NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckendry

An Irish surname meaning "son of the prudent one."

In the 1881 census there were 84 people recorded with the Mckendry surname, ranking it #21,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 518, ranked #9,746, up from #21,690 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to West Kilbride, Uphall and Long Benton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eaglesham and Waterfoot, Kirkshaws and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckendry is 543 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 516.7%.

1881 census count

84

Ranked #21,690

Modern count

518

2016, ranked #9,746

Peak year

1998

543 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckendry had 84 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,690 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 518 in 2016, ranked #9,746.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 197 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mckendry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckendry surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mckendry 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 84 #21,690
1891 historical 130 #20,173
1901 historical 197 #15,272
1911 historical 60 #26,808
1997 modern 519 #9,058
1998 modern 543 #9,010
1999 modern 537 #9,146
2000 modern 517 #9,384
2001 modern 493 #9,574
2002 modern 512 #9,470
2003 modern 494 #9,572
2004 modern 494 #9,589
2005 modern 497 #9,479
2006 modern 503 #9,451
2007 modern 496 #9,626
2008 modern 507 #9,540
2009 modern 517 #9,604
2010 modern 528 #9,651
2011 modern 535 #9,480
2012 modern 518 #9,629
2013 modern 498 #10,049
2014 modern 506 #9,991
2015 modern 515 #9,807
2016 modern 518 #9,746

Geography

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Where Mckendrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around West Kilbride, Uphall, Long Benton, Glasgow and Old Monkland. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eaglesham and Waterfoot, Kirkshaws, Sheffield, Balloch East and Cliftonville. 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 West Kilbride Ayr
2 Uphall Linlithgow
3 Long Benton Northumberland
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Old Monkland Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eaglesham and Waterfoot East Renfrewshire
2 Kirkshaws North Lanarkshire
3 Sheffield 042 Sheffield
4 Balloch East North Lanarkshire
5 Cliftonville North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mckendry

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mckendry

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Mckendry surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mckendry household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mckendry 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.

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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

Mckendry 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

Mckendry falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mckendry

The surname McKendry has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic personal name Cennetig, which means "chieftain" or "leader," combined with the prefix "Mac," meaning "son of." Thus, the name McKendry initially referred to the son or descendant of a chieftain or leader within a Scottish clan.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls submitted to King Edward I of England after his conquest of parts of Scotland. This document includes the name "Johanne McKendry," indicating the presence of individuals bearing this surname in Scotland at that time.

The McKendry name is closely associated with the regions of Argyll and the Scottish Highlands, where many clans and families with this surname have historically resided. It is likely that the name originated within one of these clans or communities, potentially reflecting the lineage of a prominent leader or chieftain.

As for notable historical figures bearing the McKendry surname, one individual worth mentioning is John McKendry (1714-1789), a Scottish writer and historian who authored several works on Scottish history and culture. Another notable figure is Robert McKendry (1807-1876), a Scottish-born civil engineer who contributed significantly to the development of infrastructure in parts of Canada and the United States.

In the 16th century, records indicate the presence of the McKendry family in the area of Balquhidder, a parish in Stirlingshire, Scotland. The village of Balquhidder has been associated with the McKendry name, and it is possible that some variants or alternate spellings, such as McKendrick or McKendrick, may have derived from place names in this region.

Other notable individuals with the McKendry surname include William McKendry (1824-1895), an Irish-born businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian Parliament, and James McKendry (1836-1918), a Scottish-American civil engineer and architect who designed several notable buildings in the state of Oregon.

It is important to note that the information provided here is based on historical records and sources, and may not reflect the most up-to-date or comprehensive information available. As with many surnames, the origins and historical details of the McKendry name may be subject to ongoing research and discovery.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mckendry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckendry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 84 people were recorded with the Mckendry surname. That placed it at #21,690 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mckendry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 518 in 2016. That gives Mckendry a modern rank of #9,746.

What does the Mckendry surname mean?

An Irish surname meaning "son of the prudent one."

What does the Mckendry map show?

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