NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgreevy

Anglicized form of Gaelic Mag Riabhaigh, meaning "son of Riabhach," a nickname for a gray-haired or grizzled man.

In the 1881 census there were 95 people recorded with the Mcgreevy surname, ranking it #20,349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 795, ranked #6,958, up from #20,349 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Govan Combination and Poulton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craigmillar, Corby and Govan and Linthouse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgreevy is 834 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 736.8%.

1881 census count

95

Ranked #20,349

Modern count

795

2016, ranked #6,958

Peak year

2010

834 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgreevy had 95 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,349 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 795 in 2016, ranked #6,958.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 178 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcgreevy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgreevy surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgreevy 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1881 historical 95 #20,349
1891 historical 131 #20,073
1901 historical 154 #17,775
1911 historical 178 #16,073
1997 modern 746 #6,912
1998 modern 792 #6,807
1999 modern 806 #6,749
2000 modern 817 #6,664
2001 modern 798 #6,662
2002 modern 797 #6,794
2003 modern 788 #6,731
2004 modern 771 #6,872
2005 modern 762 #6,870
2006 modern 767 #6,864
2007 modern 765 #6,947
2008 modern 781 #6,886
2009 modern 824 #6,718
2010 modern 834 #6,795
2011 modern 803 #6,927
2012 modern 789 #6,917
2013 modern 794 #7,005
2014 modern 803 #6,983
2015 modern 790 #7,007
2016 modern 795 #6,958

Geography

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Where Mcgreevys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Craigmillar, Corby, Govan and Linthouse, Knowsley and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Poulton Lancashire
4 Long Benton Northumberland
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craigmillar City of Edinburgh
2 Corby 002 Corby
3 Govan and Linthouse Glasgow City
4 Knowsley 005 Knowsley
5 Stoke-on-Trent 005 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgreevy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgreevy

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mcgreevy is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mcgreevy is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgreevy

The surname McGreevy originated in Ireland and is derived from the Gaelic personal name Grí-ḟa, which means "griffin valor." It is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Mac Ghriogóra.

The McGreevy family name is believed to have been first established in County Fermanagh, Ulster Province, in the northern part of Ireland. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 16th century in this region.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Tadhg McGreevy, who was born around 1550 in County Fermanagh. He was a prominent landowner and chieftain of the McGreevy clan during the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the McGreevy name appeared in various records and manuscripts, including the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns and the Civil Survey of County Fermanagh, which documented landholdings and property ownership in the area.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the McGreevy family continued to play a significant role in the history of County Fermanagh and the surrounding regions. Notable individuals from this time period include:

1. Patrick McGreevy (1720-1798), a wealthy landowner and member of the Irish Parliament. 2. Edmond McGreevy (1765-1842), a prominent Catholic priest and educator. 3. John McGreevy (1812-1890), a successful businessman and philanthropist in County Fermanagh.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many McGreevy families emigrated from Ireland to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. Some notable individuals from this era include:

1. Thomas McGreevy (1868-1939), a Canadian politician and businessman from Quebec. 2. Mary McGreevy (1872-1955), an Irish-American author and journalist born in County Fermanagh.

Over the centuries, variations in the spelling of the McGreevy surname have emerged, such as McGrivy, McGrivey, and McGreevey. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the Irish Gaelic tradition.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgreevy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgreevy 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 18 Mcgreevys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.45x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 18 4.45x
Northumberland 10 19.70x
Derbyshire 5 9.36x
Durham 2 1.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Thornton In Fylde in Lancashire leads with 10 Mcgreevys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1123.60x.

Place Total Index
Thornton In Fylde 10 1123.60x
Longbenton 9 418.60x
Kirkdale 8 117.47x
Ludworth 5 2000.00x
Ryhope 2 285.71x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 33.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Sarah 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Jane 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Marie 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 3
Hugh 2
John 2
Joseph 2
Corneilous 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
George 1
James 1
Jas. 1
Michel 1
Patric 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Richard 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 Mcgreevy households.

FAQ

Mcgreevy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgreevy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 95 people were recorded with the Mcgreevy surname. That placed it at #20,349 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgreevy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 795 in 2016. That gives Mcgreevy a modern rank of #6,958.

What does the Mcgreevy surname mean?

Anglicized form of Gaelic Mag Riabhaigh, meaning "son of Riabhach," a nickname for a gray-haired or grizzled man.

What does the Mcgreevy map show?

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