NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcgurty

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mag Oireachtaigh meaning "son of Oireachtach".

In the 1881 census there were 25 people recorded with the Mcgurty surname, ranking it #30,077 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 167, ranked #22,055, up from #30,077 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Glens, Logie and Blackness and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcgurty is 168 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 568.0%.

1881 census count

25

Ranked #30,077

Modern count

167

2016, ranked #22,055

Peak year

2015

168 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcgurty had 25 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,077 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 167 in 2016, ranked #22,055.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 54 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcgurty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcgurty surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcgurty 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 40 #28,970
1881 historical 25 #30,077
1891 historical 54 #29,849
1901 historical 52 #28,377
1911 historical 52 #27,620
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 131 #23,495
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 125 #24,351
2001 modern 115 #25,222
2002 modern 125 #24,492
2003 modern 124 #24,378
2004 modern 132 #23,625
2005 modern 135 #23,297
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 139 #23,377
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 150 #22,937
2010 modern 155 #22,985
2011 modern 155 #22,790
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 151 #23,529
2014 modern 165 #22,356
2015 modern 168 #21,971
2016 modern 167 #22,055

Geography

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Where Mcgurtys 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 The Glens, Logie and Blackness, Blackburn with Darwen and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 The Glens Dundee City
2 Logie and Blackness Dundee City
3 Blackburn with Darwen 010 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
5 Cheshire West and Chester 042 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcgurty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcgurty

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mcgurty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcgurty household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mcgurty is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcgurty is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcgurty 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 Mcgurty is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcgurty

The surname McGurty originated in Ireland, likely emerging sometime in the 16th or 17th century. It is believed to be an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name "MacGiollRuaidh," which translates to "son of the red-haired lad."

The name's roots can be traced back to County Sligo in the northwestern region of Ireland. This area was historically inhabited by the Uí Briúin Aí, a powerful clan that ruled over parts of Connacht. It's possible that the McGurtys were descendants of this clan or had some association with them.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Fiants of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, a collection of official documents from the 16th century. In these records, a "Patrick McGurty" is mentioned as holding land in County Sligo around the year 1590.

In the 17th century, during the plantation of Ulster, many Irish families were forced to relocate or had their lands confiscated. This likely contributed to the spread of the McGurty name to other parts of Ireland and beyond.

Notable individuals with the surname McGurty include:

1. John McGurty (1771-1845), an Irish politician and member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for the constituency of County Sligo from 1805 to 1812.

2. Michael McGurty (1820-1897), an Irish-American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Brooklyn, New York, from 1865 to 1867.

3. Patrick McGurty (1860-1924), an Irish-born American labor leader and journalist who advocated for workers' rights in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

4. Mary McGurty (1875-1955), an Irish-American philanthropist and socialite who was influential in the arts and cultural scene of early 20th-century New York City.

5. Thomas McGurty (1890-1968), an Irish-Australian trade unionist and politician who served as a member of the Australian Senate from 1949 to 1962, representing the Labor Party.

While the McGurty name has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by emigrants and their descendants. However, the name's origins can be traced back to the red-haired lads of County Sligo, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcgurty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcgurty 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 10 Mcgurtys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.66x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 10 8.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Derby in Lancashire leads with 10 Mcgurtys recorded in 1881 and an index of 295.86x.

Place Total Index
West Derby 10 295.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Ann 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Hugh 2
John 2
Bernard 1
James 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 Mcgurty households.

FAQ

Mcgurty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcgurty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 25 people were recorded with the Mcgurty surname. That placed it at #30,077 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcgurty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 167 in 2016. That gives Mcgurty a modern rank of #22,055.

What does the Mcgurty surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mag Oireachtaigh meaning "son of Oireachtach".

What does the Mcgurty map show?

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