NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcinroy

An Irish surname meaning "son of the king" or "son of a leader".

In the 1881 census there were 271 people recorded with the Mcinroy surname, ranking it #10,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 289, ranked #15,137, down from #10,449 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Errol, Dunnichen and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fishcross, Devon Village and Coalsnaughton, The Glens and Westburn and Newton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcinroy is 301 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.6%.

1881 census count

271

Ranked #10,449

Modern count

289

2016, ranked #15,137

Peak year

2014

301 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcinroy had 271 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,449 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 289 in 2016, ranked #15,137.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 291 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcinroy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcinroy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcinroy 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 145 #13,223
1861 historical 182 #12,949
1881 historical 271 #10,449
1891 historical 275 #11,847
1901 historical 291 #11,893
1911 historical 28 #30,296
1997 modern 257 #14,989
1998 modern 275 #14,715
1999 modern 292 #14,204
2000 modern 257 #15,468
2001 modern 263 #14,999
2002 modern 274 #14,849
2003 modern 258 #15,293
2004 modern 273 #14,804
2005 modern 263 #15,139
2006 modern 271 #14,880
2007 modern 266 #15,261
2008 modern 271 #15,182
2009 modern 274 #15,395
2010 modern 288 #15,162
2011 modern 288 #15,009
2012 modern 293 #14,742
2013 modern 296 #14,876
2014 modern 301 #14,809
2015 modern 293 #15,005
2016 modern 289 #15,137

Geography

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Where Mcinroys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Errol, Dunnichen, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fishcross, Devon Village and Coalsnaughton, The Glens, Westburn and Newton, Newmilns and Central and South Inch. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Errol Perth
2 Dunnichen Forfar
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fishcross, Devon Village and Coalsnaughton Clackmannanshire
2 The Glens Dundee City
3 Westburn and Newton South Lanarkshire
4 Newmilns East Ayrshire
5 Central and South Inch Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcinroy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcinroy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcinroy, 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 Mcinroy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcinroy 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcinroy 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

Mcinroy 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

Mcinroy falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcinroy 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcinroy

The surname McInroy is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Roy" or "Ruaidhrí", meaning "the red king". The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" is a common Scottish patronymic, meaning "son of". Thus, the name McInroy originally referred to the son of Roy or the son of Ruaidhrí.

The earliest recorded instance of this surname dates back to the late 16th century in the Scottish Highlands. It is believed to have originated in the region of Argyll, where the name Roy was prevalent. The McInroys were closely associated with the Clan Campbell, one of the most powerful clans in the region.

One notable historical figure bearing this surname was Archibald McInroy, a Scottish soldier who fought in the Jacobite Risings of the 18th century. He was born in 1688 and was a staunch supporter of the Stuart cause, participating in the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

Another prominent McInroy was Sir John McInroy, a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1789 to 1865. He made his fortune in the textile industry and was known for his charitable works, including the establishment of a school for underprivileged children in his hometown of Paisley.

In the 19th century, the McInroy family produced several notable academics and clergymen. Reverend Alexander McInroy (1812-1891) was a minister of the Church of Scotland and an influential figure in the Free Church movement. His brother, James McInroy (1815-1879), was a respected scholar and professor of Greek at the University of Edinburgh.

During the same period, the McInroys also made their mark in the literary world. Margaret McInroy (1830-1907) was a Scottish poet and author who published several volumes of poetry and children's stories under the pen name "Violet Keith".

As the McInroy family dispersed throughout Scotland and beyond, variations in the spelling of the surname emerged, including McInroy, MacInroy, and MacKinroy. However, the core meaning and origins of the name remained rooted in the Scottish Highlands and the Gaelic language.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcinroy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcinroy 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 1 Mcinroys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.74x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1 8.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 1 Mcinroys recorded in 1881 and an index of 256.41x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 1 256.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Euphemia 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 Mcinroy households.

Occupation Count
Dressmaker 1

FAQ

Mcinroy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcinroy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 271 people were recorded with the Mcinroy surname. That placed it at #10,449 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcinroy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 289 in 2016. That gives Mcinroy a modern rank of #15,137.

What does the Mcinroy surname mean?

An Irish surname meaning "son of the king" or "son of a leader".

What does the Mcinroy map show?

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