NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcmorrow

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Murchaidh meaning "son of the mariner".

In the 1881 census there were 78 people recorded with the Mcmorrow surname, ranking it #22,500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 587, ranked #8,864, up from #22,500 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brent, Ibrox East and Cessnock and Holytown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcmorrow is 603 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 652.6%.

1881 census count

78

Ranked #22,500

Modern count

587

2016, ranked #8,864

Peak year

2010

603 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcmorrow had 78 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,500 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 587 in 2016, ranked #8,864.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 96 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Mcmorrow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcmorrow surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcmorrow 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 54 #23,577
1861 historical 35 #29,571
1881 historical 78 #22,500
1891 historical 84 #26,229
1901 historical 96 #23,342
1911 historical 52 #27,620
1997 modern 536 #8,837
1998 modern 553 #8,892
1999 modern 541 #9,092
2000 modern 552 #8,917
2001 modern 543 #8,892
2002 modern 566 #8,788
2003 modern 555 #8,783
2004 modern 559 #8,764
2005 modern 552 #8,759
2006 modern 572 #8,587
2007 modern 579 #8,585
2008 modern 579 #8,636
2009 modern 590 #8,699
2010 modern 603 #8,761
2011 modern 587 #8,837
2012 modern 569 #8,942
2013 modern 581 #8,945
2014 modern 582 #8,997
2015 modern 582 #8,931
2016 modern 587 #8,864

Geography

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Where Mcmorrows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brent, Ibrox East and Cessnock, Holytown, Newarthill and Carfin North. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brent 031 Brent
2 Ibrox East and Cessnock Glasgow City
3 Holytown North Lanarkshire
4 Newarthill North Lanarkshire
5 Carfin North North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcmorrow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcmorrow

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Mcmorrow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Mcmorrow 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 are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcmorrow 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

Mcmorrow 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

Mcmorrow falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcmorrow is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcmorrow

The surname McMorrow has its origins in the Scottish Highlands, tracing back to the early 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "morragh" meaning "mariner" or "seaman," indicating that the name likely originated from an ancestor who was a sailor or worked in maritime professions.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to 1296 in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of Scottish nobility and gentry who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Morough Mac Morough," an early spelling variation.

In the 14th century, the name was found in the Scottish Exchequer Rolls, where it was recorded as "McMorraugh" and "McMurrauch," reflecting the evolution of the spelling over time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the McMorrow family had a strong presence in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and the Hebrides Islands. Notable individuals from this period include Angus McMorrow (1570-1632), a renowned warrior who fought in the Battle of Glenlivet in 1594, and Duncan McMorrow (1620-1689), a respected clan chieftain and landowner in the Isle of Islay.

The McMorrow surname also appears in historical records related to the Scottish diaspora. In the 18th century, many McMorrows migrated to Ireland, particularly to the counties of Antrim and Down, where they established themselves as farmers and tradesmen. One notable figure from this period was Patrick McMorrow (1745-1820), a successful merchant in Belfast who played a role in the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

As the McMorrow family spread throughout the British Isles, the name underwent further variations in spelling, including McMurrow, McMurrough, and McMurray. In the 19th century, several McMorrows gained recognition, such as William McMorrow (1810-1892), a prominent author and journalist in Dublin, and Mary McMorrow (1832-1908), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in Glasgow.

Throughout history, the McMorrow surname has been associated with a rich maritime heritage, as well as a strong presence in various professions and fields, reflecting the resilience and adaptability of this Scottish family.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcmorrow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcmorrow 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. Middlesex leads with 2 Mcmorrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.15x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 2 5.15x
Durham 1 8.65x
Essex 1 13.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brentwood in Essex leads with 1 Mcmorrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 2000.00x.

Place Total Index
Brentwood 1 2000.00x
Harton 1 2000.00x
Shoreditch London 1 59.52x
Westminster St 1 714.29x

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1
Patr. 1
Patrick 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 Mcmorrow households.

FAQ

Mcmorrow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcmorrow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 78 people were recorded with the Mcmorrow surname. That placed it at #22,500 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcmorrow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 587 in 2016. That gives Mcmorrow a modern rank of #8,864.

What does the Mcmorrow surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Murchaidh meaning "son of the mariner".

What does the Mcmorrow map show?

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