NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckenna

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cionaoith," meaning "son of Cionaodh" (an old Irish personal name).

In the 1881 census there were 3,932 people recorded with the Mckenna surname, ranking it #1,153 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 13,848, ranked #460, up from #1,153 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill, Cowlairs and Port Dundas and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckenna is 14,012 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 252.2%.

1881 census count

3,932

Ranked #1,153

Modern count

13,848

2016, ranked #460

Peak year

2010

14,012 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckenna had 3,932 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,153 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 13,848 in 2016, ranked #460.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,511 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mckenna surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckenna surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mckenna 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 1,476 #1,942
1861 historical 1,832 #1,576
1881 historical 3,932 #1,153
1891 historical 4,308 #1,106
1901 historical 5,511 #1,014
1911 historical 2,882 #1,808
1997 modern 12,316 #499
1998 modern 12,619 #508
1999 modern 12,896 #498
2000 modern 12,770 #500
2001 modern 12,458 #502
2002 modern 12,759 #500
2003 modern 12,599 #489
2004 modern 12,707 #483
2005 modern 12,774 #479
2006 modern 12,783 #477
2007 modern 13,026 #473
2008 modern 13,214 #471
2009 modern 13,620 #468
2010 modern 14,012 #464
2011 modern 13,783 #464
2012 modern 13,590 #460
2013 modern 13,821 #463
2014 modern 13,963 #464
2015 modern 13,884 #462
2016 modern 13,848 #460

Geography

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Where Mckennas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill, Cowlairs and Port Dundas, Allerdale, Raploch and West Lancashire. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Roystonhill, Blochairn, and Provanmill Glasgow City
2 Cowlairs and Port Dundas Glasgow City
3 Allerdale 009 Allerdale
4 Raploch Stirling
5 West Lancashire 010 West Lancashire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mckenna

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mckenna

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mckenna 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

Mckenna 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

Mckenna falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mckenna

The surname McKenna is of Irish origin, with its roots dating back to the 12th century in County Monaghan, Ireland. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Mac Cionnaith," which translates to "son of Cionnaith," with Cionnaith being an old Irish personal name meaning "son of the ancients" or "son of the wisdom."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McKenna can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history written by monks in the 15th century. This document mentions a man named Gilla-na-naemh Mac Cionnaith, who was a prominent figure in County Monaghan during the 13th century.

The McKenna surname is also linked to several place names in Ireland, such as Ballymackennan and Mackenny, which are derived from the Gaelic "Baile Mhic Cionnaith," meaning "the town of the son of Cionnaith." These place names further solidify the surname's connection to County Monaghan and the surrounding areas.

Notable historical figures bearing the McKenna surname include Sir Joseph Neale McKenna (1843-1919), a British lawyer and judge who served as Lord Justice of Appeal and a member of the Privy Council. Another prominent individual was Joseph McKenna (1843-1926), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 42nd United States Attorney General from 1897 to 1898.

In the literary realm, Reginald McKenna (1863-1943) was an English writer and politician who served as Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer during the early 20th century. Additionally, Joseph McKenna (1880-1965) was an Irish playwright and novelist known for his works depicting life in rural Ireland.

The McKenna surname has also been associated with several notable figures in the field of sports, including John McKenna (1855-1936), an Irish-American baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Athletics in the late 19th century, and James McKenna (1907-1988), an American football player and coach who played for the Chicago Bears and later served as head coach for the Detroit Lions.

