NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcinerney

Derived from the Gaelic "Mac an Airchinnigh," meaning "son of the erenagh," a manager of church property.

In the 1881 census there were 41 people recorded with the Mcinerney surname, ranking it #27,870 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,212, ranked #4,909, up from #27,870 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Southampton St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Richmondshire and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcinerney is 1,273 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2856.1%.

1881 census count

41

Ranked #27,870

Modern count

1,212

2016, ranked #4,909

Peak year

2010

1,273 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcinerney had 41 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,870 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,212 in 2016, ranked #4,909.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 199 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Mcinerney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcinerney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcinerney 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 7 #32,070
1861 historical 24 #30,922
1881 historical 41 #27,870
1891 historical 45 #30,747
1901 historical 134 #19,288
1911 historical 199 #15,016
1997 modern 1,134 #4,944
1998 modern 1,213 #4,840
1999 modern 1,211 #4,890
2000 modern 1,214 #4,848
2001 modern 1,192 #4,821
2002 modern 1,195 #4,920
2003 modern 1,191 #4,838
2004 modern 1,162 #4,951
2005 modern 1,127 #5,029
2006 modern 1,114 #5,091
2007 modern 1,138 #5,030
2008 modern 1,178 #4,912
2009 modern 1,241 #4,807
2010 modern 1,273 #4,799
2011 modern 1,263 #4,775
2012 modern 1,211 #4,877
2013 modern 1,240 #4,854
2014 modern 1,251 #4,845
2015 modern 1,230 #4,863
2016 modern 1,212 #4,909

Geography

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Where Mcinerneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Southampton St Mary, Manchester and Prescot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool, Richmondshire, Blackburn with Darwen, Islington and South Oxfordshire. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Prescot Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 023 Liverpool
2 Richmondshire 004 Richmondshire
3 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Islington 002 Islington
5 South Oxfordshire 004 South Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcinerney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcinerney

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Mcinerney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Mcinerney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mcinerney 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

Mcinerney 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

Mcinerney falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcinerney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcinerney

The surname McInerney is of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the personal name 'Ingram', which itself is a combination of the Old Norse elements 'ing' meaning 'son of' and 'framr' meaning 'vigor' or 'bravery'. The prefix 'Mc' or 'Mac' is a common Scottish and Irish patronymic meaning 'son of'.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name can be traced back to the late 12th century in the Scottish Highlands, where it was rendered as 'MacInghrame'. Over time, various spelling variations emerged, including MacInearny, MacInirnie, and McInirnie, before settling into the modern form of McInerney.

The name is closely associated with the ancient Scottish clan territory of Arran, an island off the west coast of Scotland, where the McInerneys were prominent landowners and chieftains. The name is also found in historical records from the neighboring regions of Argyll and Bute.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Lachlan McInerney, a prominent Scottish warrior who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Scottish Wars of Independence against the English in the early 14th century. His bravery and loyalty were recognized with land grants in the Highlands.

In the 16th century, the McInerney clan played a significant role in the ongoing feuds and conflicts between the Scottish clans. In particular, they were involved in the bitter rivalry between the Clan Donald and Clan Campbell, which culminated in the Battle of Glenlivet in 1594.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, many McInerneys emigrated from Scotland to Ulster, Ireland, where they became firmly established, particularly in counties such as Antrim, Down, and Armagh. One notable bearer of the name from this period was Patrick McInerney (1694-1768), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist in County Down.

As the Scottish and Irish diaspora spread across the globe, the McInerney name was carried to various parts of the world. Notable individuals with this surname include:

1. John McInerney (1819-1894), an Irish-American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of San Francisco from 1856 to 1857. 2. Ralph McInerny (1929-2010), an American philosopher and novelist, best known for his popular Father Dowling mystery series. 3. Vivian McInerney (1901-1992), an Australian nurse and matron who played a crucial role in caring for victims of the Banka Island massacre during World War II. 4. Dermot McInerney (born 1937), an Irish hurler who played for the Tipperary senior hurling team and won three All-Ireland medals. 5. Jeremy McInerney (born 1981), an Australian professional basketball player who has represented the Australian national team and played in various leagues around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcinerney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcinerney 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. Anglesey leads with 2 Mcinerneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 588.24x.

County Total Index
Anglesey 2 588.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holyhead in Anglesey leads with 2 Mcinerneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
Holyhead 2 3333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 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 Mcinerney households.

Occupation Count
Labourer 1
Labourers Wife 1

FAQ

Mcinerney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcinerney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 41 people were recorded with the Mcinerney surname. That placed it at #27,870 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcinerney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,212 in 2016. That gives Mcinerney a modern rank of #4,909.

What does the Mcinerney surname mean?

Derived from the Gaelic "Mac an Airchinnigh," meaning "son of the erenagh," a manager of church property.

What does the Mcinerney map show?

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