NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgrath

A surname of Irish origin meaning "son of Grath" or "son of the nobleman."

In the 1881 census there were 3,221 people recorded with the Mcgrath surname, ranking it #1,404 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10,855, ranked #595, up from #1,404 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Kensington and Chelsea and Harthill and Salsburgh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgrath is 11,063 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 237.0%.

1881 census count

3,221

Ranked #1,404

Modern count

10,855

2016, ranked #595

Peak year

2010

11,063 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgrath had 3,221 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,404 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 10,855 in 2016, ranked #595.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,361 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcgrath surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgrath surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgrath 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 868 #3,138
1861 historical 1,502 #1,882
1881 historical 3,221 #1,404
1891 historical 3,480 #1,370
1901 historical 4,361 #1,301
1911 historical 3,601 #1,451
1997 modern 10,082 #610
1998 modern 10,572 #603
1999 modern 10,681 #603
2000 modern 10,637 #602
2001 modern 10,386 #603
2002 modern 10,674 #598
2003 modern 10,437 #598
2004 modern 10,379 #604
2005 modern 10,292 #607
2006 modern 10,296 #606
2007 modern 10,422 #603
2008 modern 10,448 #606
2009 modern 10,722 #603
2010 modern 11,063 #599
2011 modern 10,894 #600
2012 modern 10,677 #599
2013 modern 10,925 #598
2014 modern 10,989 #597
2015 modern 10,836 #598
2016 modern 10,855 #595

Geography

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Where Mcgraths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Kensington and Chelsea, Harthill and Salsburgh, Pembrokeshire and County Durham. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig Inverclyde
2 Kensington and Chelsea 003 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Harthill and Salsburgh North Lanarkshire
4 Pembrokeshire 016 Pembrokeshire
5 County Durham 045 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgrath

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgrath

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

Mcgrath 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgrath

The surname MCGRATH is of Irish origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "gráth" meaning "grace" or "favor." The name was originally spelled as MacGraith or MacGrath and was anglicized to its current spelling over time.

The MCGRATH surname is believed to have originated in County Tipperary, Ireland, where it was prominent among the ruling families of the region. The name is closely associated with the Ely O'Carroll territory, which encompassed parts of modern-day counties Tipperary, Offaly, and King's County (now Laois).

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the MCGRATH name can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history written by monks at the Inisfallen Abbey in County Kerry. The annals mention a "Muircheartach Mac Gráith" who was the Chief Poet of Munster in the year 1151.

In the 16th century, a branch of the MCGRATH family settled in County Cork, where they became prominent landowners and held the hereditary title of "White Knights." One notable member of this branch was Sir John McGrath (c. 1555-1624), who was knighted by King James I of England for his service in the Irish wars.

Another significant figure in MCGRATH history was Theobald McGrath (c. 1575-1637), an Irish Catholic priest who served as Bishop of Clogher and later converted to Protestantism. He played a prominent role in the Reformation in Ireland and was involved in the translation of the Bible into Irish.

In the 18th century, a MCGRATH family from County Tipperary emigrated to the American colonies and settled in Pennsylvania. One of their descendants, John McGrath (1792-1867), became a prominent businessman and landowner in western Pennsylvania.

Other notable individuals with the surname MCGRATH include:

