NameCensus.

UK surname

Mckirdy

A Scottish surname derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "skilled" or "clever one".

In the 1881 census there were 430 people recorded with the Mckirdy surname, ranking it #7,569 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 626, ranked #8,424, down from #7,569 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Port Glasgow, North Bute and Rothesay and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bute, Rothesay Town and Coventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mckirdy is 626 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.6%.

1881 census count

430

Ranked #7,569

Modern count

626

2016, ranked #8,424

Peak year

2016

626 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mckirdy had 430 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,569 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 626 in 2016, ranked #8,424.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 517 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mckirdy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mckirdy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mckirdy 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 322 #7,215
1861 historical 350 #7,295
1881 historical 430 #7,569
1891 historical 455 #8,009
1901 historical 517 #7,852
1911 historical 26 #30,547
1997 modern 514 #9,129
1998 modern 564 #8,749
1999 modern 589 #8,548
2000 modern 576 #8,641
2001 modern 556 #8,732
2002 modern 585 #8,589
2003 modern 585 #8,479
2004 modern 587 #8,478
2005 modern 589 #8,388
2006 modern 598 #8,302
2007 modern 609 #8,251
2008 modern 606 #8,343
2009 modern 614 #8,451
2010 modern 621 #8,553
2011 modern 618 #8,490
2012 modern 610 #8,499
2013 modern 608 #8,651
2014 modern 620 #8,575
2015 modern 615 #8,556
2016 modern 626 #8,424

Geography

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Where Mckirdys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Port Glasgow, North Bute and Rothesay, Govan Combination, Largs and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bute, Rothesay Town, Coventry, Riddrie and Hogganfield and Scarborough. 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 Port Glasgow Renfrew
2 North Bute and Rothesay Bute
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Largs Ayr
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bute Argyll and Bute
2 Rothesay Town Argyll and Bute
3 Coventry 004 Coventry
4 Riddrie and Hogganfield Glasgow City
5 Scarborough 010 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mckirdy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mckirdy

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mckirdy is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mckirdy 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

Mckirdy 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 Mckirdy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mckirdy

The surname McKirdy originated in Scotland and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "cridhe" meaning "heart." The name may have referred to someone with a kind or brave heart.

The McKirdy name was prevalent in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in areas like Perthshire and Argyllshire. Early records show variations in spelling, such as McKirdie, McKirdye, and McKirdey.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the 14th century, where a John McKirdy is mentioned as a landowner in Perthshire.

In the 16th century, the McKirdy family was prominent in the region of Argyll. Sir John McKirdy (1520-1589) was a renowned military leader who fought alongside Mary, Queen of Scots, during the Scottish Reformation.

Another notable figure was Robert McKirdy (1680-1753), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow. He funded the construction of several churches and schools in the area.

During the 18th century, the McKirdy name appeared in various historical records across Scotland. For instance, James McKirdy (1725-1798) was a respected minister in the Church of Scotland, serving in the parish of Killin.

In the 19th century, the McKirdy family expanded beyond Scotland, with some members migrating to other parts of the British Empire. One such individual was William McKirdy (1810-1888), a Scottish-born architect who designed several notable buildings in Melbourne, Australia.

Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas McKirdy (1845-1921), a Scottish-Australian businessman and politician who served as the Premier of Western Australia from 1901 to 1904.

While the McKirdy surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly due to Scottish emigration. The name continues to be associated with its Scottish heritage and the qualities of kindness and bravery that it once represented.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mckirdy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mckirdy 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. Devon leads with 3 Mckirdys recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.73x.

County Total Index
Devon 3 29.73x
Lanarkshire 1 6.38x
Royal Navy 1 172.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Damerel in Devon leads with 3 Mckirdys recorded in 1881 and an index of 422.54x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Damerel 3 422.54x
Govan 1 25.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Hannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 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 Mckirdy households.

Occupation Count
None 2
Errand Boy 1

FAQ

Mckirdy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mckirdy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 430 people were recorded with the Mckirdy surname. That placed it at #7,569 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mckirdy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 626 in 2016. That gives Mckirdy a modern rank of #8,424.

What does the Mckirdy surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "skilled" or "clever one".

What does the Mckirdy map show?

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