NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcglinchey

A Gaelic surname possibly meaning "son of the wry one" or having wry features.

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Mcglinchey surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 977, ranked #5,911, up from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ibrox East and Cessnock, Coventry and IZ06.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcglinchey is 988 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1854.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

977

2016, ranked #5,911

Peak year

2010

988 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcglinchey had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 977 in 2016, ranked #5,911.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 131 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcglinchey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcglinchey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcglinchey 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 41 #28,839
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 88 #25,677
1901 historical 131 #19,552
1911 historical 25 #30,654
1997 modern 877 #6,087
1998 modern 892 #6,203
1999 modern 903 #6,189
2000 modern 909 #6,133
2001 modern 885 #6,151
2002 modern 898 #6,207
2003 modern 865 #6,255
2004 modern 876 #6,220
2005 modern 890 #6,076
2006 modern 898 #6,056
2007 modern 899 #6,091
2008 modern 946 #5,901
2009 modern 966 #5,924
2010 modern 988 #5,929
2011 modern 964 #5,992
2012 modern 942 #6,026
2013 modern 969 #5,972
2014 modern 981 #5,950
2015 modern 980 #5,907
2016 modern 977 #5,911

Geography

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Where Mcglincheys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Greenock, Glasgow and Woolwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ibrox East and Cessnock, Coventry, IZ06, Leeds and North Barlanark and Easterhouse South. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Woolwich London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ibrox East and Cessnock Glasgow City
2 Coventry 043 Coventry
3 IZ06 West Dunbartonshire
4 Leeds 033 Leeds
5 North Barlanark and Easterhouse South Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcglinchey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcglinchey

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

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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

Mcglinchey is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mcglinchey

The surname McGlinchey originates from Ireland and is a variant of the Gaelic name Mac Glinne. It is believed to have derived from the words "mac" meaning son and "glinne" meaning valley or glen. The name likely originated in areas of Ireland where valleys and glens were prominent geographical features.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Irish Annals, a collection of medieval manuscripts that chronicle the history of Ireland. In the Annals of Ulster, there is an entry from the year 1260 that mentions a "Gillespie McGlinchey" who was involved in a clan dispute.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the McGlinchey name was prominent in County Donegal, particularly in the baronies of Raphoe and Kilmacrenan. Several McGlinchey families were recorded as landowners and tenants in the Plantation of Ulster, a planned process of colonization carried out by the English Crown in the early 17th century.

One of the earliest notable figures with the McGlinchey surname was Niall McGlinchey, a 17th-century Irish soldier who fought in the Confederate Wars. He was born around 1620 in County Donegal and served as a captain in the Confederate Catholic forces during the Irish Confederate War (1641-1653).

Another historical figure was Patrick McGlinchey (1695-1781), an Irish Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Derry from 1744 until his death. He was a prominent figure in the Irish Catholic Church during a time of religious persecution and played a significant role in preserving the faith in his diocese.

In the 19th century, John McGlinchey (1817-1899) was a prominent Irish politician and journalist. He was born in County Donegal and became involved in the Irish nationalist movement, serving as a Member of Parliament for the Irish Parliamentary Party from 1874 to 1880.

Mary McGlinchey (1860-1944) was a renowned Irish historian and writer. She was born in County Donegal and authored several books on the history and folklore of the region, including "The Folk-Tales of Donegal" and "The Glens of Donegal."

During the 20th century, Donal McGlinchey (1919-2003) was a prominent Irish politician and member of the Irish Labour Party. He served as a member of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Irish parliament) for several terms and was also a member of the European Parliament from 1979 to 1984.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mcglinchey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcglinchey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Mcglinchey surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcglinchey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 977 in 2016. That gives Mcglinchey a modern rank of #5,911.

What does the Mcglinchey surname mean?

A Gaelic surname possibly meaning "son of the wry one" or having wry features.

What does the Mcglinchey map show?

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