While the McKenna surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread across the globe, with many descendants of the original Irish bearers now found in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mckenna families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mckenna 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 160 Mckennas recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.40x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 160 3.40x
Durham 68 5.76x
Northumberland 35 5.93x
Cumberland 22 6.44x
Yorkshire 21 0.53x
Shropshire 16 4.66x
Middlesex 14 0.35x
Kent 12 0.89x
Cheshire 7 0.80x
Sussex 7 1.05x
Warwickshire 7 0.70x
Essex 6 0.77x
Lanarkshire 6 0.47x
Flintshire 5 4.69x
Hampshire 5 0.61x
Gloucestershire 3 0.39x
Surrey 3 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.83x
Lincolnshire 2 0.32x
Staffordshire 2 0.15x
Derbyshire 1 0.16x
Glamorgan 1 0.14x
Monmouthshire 1 0.35x
Norfolk 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 52 Mckennas recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.17x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 52 18.17x
Kirkdale 19 23.97x
Gateshead 18 20.36x
Longbenton 16 63.95x
Shifnal 16 171.86x
Manchester 15 7.08x
Toxteth Park 13 8.15x
Lewisham 11 15.23x
Salford 10 7.22x
Bishopwearmouth 9 8.88x
Bootle Cum Linacre 9 24.06x
Heworth 8 34.38x
Wolsingham 8 74.35x
Horton In Bradford 7 11.39x
Birmingham 6 1.80x
Glasgow 6 2.63x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 6 77.22x
Seaton 6 150.38x
Subdeanery 6 118.11x
Caldewgate 5 26.70x
Ratcliffe London 5 22.81x
Thornton In Fylde 5 48.50x
Wallsend 5 26.70x
Witton Gilbert 5 107.30x
Birtley 4 82.99x
Caldbeck 4 250.00x
Monks Coppenhall 4 12.10x
Oldham 4 2.63x
Westoe 4 5.97x
Wigan 4 6.08x
Wingate 4 49.38x
Aldershot 3 11.01x
Clifton 3 7.62x
Croydon 3 2.79x
Elswick 3 6.36x
Everton 3 2.00x
Great Bolton 3 4.81x
Great Little Marsden 3 13.90x
Hulme 3 3.05x
Islington London 3 0.78x
North Meols 3 6.51x
Rhuddlan 3 31.95x
Walthamstow 3 10.63x
Accrington 2 4.67x
Bowling 2 5.13x
Brill 2 113.64x
Cockermouth 2 27.78x
Crumpsall 2 18.02x
Flint 2 33.00x
Holbeck 2 7.67x
Leeds 2 0.90x
Little Bolton 2 3.30x
Newcastle Under Lyme 2 8.44x
Portsea 2 1.25x
Sculcoates 2 3.21x
St Marylebone London 2 0.94x
Westgate 2 5.47x
Westminster St 2 13.66x
Birkenhead 1 1.43x
Cardiff St Mary 1 2.63x
Conside Knitsley 1 10.89x
Coxlodge 1 22.27x
Elvet 1 11.72x
Harrington 1 24.21x
Harton 1 21.41x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 7.00x
Lamesley 1 15.72x
Market Rasen 1 28.17x
Middlesbrough 1 1.95x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 1 25.25x
Prittlewell 1 9.21x
Sale 1 9.30x
Scarborough 1 2.80x
St Cuthbert W O 1 6.00x
St George In East 1 3.70x
St Swithin Lincoln 1 10.02x
Thornley 1 23.42x
Whittingham 1 48.08x
Workington 1 5.11x
York St Mary Castlegate 1 86.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Ann 20
Ellen 15
Margaret 12
Catherine 9
Elizabeth 9
Annie 8
Martha 6
Sarah 6
Bridget 5
Alice 4
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Caroline 2
Hanh. 2
Jane 2
Rose 2
Abee 1
Agnes 1
Anastasia 1
Anna 1
Cath. 1
Catharine 1
Dinah 1
Dorcas 1
Eliz. 1
Elizbeth 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Harriet 1
Johannah 1
Kate 1
Katrine 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margt 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Phillis 1
Priscilla 1
Rachel 1
Sophia 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 34
James 31
Patrick 14
William 14
Francis 11
Thomas 11
Peter 10
Edward 9
Michael 8
Daniel 6
Bernard 5
Charles 5
George 4
Frank 3
Hugh 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Arthur 2
Cornelius 2
Henry 2
Mark 2
Pat. 2
Richard 2
Willie 2
Adrian 1
Annie 1
Austin 1
Bernd. 1
Cornelieus 1
Duncan 1
E. 1
Ernest 1
Felix 1
Gerald 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Jas. 1
Laurence 1
Lawrence 1
Leopold 1
Michal 1
Michl. 1
Miles 1
Reginald 1
Robt. 1
Terence 1
Theodore 1
Thos 1

FAQ

Mckenna surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckenna surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,932 people were recorded with the Mckenna surname. That placed it at #1,153 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mckenna surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 13,848 in 2016. That gives Mckenna a modern rank of #460.

What does the Mckenna surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cionaoith," meaning "son of Cionaodh" (an old Irish personal name).

What does the Mckenna map show?

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