NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgough

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mag Eochaidh," meaning "son of Eochaidh" (a personal name).

In the 1881 census there were 585 people recorded with the Mcgough surname, ranking it #5,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,122, ranked #5,252, up from #5,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Stockport and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Burnley, County Durham and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgough is 1,136 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 91.8%.

1881 census count

585

Ranked #5,965

Modern count

1,122

2016, ranked #5,252

Peak year

2011

1,136 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgough had 585 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,122 in 2016, ranked #5,252.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 726 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcgough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgough surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgough 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 229 #9,390
1861 historical 309 #8,207
1881 historical 585 #5,965
1891 historical 535 #7,026
1901 historical 726 #6,102
1911 historical 661 #6,353
1997 modern 1,024 #5,378
1998 modern 1,081 #5,332
1999 modern 1,092 #5,315
2000 modern 1,067 #5,393
2001 modern 1,051 #5,365
2002 modern 1,074 #5,375
2003 modern 1,056 #5,359
2004 modern 1,062 #5,341
2005 modern 1,014 #5,484
2006 modern 1,030 #5,428
2007 modern 1,063 #5,329
2008 modern 1,064 #5,357
2009 modern 1,081 #5,397
2010 modern 1,122 #5,347
2011 modern 1,136 #5,235
2012 modern 1,120 #5,207
2013 modern 1,132 #5,243
2014 modern 1,135 #5,267
2015 modern 1,130 #5,230
2016 modern 1,122 #5,252

Geography

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Where Mcgoughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Stockport, Govan Combination, Glasgow and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Burnley, County Durham and Sunderland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Burnley 004 Burnley
2 County Durham 004 County Durham
3 Sunderland 027 Sunderland
4 Sunderland 028 Sunderland
5 County Durham 049 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgough

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

Mcgough 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

Mcgough 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 Mcgough is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgough

The surname McGough has its origins in Ireland and is a variant of the Gaelic name Mac Eochadha, meaning "son of Eochaidh". Eochaidh is derived from the Old Irish word "ech", meaning "horse". The name is thought to have originated in County Donegal, a region in the northwest of Ireland, where it was prevalent among the clans of that area.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century, where it appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In these annals, the name is spelled in various ways, including Mac Eochadha, Mac Eochaidh, and Mac Eochadh.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name was Niall Mac Eochadha, a prominent chieftain in County Donegal, who lived in the late 14th century. Another early bearer of the name was Domhnall Mac Eochadha, a renowned poet and scholar who flourished in the 16th century.

As the name spread beyond its original region, variations in spelling emerged, including McGough, McGow, and McGoo. Some of these variations were influenced by anglicization or adaptations to different regional dialects.

In the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, many McGoughs were dispossessed of their lands and scattered throughout Ireland and beyond. Some found their way to Scotland, where the name took on the form McGough or McGow.

A notable figure from this period was Eoghan McGough, a soldier who fought for the Confederate Catholics during the Irish Confederate Wars (1641-1653). He was later executed for his role in the conflict.

In the 18th century, the McGough name appeared in various parts of Ireland, with concentrations in counties like Donegal, Derry, and Tyrone. One prominent individual was Séamus McGough (1718-1788), a renowned Irish harper and composer.

As the Irish diaspora spread across the globe, the McGough name found its way to various corners of the world. In the 19th century, James McGough (1810-1889), an Irish-born author and journalist, made a name for himself in the United States, where he worked as a newspaper editor and published several books.

Another notable figure was Roger McGough (born 1937), an English poet, playwright, and children's author, who was part of the Liverpool literary scene in the 1960s and is widely regarded as one of Britain's most celebrated contemporary poets.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgough 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. Cumberland leads with 19 Mcgoughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.77x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 19 33.77x
Lancashire 11 1.42x
Yorkshire 11 1.70x
Derbyshire 8 7.82x
Durham 8 4.11x
Essex 3 2.33x
Cheshire 2 1.39x
Northumberland 2 2.06x
Isle of Man 1 8.24x
Middlesex 1 0.15x
Surrey 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caldewgate in Cumberland leads with 11 Mcgoughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 357.14x.

Place Total Index
Caldewgate 11 357.14x
Derby St Werburgh 8 135.36x
St Cuthbert Within 8 1230.77x
Leeds 6 16.41x
York St George 5 980.39x
Southwick 4 217.39x
Warrington 3 32.64x
West Ham 3 10.53x
Elswick 2 25.77x
Preston 2 9.64x
Stockport 2 26.95x
Wigan 2 18.45x
Braddan 1 151.52x
Esh 1 70.92x
Everton 1 4.05x
Heworth 1 26.11x
Lambeth 1 1.76x
Liverpool 1 2.12x
Manchester 1 2.87x
Newchurch 1 15.77x
St Giles Cripplegate 1 114.94x
West Herrington 1 147.06x
Wolsingham 1 56.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Catherine 4
Margaret 4
Bridget 2
Elizabeth 2
Rose 2
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Ellen 1
Jane 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 5
William 5
John 4
Michael 3
Patrick 3
Thomas 3
Edward 2
Henry 2
Angus 1
Barny 1
Bernard 1
Charles 1
Jos. 1
Matthew 1
Owen 1
Peter 1
W. 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 Mcgough households.

FAQ

Mcgough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 585 people were recorded with the Mcgough surname. That placed it at #5,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,122 in 2016. That gives Mcgough a modern rank of #5,252.

What does the Mcgough surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mag Eochaidh," meaning "son of Eochaidh" (a personal name).

What does the Mcgough map show?

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