NameCensus.

UK surname

Mchenry

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Éinrí," meaning "son of Henry."

In the 1881 census there were 169 people recorded with the Mchenry surname, ranking it #14,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 495, ranked #10,052, up from #14,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirkcudbright, Stockport and Airdrie North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mchenry is 506 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 192.9%.

1881 census count

169

Ranked #14,324

Modern count

495

2016, ranked #10,052

Peak year

2000

506 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mchenry had 169 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 495 in 2016, ranked #10,052.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 273 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Mchenry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mchenry surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mchenry 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 89 #18,446
1861 historical 184 #12,856
1881 historical 169 #14,324
1891 historical 239 #13,173
1901 historical 273 #12,409
1911 historical 249 #12,951
1997 modern 489 #9,453
1998 modern 499 #9,600
1999 modern 496 #9,713
2000 modern 506 #9,541
2001 modern 493 #9,574
2002 modern 505 #9,563
2003 modern 485 #9,701
2004 modern 481 #9,779
2005 modern 479 #9,737
2006 modern 479 #9,788
2007 modern 470 #10,012
2008 modern 472 #10,074
2009 modern 486 #10,069
2010 modern 502 #10,029
2011 modern 501 #9,938
2012 modern 483 #10,116
2013 modern 487 #10,227
2014 modern 494 #10,170
2015 modern 486 #10,216
2016 modern 495 #10,052

Geography

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Where Mchenrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Toxteth Park, Liverpool and Cleator. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirkcudbright, Stockport, Airdrie North, Sunderland and Amber Valley. 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 London parishes London 1
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Cleator Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirkcudbright Dumfries and Galloway
2 Stockport 005 Stockport
3 Airdrie North North Lanarkshire
4 Sunderland 004 Sunderland
5 Amber Valley 012 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mchenry

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mchenry

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Mchenry surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mchenry household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mchenry 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

Mchenry is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mchenry falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mchenry 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 Mchenry, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mchenry

The surname McHenry originates from Scotland and Ireland, with origins dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic Mac Endric, meaning "son of Hendry" or "son of Henry." The prefix "Mac" indicates a patronymic name, signifying the name was originally formed from the given name of an ancestor.

McHenry is a variant spelling of the more common Scottish surname MacHendry or MacHendrie. The name is found in early records from the counties of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire in the western Lowlands of Scotland. It is also prevalent in parts of Ulster, particularly County Antrim, where Scottish settlers brought the name during the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls recording those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry "Gillemichel McHendry" is listed among the nobles from the county of Ayr.

Another notable early reference is found in the Black Book of Taymouth, a 16th-century manuscript containing records of land charters and family histories from Perthshire. The book mentions a "John McHendry," a tenant farmer on the lands of the Campbell earls of Breadalbane.

A prominent figure bearing the name was Sir John McHenry (1592-1652), a Scottish military commander who served as Governor of Derry during the Irish Confederate Wars. He played a crucial role in defending the city against the besieging Irish Catholic forces during the Siege of Derry in 1649.

Another notable McHenry was James McHenry (1753-1816), an American politician and soldier. He served as a secretary to George Washington during the Revolutionary War and later became the third United States Secretary of War under President John Adams.

In the literary world, the Scottish writer William McHenry (1853-1932) gained recognition for his works depicting life in rural Scotland, including the novel "Thrawn Janet" and short story collection "The Hedger."

Robert McHenry (1923-2007) was an American editor and author best known for his role as the editor-in-chief of the Encyclopaedia Britannica from 1967 to 1997, overseeing a major overhaul and modernization of the prestigious reference work.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mchenry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mchenry 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. Yorkshire leads with 11 Mchenrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.45x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 11 3.45x
Middlesex 8 2.49x
Lancashire 6 1.57x
Staffordshire 4 3.68x
Essex 2 3.15x
Glamorgan 2 3.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wortley In Bramley in Yorkshire leads with 11 Mchenrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 436.51x.

Place Total Index
Wortley In Bramley 11 436.51x
Liverpool 6 25.88x
Harborne 4 114.94x
Kensington London 4 22.37x
Hammersmith London 2 25.25x
Merthyr Tydfil 2 37.17x
St Clement Danes London 2 298.51x
Hornchurch 1 322.58x
Southchurch 1 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Elizth. 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Ellen 1
Eva 1
Honor 1
Margreat 1
Martha 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Thomas 2
William 2
George 1
Michael 1
Micheal 1
Robert 1
Thos. 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 Mchenry households.

FAQ

Mchenry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mchenry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 169 people were recorded with the Mchenry surname. That placed it at #14,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mchenry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 495 in 2016. That gives Mchenry a modern rank of #10,052.

What does the Mchenry surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Éinrí," meaning "son of Henry."

What does the Mchenry map show?

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