NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcneice

A variant of the Scottish surname MacNeish, meaning "son of the modest one".

In the 1881 census there were 79 people recorded with the Mcneice surname, ranking it #22,357 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 364, ranked #12,748, up from #22,357 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigston, Magna, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chesterfield, Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn and Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcneice is 373 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 360.8%.

1881 census count

79

Ranked #22,357

Modern count

364

2016, ranked #12,748

Peak year

2014

373 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcneice had 79 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,357 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 364 in 2016, ranked #12,748.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 171 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcneice surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcneice surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcneice 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 32 #29,944
1881 historical 79 #22,357
1891 historical 92 #25,109
1901 historical 171 #16,689
1911 historical 95 #23,294
1997 modern 342 #12,379
1998 modern 337 #12,859
1999 modern 337 #12,942
2000 modern 335 #12,953
2001 modern 332 #12,841
2002 modern 342 #12,837
2003 modern 326 #13,076
2004 modern 332 #12,951
2005 modern 337 #12,738
2006 modern 341 #12,684
2007 modern 345 #12,714
2008 modern 360 #12,431
2009 modern 369 #12,447
2010 modern 372 #12,651
2011 modern 363 #12,738
2012 modern 352 #12,913
2013 modern 356 #13,016
2014 modern 373 #12,633
2015 modern 364 #12,768
2016 modern 364 #12,748

Geography

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Where Mcneices are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigston, Magna, Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chesterfield, Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn, Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Bradford and Leeds. 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 Wigston, Magna Leicestershire
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chesterfield 013 Chesterfield
2 Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn Fife
3 Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central Inverclyde
4 Bradford 002 Bradford
5 Leeds 003 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcneice

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcneice

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mcneice is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcneice is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcneice 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 Mcneice 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcneice

The surname McNeice is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Naois," which means "son of Naois." The name can be traced back to the 13th century and was initially concentrated in the regions of Argyll and the Western Isles of Scotland.

The earliest recorded instance of the name appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264, where a "Gillebride McNays" is mentioned. This spelling variation underscores the fluidity of surnames during that era.

In the 15th century, the McNeice family held lands in the Isle of Islay and played a significant role in the local power struggles between rival clans. A notable figure from this period is Donald McNeice, who was involved in the Battle of Gruinart in 1453, a conflict between the Clan Donald and the King's forces.

The name is also found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document that recorded the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. This document includes the name "Adam McNeice," indicating the presence of the family in that era.

As the McNeice family expanded and migrated, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as McNish, McNysh, and McNeys. One prominent figure bearing this surname was Sir Robert McNish (1675-1737), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

Another notable individual was John McNish (1795-1857), a Scottish minister and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Doctrine of the Reformation" and "Lectures on the Book of Revelation."

In the literary realm, the name is associated with Mary McNeice (1872-1956), an Irish poet and author known for her works such as "The Raided Heart" and "The Valley of Silence."

Additionally, the McNeice surname has been carried by individuals in various fields, such as Alexander McNeice (1876-1938), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives, and Joseph McNeice (1892-1971), an Irish playwright and actor who co-founded the celebrated Dublin Gate Theatre.

The McNeice name has a rich history deeply rooted in Scottish culture and has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions across various disciplines throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcneice families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcneice 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. Northumberland leads with 3 Mcneices recorded in 1881 and an index of 68.97x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 3 68.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitley in Northumberland leads with 3 Mcneices recorded in 1881 and an index of 30000.00x.

Place Total Index
Whitley 3 30000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 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 Mcneice households.

FAQ

Mcneice surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcneice surname in 1881?

In 1881, 79 people were recorded with the Mcneice surname. That placed it at #22,357 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcneice surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 364 in 2016. That gives Mcneice a modern rank of #12,748.

What does the Mcneice surname mean?

A variant of the Scottish surname MacNeish, meaning "son of the modest one".

What does the Mcneice map show?

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