1. John Joseph McGrath (1871-1934), an American prelate who served as Bishop of Trenton, New Jersey. 2. Thomas McGrath (1916-1990), an American poet and political activist known for his contributions to the Objectivist and Beat poetry movements. 3. Declan McGrath (1925-2004), an Irish actor and playwright best known for his roles in films like "The Quiet Man" and "Ryan's Daughter." 4. Paul McGrath (born 1959), a former professional football player from Ireland who played for various clubs, including Manchester United and Aston Villa. 5. Amanda McGrath (born 1973), an Australian actress and singer who has appeared in various television shows and stage productions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgrath families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgrath 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 177 Mcgraths recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.23x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 177 3.23x
Yorkshire 71 1.55x
Middlesex 48 1.04x
Surrey 27 1.20x
Glamorgan 21 2.61x
Kent 15 0.95x
Cumberland 13 3.27x
Northumberland 13 1.89x
Durham 9 0.66x
Hampshire 9 0.95x
Staffordshire 9 0.58x
Cheshire 7 0.69x
Derbyshire 7 0.97x
Essex 7 0.77x
Gloucestershire 7 0.77x
Sussex 7 0.90x
Devon 6 0.62x
Flintshire 6 4.84x
Renfrewshire 3 0.84x
Anglesey 2 2.45x
Cornwall 2 0.38x
Denbighshire 2 1.15x
Somerset 2 0.27x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.23x
Shropshire 1 0.25x
Worcestershire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 46 Mcgraths recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.83x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 46 13.83x
Manchester 21 8.53x
Kirkdale 17 18.46x
Leeds 17 6.58x
West Derby 17 10.61x
Battersea 14 8.25x
Salford 14 8.69x
Bradford 11 9.94x
Gorton 10 19.43x
Merthyr Tydfil 8 10.36x
Seaton Delaval 8 132.67x
St Luke London 8 10.81x
St Marylebone London 8 3.25x
Dewsbury 7 14.93x
St George Hanover 7 11.62x
Toxteth Park 7 3.78x
Wortley In Bramley 7 19.33x
Birkenhead 6 7.39x
Cheetham 6 14.69x
St Cuthbert W O 6 30.99x
Wolstanton 6 12.69x
Barnsley 5 10.60x
Cardiff St Mary 5 11.30x
Chatham 5 11.54x
Clifton 5 10.93x
Flint 5 71.02x
Lambeth 5 1.24x
Middleton In Oldham 5 30.45x
Oldham 5 2.83x
Brighton 4 2.55x
Derby St Werburgh 4 9.59x
Everton 4 2.29x
Gate Fulford 4 37.45x
Islington London 4 0.89x
Llantwit Lower 4 56.66x
Middlesbrough 4 6.72x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 9.76x
Portsea 4 2.16x
Springfield 4 100.25x
St Pancras London 4 1.08x
Stoke 4 37.70x
Swansea Town 4 6.07x
Thornaby 4 23.42x
Wigan 4 5.23x
York St Margaret 4 140.85x
Aldershot 3 9.47x
Cleator 3 18.15x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.47x
Exeter St Mary Major 3 51.81x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 18.07x
Heworth 3 11.09x
Inverkip 3 35.59x
Ratcliffe London 3 11.77x
St George In East 3 9.56x
Whitehaven 3 14.17x
Alfreton 2 9.11x
Barrow In Furness 2 2.69x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 4.85x
Bathwick 2 24.33x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.70x
Cleckheaton 2 11.88x
Colchester St Nicholas 2 243.90x
Darenth 2 82.30x
Holyhead 2 13.11x
Hulme 2 1.75x
Lidford 2 46.40x
Limehouse London 2 3.95x
Little Bolton 2 2.84x
Lymington 2 28.78x
Maker 2 41.41x
Milton In Gravesend 2 8.47x
Moss Side 2 6.94x
Ruthin 2 112.36x
Sheffield 2 1.37x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 2 12.69x
Worsley 2 5.93x
Brightside Bierlow 1 1.12x
Epsom 1 9.12x
Kingswinford 1 1.77x
Southwick 1 7.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 53
Margaret 18
Catherine 14
Ellen 13
Bridget 10
Jane 8
Kate 8
Ann 5
Elizabeth 5
Alice 4
Caroline 4
Eliza 4
Louisa 4
Sarah 4
Emily 3
Martha 3
Susan 3
Annie 2
E. 2
Eleanor 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Lizzie 2
Mabel 2
Margt. 2
Maria 2
Rose 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Charlott 1
Constantine 1
Dora 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Geraldine 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Hanora 1
Honora 1
Honorah 1
Isabella 1
J. 1
Katey 1
Lillian 1
M.A. 1
Margrat 1
Margreat 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 40
Thomas 29
James 27
Patrick 20
William 18
Michael 15
Edward 13
Henry 6
Charles 5
Martin 5
Richard 5
Peter 4
Francis 3
George 3
Hugh 3
Timothy 3
Wm. 3
Arthur 2
C. 2
Cornelius 2
Daniel 2
Dennis 2
J. 2
Jno 2
Mark 2
Willie 2
Barney 1
Bernard 1
Bryan 1
Denis 1
Edwd. 1
Geo.Fredk.Whyte 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Laurence 1
Luke 1
Matthew 1
Micheal 1
Mortimer 1
Moses 1
Nichol 1
Pat 1
Percival 1
Philip 1
Pierce 1
Robert 1
Robt.A. 1
Saml. 1

FAQ

Mcgrath surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgrath surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,221 people were recorded with the Mcgrath surname. That placed it at #1,404 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgrath surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 10,855 in 2016. That gives Mcgrath a modern rank of #595.

What does the Mcgrath surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin meaning "son of Grath" or "son of the nobleman."

What does the Mcgrath map show?

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