NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckinney

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Cionnaoith, meaning "son of Cionaodh" (a personal name of unknown meaning).

In the 1881 census there were 271 people recorded with the Mckinney surname, ranking it #10,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,794, ranked #3,518, up from #10,449 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 Stoke-on-Trent, Doncaster and Linlathen and Midcraigie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckinney is 1,794 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 562.0%.

1881 census count

271

Ranked #10,449

Modern count

1,794

2016, ranked #3,518

Peak year

2014

1,794 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckinney had 271 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,449 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,794 in 2016, ranked #3,518.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 451 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mckinney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckinney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mckinney 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 81 #19,457
1861 historical 130 #17,164
1881 historical 271 #10,449
1891 historical 352 #9,781
1901 historical 451 #8,686
1911 historical 217 #14,214
1997 modern 1,458 #4,002
1998 modern 1,545 #3,950
1999 modern 1,522 #4,029
2000 modern 1,518 #4,019
2001 modern 1,485 #4,013
2002 modern 1,534 #3,998
2003 modern 1,536 #3,914
2004 modern 1,538 #3,908
2005 modern 1,559 #3,823
2006 modern 1,590 #3,756
2007 modern 1,638 #3,699
2008 modern 1,676 #3,638
2009 modern 1,720 #3,632
2010 modern 1,734 #3,680
2011 modern 1,736 #3,635
2012 modern 1,689 #3,667
2013 modern 1,747 #3,614
2014 modern 1,794 #3,560
2015 modern 1,793 #3,532
2016 modern 1,794 #3,518

Geography

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Where Mckinneys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Stoke-on-Trent, Doncaster, Linlathen and Midcraigie, Kingston upon Hull and The Glens. 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 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stoke-on-Trent 019 Stoke-on-Trent
2 Doncaster 037 Doncaster
3 Linlathen and Midcraigie Dundee City
4 Kingston upon Hull 017 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 The Glens Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mckinney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mckinney

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

Mckinney 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

Mckinney 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 Mckinney 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 Mckinney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mckinney

The surname McKinney is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic "Mac Ionmhuinn" which means "son of the beloved one". Its roots can be traced back to the 12th century in the regions of Argyll and the Western Isles of Scotland.

The name is believed to have emerged from a personal name or nickname given to an individual who was particularly beloved or dear within their community. Over time, this personal name became a hereditary surname passed down through generations.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry "Finlay McKynny" is listed among the individuals from the county of Argyll.

In the 16th century, the McKinney family held lands in the parish of Kilfinnan, Argyllshire. A notable figure from this era was Duncan McKinney, who was appointed as the Bishop of Argyll in 1551.

During the 17th century, the name spread beyond Scotland as many McKinneys migrated to Ulster, Ireland, as part of the Plantation of Ulster. One of the earliest recorded McKinneys in Ireland was John McKinney, who was born in County Antrim in 1635.

As the name dispersed across Scotland, Ireland, and eventually to other parts of the world, various spellings emerged, including McKinnie, McKenney, and McKenny. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Thomas L. McKenney (1785-1859), an American politician and author who served as the Superintendent of Indian Trade and famously commissioned portraits of notable Native American leaders.

Other notable individuals with the surname McKinney include:

1. William McKinney (1795-1871), an Irish-born American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Representative from Virginia. 2. William Magee McKinney (1856-1926), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois. 3. Ida McKinney (1886-1967), an American actress and singer who was a popular performer in the Harlem Renaissance era. 4. Robert McKinney (1910-1987), an American jurist who served as a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Indiana. 5. Cynthia McKinney (born 1955), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Georgia and was a prominent figure in the Green Party.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mckinney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mckinney 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 6 Mckinneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 74.72x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 6 74.72x
Cumberland 5 45.79x
Lancashire 2 1.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrewthe Less in Cambridgeshire leads with 6 Mckinneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 652.17x.

Place Total Index
St Andrewthe Less 6 652.17x
Harrington 4 3076.92x
Cleator 1 222.22x
Everton 1 20.83x
West Derby 1 22.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agness 1
Annie 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
Albert 1
George 1
John 1
Nicholas 1
Samuel 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 Mckinney households.

FAQ

Mckinney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckinney surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Mckinney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,794 in 2016. That gives Mckinney a modern rank of #3,518.

What does the Mckinney surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Cionnaoith, meaning "son of Cionaodh" (a personal name of unknown meaning).

What does the Mckinney map show?

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