes families were displaced from their ancestral lands in County Donegal. Some settled in other parts of Ireland, while others emigrated to Scotland and eventually to the American colonies.

Notable individuals with the McGinnes surname include Patrick McGinnes (1757-1828), an Irish-born merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the development of Newfoundland, Canada. Another prominent figure was James McGinnes (1803-1892), an Irish-American politician who served as a US Congressman from Ohio in the mid-19th century.

Other individuals of note include John McGinnes (1870-1952), a Scottish-born labor leader and trade unionist who was active in the early 20th century labor movement in the United States. Additionally, there was William McGinnes (1776-1852), an Irish-American soldier who fought in the War of 1812 and later served as a US Congressman from Ohio.

The McGinnes name has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as McGinness Bay and McGinness Point, located in County Donegal. These place names reflect the historical presence and influence of the McGinnes family in that region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcginnes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcginnes 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 2 Mcginnes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.77x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2 5.77x
Middlesex 1 3.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Warrington in Lancashire leads with 2 Mcginnes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 487.80x.

Place Total Index
Warrington 2 487.80x
St Andrew Holborn 1 1000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alfred 1
Thomas 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 Mcginnes households.

Occupation Count
Bricksetters Laborer 1

FAQ

Mcginnes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcginnes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 467 people were recorded with the Mcginnes surname. That placed it at #7,122 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcginnes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 325 in 2016. That gives Mcginnes a modern rank of #13,930.

What does the Mcginnes surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ingine" meaning a brave warrior.

What does the Mcginnes map show?

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