NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcilvenna

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic personal name Gilla Finn, meaning "servant of Finn".

In the 1881 census there were 42 people recorded with the Mcilvenna surname, ranking it #27,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 134, ranked #25,636, up from #27,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcilvenna is 144 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 219.0%.

1881 census count

42

Ranked #27,721

Modern count

134

2016, ranked #25,636

Peak year

2000

144 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcilvenna had 42 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016, ranked #25,636.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 94 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcilvenna surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcilvenna surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcilvenna 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 10 #31,497
1861 historical 22 #31,140
1881 historical 42 #27,721
1891 historical 78 #27,035
1901 historical 94 #23,588
1911 historical 75 #25,322
1997 modern 130 #23,021
1998 modern 140 #22,615
1999 modern 143 #22,521
2000 modern 144 #22,357
2001 modern 135 #22,945
2002 modern 134 #23,492
2003 modern 135 #23,155
2004 modern 143 #22,471
2005 modern 143 #22,473
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 136 #24,004
2009 modern 138 #24,276
2010 modern 142 #24,352
2011 modern 140 #24,395
2012 modern 131 #25,439
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 130 #26,216
2015 modern 136 #25,352
2016 modern 134 #25,636

Geography

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Where Mcilvennas 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 Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Rochdale, East Hampshire and Stroud. 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 Kensington and Chelsea 003 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Westminster 005 Westminster
3 Rochdale 016 Rochdale
4 East Hampshire 017 East Hampshire
5 Stroud 002 Stroud

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcilvenna

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcilvenna

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mcilvenna is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcilvenna is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcilvenna falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mcilvenna

The surname MCILVENNA is of Scottish origin, originating from the Gaelic 'Mac Gille Bheannaich', which translates to 'son of the servant/follower of St. Beannaich'. St. Beannaich was a 7th-century Irish saint who established churches and monasteries in Scotland.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is MacIlvennay, which appears in the records of Bute in 1478. Other early spellings include MacIlvenne, MacIlvain, and MacIlveine. These variations likely arose due to the translation from Gaelic to English and the influence of local dialects.

In the 16th century, the name MCILVENNA was concentrated in the regions of Argyll and Ayrshire in western Scotland. It is believed that the family had ties to the powerful Clan Campbell, as the name is found in areas under their influence.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name is John McIlvenna, who was recorded as a landowner in the parish of Kilbride, Argyll, in 1567. Another early reference is to Robert McIlvenna, who was a witness to a land transaction in Ayrshire in 1612.

In the 17th century, the name spread beyond Scotland as individuals emigrated to Ireland and North America. One notable figure is James McIlvenna, an Ulster-Scot who settled in Pennsylvania in the late 1600s and became a successful merchant and landowner.

In the 18th century, the name MCILVENNA gained prominence in County Antrim, Ireland, where a branch of the family had settled. John McIlvenna (1732-1804) was a prominent landowner and businessman in Ballymoney, while his son, also named John (1760-1842), was a respected lawyer and judge.

Other notable individuals with the surname include:

1. Robert McIlvenna (1799-1872), a Scottish-born minister and educator in Canada. 2. William McIlvenna (1825-1892), an Irish-born businessman and politician in Australia. 3. James McIlvenna (1858-1925), a Scottish-born rugby union player who represented Scotland internationally. 4. Sir Walter McIlvenna (1868-1945), a Scottish-born civil engineer who played a key role in the construction of the Panama Canal. 5. Ethel McIlvenna (1892-1976), a British artist and illustrator known for her children's book illustrations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcilvenna families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcilvenna 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. Durham leads with 6 Mcilvennas recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.93x.

County Total Index
Durham 6 12.93x
Lancashire 5 2.70x
Northumberland 5 21.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westoe in Durham leads with 6 Mcilvennas recorded in 1881 and an index of 228.14x.

Place Total Index
Westoe 6 228.14x
Everton 5 84.75x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 5 1612.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ada 1
Alice 1
Carrie 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Jane 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Felix 2
Henry 1
James 1
John 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
William 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 Mcilvenna households.

FAQ

Mcilvenna surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcilvenna surname in 1881?

In 1881, 42 people were recorded with the Mcilvenna surname. That placed it at #27,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcilvenna surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016. That gives Mcilvenna a modern rank of #25,636.

What does the Mcilvenna surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic personal name Gilla Finn, meaning "servant of Finn".

What does the Mcilvenna map show?

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