NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckiernan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Thighearnáin," meaning "son of Tighearnán," a personal name meaning "little lord."

In the 1881 census there were 92 people recorded with the Mckiernan surname, ranking it #20,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 576, ranked #8,983, up from #20,709 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, Winwick and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, St. Helens and North West Leicestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckiernan is 622 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 526.1%.

1881 census count

92

Ranked #20,709

Modern count

576

2016, ranked #8,983

Peak year

2010

622 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckiernan had 92 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,709 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 576 in 2016, ranked #8,983.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 130 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Mckiernan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckiernan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mckiernan 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 20 #29,743
1861 historical 12 #32,329
1881 historical 92 #20,709
1891 historical 86 #25,951
1901 historical 130 #19,649
1911 historical 117 #20,757
1997 modern 550 #8,660
1998 modern 559 #8,808
1999 modern 592 #8,517
2000 modern 585 #8,555
2001 modern 580 #8,485
2002 modern 588 #8,565
2003 modern 569 #8,624
2004 modern 566 #8,685
2005 modern 582 #8,450
2006 modern 579 #8,509
2007 modern 583 #8,541
2008 modern 572 #8,711
2009 modern 605 #8,544
2010 modern 622 #8,542
2011 modern 611 #8,558
2012 modern 582 #8,793
2013 modern 592 #8,833
2014 modern 595 #8,857
2015 modern 587 #8,875
2016 modern 576 #8,983

Geography

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Where Mckiernans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, Winwick, London parishes, Gateshead and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, St. Helens, North West Leicestershire, Carntyne West and Haghill and Salford. 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 Darlington Durham
2 Winwick Lancashire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 024 Wigan
2 St. Helens 017 St. Helens
3 North West Leicestershire 001 North West Leicestershire
4 Carntyne West and Haghill Glasgow City
5 Salford 004 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mckiernan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mckiernan

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Mckiernan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mckiernan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Mckiernan 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

Mckiernan 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

Mckiernan falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mckiernan

The surname McKiernan is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic "Mac Thighearnáin" meaning "son of Tighearnan". Tighearnan itself is an old Irish personal name composed of the elements "tighearna" meaning "lord" and the diminutive suffix "án".

The name first emerged in the Irish counties of Roscommon and Sligo, where several prominent families bearing the name resided. One of the earliest recorded references to the name dates back to the 13th century in the Annals of Connacht, an Irish chronicle that mentions a McKiernan chieftain.

In the 16th century, the McKiernan clan was among the most powerful families in Roscommon and played a significant role in the Gaelic resistance against English rule in Ireland. During this period, the name appeared in various spellings, such as MacTernan, MacKernan, and McTernan, reflecting the variations in anglicization.

Notable individuals bearing the McKiernan surname include Fergus McKiernan (c.1580-1644), an Irish soldier and landowner who fought for the Catholic cause during the Irish Confederate Wars. Another prominent figure was Patrick McKiernan (1679-1731), a Catholic priest and author who wrote extensively on Irish history and theology.

In the 19th century, John McKiernan (1810-1892) was a respected scholar and educator who served as the president of Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland. James McKiernan (1836-1917), born in Ireland, was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War and later served as a brigadier general.

A more recent figure of note is Michael McKiernan (1936-2022), an American actor known for his roles in films such as "Avalanche Express" and "The Deer Hunter". He was born in Bronx, New York, to Irish immigrant parents.

The McKiernan surname has a rich history deeply rooted in Irish culture and traditions, with many bearers of the name playing significant roles in various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mckiernan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mckiernan 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. Glamorgan leads with 7 Mckiernans recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.32x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 7 41.32x
Buckinghamshire 1 17.01x
Lancashire 1 0.87x
Surrey 1 2.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberavon in Glamorgan leads with 7 Mckiernans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4375.00x.

Place Total Index
Aberavon 7 4375.00x
Liverpool 1 14.27x
Southwark Christchurch 1 217.39x
Waddesdon 1 3333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Ellen 1
Lena 1
Mary 1
Olivia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Donald 1
Michael 1
Thomas 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 Mckiernan households.

FAQ

Mckiernan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckiernan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 92 people were recorded with the Mckiernan surname. That placed it at #20,709 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mckiernan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 576 in 2016. That gives Mckiernan a modern rank of #8,983.

What does the Mckiernan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Thighearnáin," meaning "son of Tighearnán," a personal name meaning "little lord."

What does the Mckiernan map show?

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