NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcginness

A patronymic Irish surname meaning "son of Angus".

In the 1881 census there were 106 people recorded with the Mcginness surname, ranking it #19,083 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 359, ranked #12,898, up from #19,083 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Govan Combination and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pather, Isle of Anglesey and Chryston and Muirhead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcginness is 369 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 238.7%.

1881 census count

106

Ranked #19,083

Modern count

359

2016, ranked #12,898

Peak year

1998

369 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcginness had 106 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,083 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016, ranked #12,898.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 148 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcginness surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcginness surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcginness 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 57 #23,092
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 106 #19,083
1891 historical 148 #18,506
1901 historical 144 #18,505
1911 historical 51 #27,708
1997 modern 340 #12,428
1998 modern 369 #12,077
1999 modern 353 #12,522
2000 modern 358 #12,356
2001 modern 338 #12,669
2002 modern 326 #13,241
2003 modern 314 #13,419
2004 modern 326 #13,122
2005 modern 331 #12,913
2006 modern 306 #13,724
2007 modern 327 #13,229
2008 modern 341 #12,958
2009 modern 337 #13,318
2010 modern 349 #13,280
2011 modern 358 #12,883
2012 modern 349 #12,993
2013 modern 366 #12,733
2014 modern 361 #12,979
2015 modern 352 #13,109
2016 modern 359 #12,898

Geography

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Where Mcginness' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Govan Combination, Toxteth Park, Edinburgh and All Saints Poplar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pather, Isle of Anglesey, Chryston and Muirhead, Dunblane West and Thrashbush. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 All Saints Poplar London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pather North Lanarkshire
2 Isle of Anglesey 003 Isle of Anglesey
3 Chryston and Muirhead North Lanarkshire
4 Dunblane West Stirling
5 Thrashbush North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcginness

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcginness

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcginness, 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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mcginness surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcginness household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Mcginness is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcginness 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

Mcginness 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 Mcginness 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcginness

The surname McGinness originates from Ireland, specifically from the Irish Gaelic name Mac Ionmhuinn, which means "son of the beloved one." It is believed to have emerged in the 16th or 17th century.

The name is thought to have originated in County Donegal, a region in the northwestern part of Ireland. It is related to other Irish surnames such as McGinnis and Guinness, which share a similar root.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a Niall Mac Ionmhuinn, who lived in the 15th century and was a member of the O'Donnell clan.

Another early reference to the name can be found in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of official documents from the reigns of the Tudor monarchs in England and Ireland. In these records, a John McGinness is mentioned in 1592.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Patrick McGinness, who lived from 1722 to 1799 and was a prominent Catholic priest and scholar in County Donegal.

During the 19th century, the McGinness name gained recognition through the works of Irish poet and writer William McGinness (1807-1885), who was born in County Antrim and published several volumes of poetry.

Another notable individual was John McGinness (1847-1924), a Scottish-born politician and trade unionist who served as a Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons.

In the early 20th century, the name was carried by American author and journalist John Joseph McGinness (1874-1938), who wrote for various newspapers and published several books, including a biography of Theodore Roosevelt.

The McGinness surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Ballymacinness (translating to "the town of the McGinness family") and Drummacinness ("the ridge of the McGinness family").

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcginness families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcginness 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 Mcginness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.74x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2 8.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 2 Mcginness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 273.97x.

Place Total Index
Everton 2 273.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Kate 1
Margaret 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 Mcginness households.

Occupation Count
Charwoman 1
Laundress 1

FAQ

Mcginness surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcginness surname in 1881?

In 1881, 106 people were recorded with the Mcginness surname. That placed it at #19,083 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcginness surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016. That gives Mcginness a modern rank of #12,898.

What does the Mcginness surname mean?

A patronymic Irish surname meaning "son of Angus".

What does the Mcginness map show?

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