NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcnally

A surname of Irish origin meaning "descendant of Conghaile," derived from the Gaelic elements "con" (hound) and "gal" (valor).

In the 1881 census there were 2,113 people recorded with the Mcnally surname, ranking it #2,090 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,672, ranked #868, up from #2,090 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sefton, County Durham and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcnally is 7,832 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 263.1%.

1881 census count

2,113

Ranked #2,090

Modern count

7,672

2016, ranked #868

Peak year

2010

7,832 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcnally had 2,113 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,090 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,672 in 2016, ranked #868.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,595 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcnally surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcnally surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcnally 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 673 #3,857
1861 historical 1,046 #2,682
1881 historical 2,113 #2,090
1891 historical 2,223 #2,096
1901 historical 2,595 #2,117
1911 historical 2,280 #2,223
1997 modern 6,842 #950
1998 modern 7,134 #949
1999 modern 7,234 #946
2000 modern 7,164 #951
2001 modern 7,064 #937
2002 modern 7,283 #926
2003 modern 7,137 #919
2004 modern 7,145 #922
2005 modern 7,117 #911
2006 modern 7,180 #900
2007 modern 7,316 #896
2008 modern 7,405 #896
2009 modern 7,653 #884
2010 modern 7,832 #881
2011 modern 7,698 #884
2012 modern 7,529 #882
2013 modern 7,665 #881
2014 modern 7,731 #879
2015 modern 7,663 #874
2016 modern 7,672 #868

Geography

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Where Mcnallys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, 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 Sefton, County Durham and Liverpool. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sefton 037 Sefton
2 Sefton 038 Sefton
3 County Durham 010 County Durham
4 Liverpool 031 Liverpool
5 Liverpool 014 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcnally

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcnally

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

Mcnally 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcnally

The surname McNally originates from Ireland and is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "Nallaidh," which is a personal name meaning "bear" or "passionate." The name can be traced back to the 11th century in the province of Ulster, particularly in counties Armagh and Down.

The McNally clan was among the ancient Irish septs that were prominent in the region before the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. The name is believed to have been first recorded in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, around the year 1100.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Domnall McNally, who was mentioned in the Annals of Ulster in 1244 as a chieftain in County Armagh. The name also appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, another important source of Irish history, in the 14th century.

During the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century, many McNallys were dispossessed of their lands and dispersed throughout Ireland and beyond. Some settled in counties like Donegal, Mayo, and Sligo, while others emigrated to countries like Scotland and England.

Notable individuals with the surname McNally include:

1. Patrick McNally (1819-1892), an Irish-American Catholic priest and author who served as the Bishop of Clogher. 2. William Sampson McNally (1818-1889), an American publisher and map maker who founded the Rand McNally publishing company. 3. Vincent McNally (1768-1843), an Irish Catholic priest and writer who advocated for Catholic Emancipation. 4. John McNally (1904-1965), an Irish Republican Army (IRA) volunteer and politician who served as a Teachta Dála (Member of Parliament) in the Irish Free State and later Ireland. 5. Raymond T. McNally (1931-2022), an American physicist and atmospheric scientist who made significant contributions to the study of the Earth's atmosphere and climate.

The McNally surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as McNally's Lough in County Down and McNally's Lane in County Armagh, further reflecting the historical presence of the clan in these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcnally families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcnally 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 120 Mcnallys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.67x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 120 2.67x
Durham 56 4.96x
Northumberland 48 8.50x
Yorkshire 47 1.25x
Middlesex 29 0.76x
Staffordshire 17 1.33x
Cheshire 12 1.43x
Essex 10 1.34x
Lanarkshire 9 0.73x
Cumberland 8 2.45x
Warwickshire 8 0.84x
Devon 6 0.76x
Kent 6 0.46x
Surrey 5 0.27x
Leicestershire 3 0.71x
Flintshire 2 1.96x
Hampshire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 2.21x
Worcestershire 1 0.20x

