NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgourty

Derived from the Irish Gaelic surname 'Mac Ghiobúin' referring to someone descended from an ancestor named 'Giobún'.

In the 1881 census there were 34 people recorded with the Mcgourty surname, ranking it #28,837 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 163, ranked #22,407, up from #28,837 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kinross, Malvern Hills and Kirkcaldy Raith.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgourty is 188 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 379.4%.

1881 census count

34

Ranked #28,837

Modern count

163

2016, ranked #22,407

Peak year

1999

188 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgourty had 34 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,837 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016, ranked #22,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 88 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mcgourty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgourty surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mcgourty 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 20 #29,743
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 34 #28,837
1891 historical 80 #26,785
1901 historical 88 #24,270
1911 historical 22 #31,030
1997 modern 170 #19,505
1998 modern 176 #19,584
1999 modern 188 #18,931
2000 modern 178 #19,570
2001 modern 169 #19,912
2002 modern 171 #20,177
2003 modern 170 #20,023
2004 modern 169 #20,206
2005 modern 162 #20,716
2006 modern 156 #21,399
2007 modern 163 #21,050
2008 modern 162 #21,350
2009 modern 175 #20,707
2010 modern 173 #21,327
2011 modern 158 #22,473
2012 modern 157 #22,551
2013 modern 153 #23,314
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 155 #23,194
2016 modern 163 #22,407

Geography

Back to top

Where Mcgourtys 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 Kinross, Malvern Hills, Kirkcaldy Raith, Coltness and Hareleeshill. 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 Kinross Perth and Kinross
2 Malvern Hills 011 Malvern Hills
3 Kirkcaldy Raith Fife
4 Coltness North Lanarkshire
5 Hareleeshill South Lanarkshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mcgourty

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mcgourty

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Mcgourty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mcgourty household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Mcgourty is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Mcgourty is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgourty

The surname McGourty is of Irish origin, originating in the early 17th century. It is believed to have originated in the northern Irish counties of Donegal and Tyrone. The name is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic surname "Mag Oireachtaigh," which means "son of Oireachtach."

Oireachtach is thought to be a personal name derived from the Irish word "oireacht," meaning "inheritance" or "patrimony." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who had inherited a significant amount of property or land.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Hearth Money Rolls of 1663-1665, which were a form of tax records from the time. The spelling variations found in these records include "McGogherty," "McGugherty," and "McGurghertie."

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name was Patrick McGourty, who was born in County Donegal in the late 17th century. He is mentioned in the parish records of Raphoe, County Donegal, in 1692.

Another notable individual was Brigadier General James McGourty, an Irish soldier who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in County Tyrone in 1768 and fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

In the 19th century, the name McGourty was found in various parts of Ireland, particularly in the counties of Donegal, Tyrone, and Derry. One notable individual from this time was John McGourty, a prominent businessman and landowner in County Donegal, who was born in 1820.

The name McGourty is also associated with the Irish diaspora, as many individuals with this surname emigrated to other parts of the world, particularly to North America and Australia, in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

One notable individual from this period was Michael McGourty, an Irish-American labor leader and activist who was born in County Donegal in 1855 and later immigrated to the United States, where he became a prominent figure in the labor movement.

Another individual of note was Thomas McGourty, an Australian politician and businessman who was born in County Donegal in 1852 and later emigrated to Australia, where he became a successful businessman and served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mcgourty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgourty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 34 people were recorded with the Mcgourty surname. That placed it at #28,837 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgourty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016. That gives Mcgourty a modern rank of #22,407.

What does the Mcgourty surname mean?

Derived from the Irish Gaelic surname 'Mac Ghiobúin' referring to someone descended from an ancestor named 'Giobún'.

What does the Mcgourty map show?

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