NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcneela

Irish surname derived from Mac Nialla meaning "descendant of the descendant of Niall".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Preston, Havering and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcneela is 139 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

126

2016, ranked #26,686

Peak year

2012

139 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 126 in 2016, ranked #26,686.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Mcneela surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcneela surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcneela 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
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1891 historical 8 #33,550
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 111 #25,394
1998 modern 112 #25,856
1999 modern 120 #24,960
2000 modern 113 #25,843
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 126 #24,146
2004 modern 126 #24,335
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 123 #24,873
2007 modern 124 #25,086
2008 modern 129 #24,790
2009 modern 131 #25,056
2010 modern 133 #25,379
2011 modern 134 #25,050
2012 modern 139 #24,485
2013 modern 135 #25,395
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 128 #26,356
2016 modern 126 #26,686

Geography

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Where Mcneelas 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 Preston, Havering, Doncaster and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Preston 003 Preston
2 Havering 022 Havering
3 Preston 002 Preston
4 Doncaster 039 Doncaster
5 Cheshire West and Chester 031 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcneela

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcneela

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

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Mcneela surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Mcneela household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Mcneela is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcneela 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

Mcneela falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mcneela

The surname McNeela is of Irish and Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the personal name Neil or Niall, which means "champion" or "cloud." The name's earliest roots can be traced back to the medieval period in Ireland and Scotland.

The prefix "Mc" is a common Irish and Scottish Gaelic patronymic, meaning "son of." Therefore, McNeela likely originated as a name given to the sons or descendants of an individual named Neil or Niall. The name may have been anglicized from the original Gaelic spellings, such as Mac Niall or Mac Néill.

In ancient Irish records and manuscripts, variations of the name, such as MacNeill or MacNeil, can be found. One notable historical reference is the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions individuals with the name MacNéill as early as the 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the McNeela surname dates back to the 16th century, when a John McNeela was listed in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of Irish administrative records from the reign of Henry VIII. Another early mention is found in the Scottish Clan Donald records, where a Donald McNeela is listed as a member of the clan in the late 16th century.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname McNeela. In the 18th century, James McNeela (1720-1801) was a prominent Irish landowner and politician who served as a member of the Irish Parliament. In the 19th century, Patrick McNeela (1835-1909) was a renowned Irish historian and author, known for his works on Irish folklore and genealogy.

In the realm of literature, John McNeela (1887-1962) was an Irish poet and playwright whose works explored themes of Irish nationalism and cultural identity. Another noteworthy figure was Mary McNeela (1901-1988), a Scottish suffragette and activist who campaigned for women's rights and social justice.

More recently, in the 20th century, Michael McNeela (1920-1998) was a respected Irish-American judge and legal scholar who served on the New York State Supreme Court for over two decades.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mcneela surname: questions and answers

How common is the Mcneela surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 126 in 2016. That gives Mcneela a modern rank of #26,686.

What does the Mcneela surname mean?

Irish surname derived from Mac Nialla meaning "descendant of the descendant of Niall".

What does the Mcneela map show?

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