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 38 Mcnallys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.90x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 38 13.90x
Heworth 17 76.44x
Holy Trinity 16 17.69x
Manchester 12 5.93x
Seaton Delaval 10 201.61x
Walthamstow 10 37.09x
Leeds 9 4.24x
St Pancras London 9 2.95x
Barony 8 2.58x
Byker 8 28.66x
Everton 8 5.57x
West Derby 8 6.07x
Birmingham 7 2.19x
Chester St John Baptist 7 46.48x
Conside Knitsley 7 79.73x
Earsdon 7 152.51x
Hampton London 7 112.18x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 14.32x
Kirkdale 7 9.24x
Stockton On Tees 7 12.86x
Cleator 6 44.12x
Dewsbury 6 15.56x
Pendleton In Salford 6 11.19x
Stoke Damerel 6 10.85x
Willenhall 6 25.01x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 13.98x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 6.99x
Ebchester 5 285.71x
Hexham 5 57.21x
Toxteth Park 5 3.28x
Whitley 5 274.73x
Cowpen 4 30.77x
Deptford St Paul 4 4.01x
Dukinfield 4 10.33x
Gateshead 4 4.73x
Hulme 4 4.25x
Little Bolton 4 6.91x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 11.86x
Newington 4 2.85x
Stranton 4 10.53x
Walsall Foreign 4 6.05x
Walton On Hill 4 16.40x
Westoe 4 6.25x
Wolverhampton 4 4.06x
Cramlington 3 40.21x
Leicester St Margaret 3 2.92x
Middlesbrough 3 6.13x
Newcastle Under Lyme 3 13.24x
Scarborough 3 8.78x
Sheffield 3 2.51x
Shoreditch London 3 1.82x
St Martin In Fields 3 13.20x
Barrow In Furness 2 3.27x
Horwich 2 40.73x
Radcliffe 2 9.22x
St Marylebone London 2 0.99x
Tottenham 2 3.31x
Whitwood 2 37.45x
Workington 2 10.69x
Worsley 2 7.21x
Aldershot 1 3.84x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 2.95x
Broughton In Salford 1 2.43x
Clapham 1 2.11x
Coventry St Michael 1 3.25x
Eston 1 12.21x
Gillingham 1 3.75x
Glasgow 1 0.46x
Hartlepool 1 6.23x
Haslingden 1 5.36x
Hawarden Saltney 1 69.93x
Kensington London 1 0.47x
Longbenton 1 4.18x
Macclesfield 1 2.69x
Ramsgate 1 4.73x
Salford 1 0.76x
St George Hanover 1 2.02x
Tottington Lower End 1 4.67x
Withington 1 6.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Elizabeth 13
Margaret 12
Sarah 12
Alice 9
Ann 9
Ellen 7
Bridget 6
Kate 6
Catherine 5
Annie 4
Maria 4
Rose 4
Cathrine 3
Jane 3
Julia 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Elizebeth 2
Emma 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Martha 2
Susan 2
Clara 1
Deborah 1
Diana 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Hetty 1
Honora 1
Jennett 1
Josephine 1
Katherine 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Marg. 1
Margeret 1
Marget 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 31
James 28
William 20
Thomas 13
Patrick 11
Michael 8
George 7
Henry 5
Hugh 5
Joseph 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Francis 4
Peter 4
Daniel 3
Edward 3
Martin 3
Frank 2
Jno. 2
Walter 2
Aaron 1
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Bernard 1
Dominic 1
Ed. 1
Edwin 1
Fredk 1
Jeremiah 1
Mary 1
Math. 1
Mich 1
Mich. 1
Michal 1
Owen 1
P. 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Rorie 1
Samuel 1
Samuell 1
Terence 1
Thos 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Mcnally surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcnally surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,113 people were recorded with the Mcnally surname. That placed it at #2,090 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcnally surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,672 in 2016. That gives Mcnally a modern rank of #868.

What does the Mcnally surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin meaning "descendant of Conghaile," derived from the Gaelic elements "con" (hound) and "gal" (valor).

What does the Mcnally map show?

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