UK surname
Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Néill, meaning "descendant of Niall," likely referring to Niall of the Nine Hostages.
In the 1881 census there were 381 people recorded with the Mcniel surname, ranking it #8,240 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 26, ranked #36,254, down from #8,240 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Duirnish, Govan Combination and Arisaig and Moidart. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcniel is 987 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 93.2%.
1881 census count
381
Ranked #8,240
Modern count
26
2016, ranked #36,254
Peak year
1851
987 bearers
Map years
5
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Mcniel surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Mcniel surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 987 | #2,829 |
| 1861 | historical | 666 | #4,023 |
| 1881 | historical | 381 | #8,240 |
| 1891 | historical | 361 | #9,589 |
| 1901 | historical | 290 | #11,925 |
| 1911 | historical | 82 | #24,635 |
| 1997 | modern | 32 | #34,472 |
| 1998 | modern | 26 | #35,254 |
| 1999 | modern | 26 | #35,320 |
| 2000 | modern | 27 | #35,188 |
| 2001 | modern | 27 | #35,041 |
| 2002 | modern | 26 | #35,338 |
| 2003 | modern | 29 | #35,129 |
| 2004 | modern | 24 | #35,697 |
| 2005 | modern | 24 | #35,827 |
| 2006 | modern | 21 | #36,179 |
| 2007 | modern | 25 | #36,006 |
| 2008 | modern | 23 | #36,211 |
| 2009 | modern | 22 | #36,394 |
| 2010 | modern | 28 | #36,084 |
| 2011 | modern | 30 | #35,949 |
| 2012 | modern | 31 | #35,876 |
| 2013 | modern | 33 | #35,808 |
| 2014 | modern | 30 | #36,005 |
| 2015 | modern | 28 | #36,106 |
| 2016 | modern | 26 | #36,254 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Duirnish, Govan Combination, Arisaig and Moidart, Tiree and Coll and Barra. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duirnish | Inverness |
| 2 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 3 | Arisaig and Moidart | Inverness |
| 4 | Tiree and Coll | Argyll |
| 5 | Barra | Inverness |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Mcniel surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcniel, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Mcniel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Mcniel household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Mcniel is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcniel is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Mcniel, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname McNiel is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Niall," meaning "champion." The surname is believed to have originated in the Scottish Highlands during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.
The name McNiel is a variant spelling of the more common MacNeil or MacNeill, which is a patronymic surname meaning "son of Niall." It is thought to have been first adopted by descendants of a chieftain or clan leader named Niall, who lived in the Western Isles or the Hebrides region of Scotland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McNiel appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1506, where a "Gillecrist McNele" is mentioned. This suggests that the surname had already been in use for some time before the 16th century.
In the 17th century, the name McNiel was found in various parts of Scotland, particularly in the Highlands and Islands. For instance, a document from 1681 refers to a "John McNiel" from the Isle of Islay.
Notable individuals with the surname McNiel throughout history include Sir John McNiel (1795-1856), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. Another prominent figure was Captain James McNiel (1836-1892), a Scottish-American sea captain and shipbuilder from Maine.
In literature, the surname appears in the works of Sir Walter Scott, who mentioned a "McNiel of Barra" in his novel "The Lord of the Isles," published in 1815. This likely refers to a member of the Clan MacNeil, which had a strong presence on the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides.
Other notable individuals with the surname include Robert McNiel (1807-1876), a Scottish-born Australian politician and landowner, and Thomas McNiel (1835-1906), an American Civil War veteran and politician who served as the 18th Governor of Idaho.
While the name McNiel is not as common as some other Scottish surnames, it has a rich history that can be traced back to the medieval era and the Gaelic-speaking clans of the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcniel surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 15 Mcniels recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.85x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 15 | 4.85x |
| Durham | 4 | 4.31x |
| Lancashire | 4 | 1.08x |
| Gloucestershire | 3 | 4.90x |
| Surrey | 2 | 1.32x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 1.45x |
| Devon | 1 | 1.54x |
| Flintshire | 1 | 11.92x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 5.19x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Fylingdales in Yorkshire leads with 8 Mcniels recorded in 1881 and an index of 5333.33x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Fylingdales | 8 | 5333.33x |
| Lythe | 6 | 5000.00x |
| Westoe | 4 | 76.05x |
| Bristol St John Baptist | 2 | 3333.33x |
| Clapham | 2 | 51.28x |
| Barrow In Furness | 1 | 19.84x |
| Birkdale | 1 | 106.38x |
| Blacon Cum Crabwall | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Bristol St James In | 1 | 111.11x |
| Devonport | 1 | 133.33x |
| Everton | 1 | 8.47x |
| Northop | 1 | 333.33x |
| Oxford St Peter Le Bailey | 1 | 1000.00x |
| Preston | 1 | 10.09x |
| Rosedale West Side | 1 | 3333.33x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mcniel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mcniel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Mcniel households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 4 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Band Boy (Seaman) | 1 |
| Commercial Clerk Drapery | 1 |
| Confectioners (Assist) | 1 |
| Domestic Servt | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| English Teacher | 1 |
| Farm Servant (Indoor) | 1 |
| Farmer Of 142 Acres | 1 |
| Farmers Wife | 1 |
| Foundry Labourer | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
| Gardener (Dom) | 1 |
| Grocers Assnt | 1 |
| Quarryman Stone | 1 |
| Quarryman Wife | 1 |
| Sailors Wife | 1 |
| Shoemaker | 1 |
| Teacher In Elementary School | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 381 people were recorded with the Mcniel surname. That placed it at #8,240 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 26 in 2016. That gives Mcniel a modern rank of #36,254.
Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Néill, meaning "descendant of Niall," likely referring to Niall of the Nine Hostages.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mcniel bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.