NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgovern

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mag Shamhráin, meaning "son of the summer-born" or "son of Samhrán."

In the 1881 census there were 1,114 people recorded with the Mcgovern surname, ranking it #3,580 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,868, ranked #1,389, up from #3,580 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Niddrie and Springburn East and Cowlairs.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgovern is 4,964 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 337.0%.

1881 census count

1,114

Ranked #3,580

Modern count

4,868

2016, ranked #1,389

Peak year

2010

4,964 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgovern had 1,114 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,580 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,868 in 2016, ranked #1,389.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,713 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcgovern surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgovern surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgovern 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 258 #8,568
1861 historical 511 #5,121
1881 historical 1,114 #3,580
1891 historical 1,211 #3,544
1901 historical 1,713 #3,013
1911 historical 863 #5,145
1997 modern 4,456 #1,475
1998 modern 4,666 #1,458
1999 modern 4,687 #1,463
2000 modern 4,674 #1,457
2001 modern 4,587 #1,454
2002 modern 4,726 #1,445
2003 modern 4,617 #1,442
2004 modern 4,631 #1,433
2005 modern 4,610 #1,418
2006 modern 4,575 #1,434
2007 modern 4,660 #1,413
2008 modern 4,691 #1,415
2009 modern 4,794 #1,419
2010 modern 4,964 #1,402
2011 modern 4,881 #1,406
2012 modern 4,766 #1,410
2013 modern 4,873 #1,405
2014 modern 4,915 #1,399
2015 modern 4,863 #1,398
2016 modern 4,868 #1,389

Geography

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Where Mcgoverns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, 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 Cheshire West and Chester, Niddrie, Springburn East and Cowlairs, Springburn and Pollok North and East. 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 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 044 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Niddrie City of Edinburgh
3 Springburn East and Cowlairs Glasgow City
4 Springburn Glasgow City
5 Pollok North and East Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgovern

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgovern

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Mcgovern 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

Mcgovern 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgovern

The surname McGovern is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Gobhann, meaning "son of the smith." It is believed to have originated in the 10th or 11th century in various parts of Ireland, particularly in counties such as Down, Armagh, and Fermanagh.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The entry for the year 1142 mentions a "Maelcobha Mac Gabhann," which is believed to be an early spelling of the name McGovern.

The name McGovern has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest was Donnchadh Mór Mac Gabhann, a 14th-century Irish chieftain who ruled over parts of what is now County Fermanagh. Another prominent bearer of the name was Reverend John McGovern (1722-1799), an Irish Catholic priest who played a significant role in the establishment of the Diocese of Baltimore in the United States.

In the 19th century, James McGovern (1822-1911) was a prominent Irish-American businessman and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut. Francis E. McGovern (1866-1946), born in Ireland, was a United States Army officer who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Philippine-American War.

One of the most well-known McGoverns of the 20th century was George S. McGovern (1922-2012), a United States Senator from South Dakota and the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 1972 election. He was a prominent advocate for social justice and anti-war causes.

While the surname McGovern has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among others. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply intertwined with Irish culture and history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgovern families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgovern 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 35 Mcgoverns recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.93x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 35 3.93x
Cheshire 13 7.84x
Yorkshire 9 1.21x
Cumberland 4 6.19x
Essex 4 2.70x
Glamorgan 3 2.29x
Derbyshire 2 1.70x
Hampshire 2 1.30x
Denbighshire 1 3.52x
Middlesex 1 0.13x
Northumberland 1 0.89x
Somerset 1 0.83x
Surrey 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kearsley in Lancashire leads with 8 Mcgoverns recorded in 1881 and an index of 425.53x.

Place Total Index
Kearsley 8 425.53x
Congleton 7 244.76x
Halifax 6 54.89x
Kirkdale 6 40.03x
Liverpool 6 11.08x
Ormskirk 4 233.92x
Walton On Hill 4 82.82x
West Ham 4 12.22x
Caldewgate 3 84.75x
Hulme 3 16.12x
Manchester 3 7.49x
Stockport 3 35.17x
Swansea St Thomas 3 229.01x
Glossop Dale 2 36.30x
Liscard 2 66.89x
Abergele 1 121.95x
Aldershot 1 19.38x
Bedminster 1 8.80x
Brightside Bierlow 1 6.85x
Bromley London 1 6.05x
Cleator 1 37.17x
Lambeth 1 1.53x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 14.99x
Normanby In 1 50.25x
Northwich 1 384.62x
Portsmouth 1 28.25x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 1 28.90x
West Derby 1 3.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Margaret 3
Ann 2
Catherine 2
Josephine 2
Margt. 2
Maria 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Fanney 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Matilda 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Mcgovern surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgovern surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,114 people were recorded with the Mcgovern surname. That placed it at #3,580 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgovern surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,868 in 2016. That gives Mcgovern a modern rank of #1,389.

What does the Mcgovern surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mag Shamhráin, meaning "son of the summer-born" or "son of Samhrán."

What does the Mcgovern map show?

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