NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgivney

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Giobhunnaigh, meaning "son of the restless one".

In the 1881 census there were 12 people recorded with the Mcgivney surname, ranking it #31,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 159, ranked #22,798, up from #31,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochdale, Brent and Ealing.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgivney is 162 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1225.0%.

1881 census count

12

Ranked #31,914

Modern count

159

2016, ranked #22,798

Peak year

2014

162 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgivney had 12 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016, ranked #22,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 26 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Mcgivney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgivney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgivney 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 4 #32,658
1861 historical 2 #34,135
1881 historical 12 #31,914
1891 historical 16 #32,868
1901 historical 26 #31,152
1911 historical 8 #32,903
1997 modern 141 #21,941
1998 modern 150 #21,665
1999 modern 144 #22,405
2000 modern 136 #23,155
2001 modern 136 #22,855
2002 modern 140 #22,876
2003 modern 139 #22,734
2004 modern 139 #22,891
2005 modern 135 #23,297
2006 modern 133 #23,711
2007 modern 135 #23,824
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 143 #23,686
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 148 #23,520
2012 modern 150 #23,264
2013 modern 158 #22,817
2014 modern 162 #22,624
2015 modern 154 #23,306
2016 modern 159 #22,798

Geography

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Where Mcgivneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rochdale, Brent, Ealing, Dudley and Cardiff. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rochdale 010 Rochdale
2 Brent 015 Brent
3 Ealing 035 Ealing
4 Dudley 038 Dudley
5 Cardiff 016 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgivney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgivney

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Mcgivney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Mcgivney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Mcgivney 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

Mcgivney is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcgivney 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 Mcgivney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgivney

The surname MCGIVNEY is of Scottish origin, tracing its roots back to the late 15th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "MacGiobhannain," which means "son of the servant or devotee of St. Finnan." The name is associated with the western Scottish Highlands, particularly the regions of Argyll and the Hebrides islands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Black Book of Taymouth, a 16th-century manuscript that chronicles the history of the Campbells of Glenorchy. In this document, a certain "John McGibnay" is mentioned as a witness to a land transaction in the year 1527.

The MCGIVNEY name has also been linked to various place names in Scotland, such as the isle of Gigha, which was historically known as "Gighay" or "Gigha-innis." It's believed that some early bearers of the MCGIVNEY surname may have hailed from or been associated with this island.

Among the notable individuals with the MCGIVNEY surname throughout history are:

1. John McGivney (1828-1890), an Irish-American Catholic priest who founded the Knights of Columbus, a prominent fraternal organization, in 1882.

2. William McGivney (1834-1903), a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the electoral district of Kootenay in British Columbia from 1896 to 1900.

3. Patrick McGivney (1856-1927), an Irish-American Catholic priest and author who wrote extensively on the history of the Catholic Church in the United States.

4. Ross McGivney (1885-1962), an American baseball player who played in the major leagues for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox in the early 1900s.

5. Margaret McGivney (1922-2017), an American author and historian who specialized in the history of the American West and the lives of Native American women.

The MCGIVNEY name has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including McGivney, McGivnie, McGiveny, McGiveny, and McGivonie, among others. However, MCGIVNEY remains the most commonly used spelling of this Scottish surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgivney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgivney 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 Mcgivneys 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. Kirkdale in Lancashire leads with 2 Mcgivneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 526.32x.

Place Total Index
Kirkdale 2 526.32x

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 1
John 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 Mcgivney households.

FAQ

Mcgivney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgivney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12 people were recorded with the Mcgivney surname. That placed it at #31,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgivney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016. That gives Mcgivney a modern rank of #22,798.

What does the Mcgivney surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Giobhunnaigh, meaning "son of the restless one".

What does the Mcgivney map show?

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