NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcginnis

Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Aonghusa, meaning "son of Angus," a personal name meaning "unique strength."

In the 1881 census there were 217 people recorded with the Mcginnis surname, ranking it #12,188 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 465, ranked #10,558, up from #12,188 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dalziel, Govan Combination and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fankerton, Stoneywood and Denny Town, Erewash and Stobswell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcginnis is 465 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 114.3%.

1881 census count

217

Ranked #12,188

Modern count

465

2016, ranked #10,558

Peak year

2016

465 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcginnis had 217 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,188 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 465 in 2016, ranked #10,558.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 346 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcginnis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcginnis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcginnis 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 346 #6,798
1861 historical 279 #8,979
1881 historical 217 #12,188
1891 historical 233 #13,392
1901 historical 231 #13,805
1911 historical 22 #31,030
1997 modern 353 #12,096
1998 modern 362 #12,259
1999 modern 374 #12,026
2000 modern 388 #11,664
2001 modern 387 #11,484
2002 modern 395 #11,542
2003 modern 400 #11,262
2004 modern 416 #10,963
2005 modern 435 #10,480
2006 modern 428 #10,659
2007 modern 417 #11,001
2008 modern 425 #10,934
2009 modern 442 #10,844
2010 modern 461 #10,701
2011 modern 442 #10,942
2012 modern 440 #10,849
2013 modern 457 #10,705
2014 modern 451 #10,882
2015 modern 448 #10,854
2016 modern 465 #10,558

Geography

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Where Mcginnis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dalziel, Govan Combination, Manchester, 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 Fankerton, Stoneywood and Denny Town, Erewash, Stobswell, Lochee and Arbroath Landward. 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 Dalziel Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fankerton, Stoneywood and Denny Town Falkirk
2 Erewash 003 Erewash
3 Stobswell Dundee City
4 Lochee Dundee City
5 Arbroath Landward Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcginnis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcginnis

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

Read profile summary

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

Mcginnis is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcginnis 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 Mcginnis is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcginnis

The surname McGinnis has its origins in Ireland and Scotland, with roots dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Muinneachan," which means "son of the monk" or "monkish one." It is believed to have originated in the regions of Ulster and Argyll.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history written in the early 17th century. The name appears as "MacMuinneachan" in this historical document.

In Scotland, the surname McGinnis is often associated with the clan MacInnes, a branch of the larger Clan Donald. The MacInnes clan was prominent in the Hebrides and the western Highlands of Scotland.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, many Irish and Scottish settlers bearing the name McGinnis migrated to the Americas, particularly to the United States and Canada. This led to the establishment of various branches of the McGinnis family across North America.

Notable individuals with the surname McGinnis include:

1. John Joseph McGinnis (1828-1902), an Irish-American Catholic priest and founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia, Kansas. 2. William McGinnis (1805-1865), an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Representative from Ohio. 3. Catherine McGinnis (1857-1933), an Irish-American educator and writer who founded the McGinnis School in New York City. 4. Michael McGinnis (1892-1962), an American professional baseball player who played as an outfielder in the Major Leagues. 5. John McGinnis (1953-), an American legal scholar and professor at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.

The surname McGinnis has also been associated with various place names and geographical locations, such as McGinnis Creek in Montana, McGinnis Slough in Oregon, and McGinnis Lake in British Columbia, Canada.

While the name has evolved over time, with variations like McGinness and MacGuinness, the core meaning and origins remain rooted in the Gaelic heritage of Ireland and Scotland, reflecting the rich cultural tapestry of these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcginnis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcginnis 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 18 Mcginnis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.19x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 18 5.19x
Cornwall 3 9.06x
Staffordshire 3 3.04x
Cumberland 2 7.94x
Kent 2 2.00x
Durham 1 1.15x
Glamorgan 1 1.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 16 Mcginnis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 75.94x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 16 75.94x
Paul 3 500.00x
Tutbury 3 1250.00x
Everton 2 18.08x
St Cuthbert W O 2 162.60x
Cardiff St Mary 1 35.71x
Gillingham 1 48.54x
Harton 1 294.12x
Walmer 1 232.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Jane 3
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Bridget 1
Cecelia 1
Margret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
William 3
Felix 2
Philip 2
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
James 1
Joseph 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 Mcginnis households.

FAQ

Mcginnis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcginnis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 217 people were recorded with the Mcginnis surname. That placed it at #12,188 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcginnis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 465 in 2016. That gives Mcginnis a modern rank of #10,558.

What does the Mcginnis surname mean?

Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Aonghusa, meaning "son of Angus," a personal name meaning "unique strength."

What does the Mcginnis map show?

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