UK surname
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Niall, meaning "son of Niall".
In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Mcniell surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10, ranked #37,599, down from #22,225 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Tranent, Torosay and Kinlochspervie and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcniell is 182 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 87.5%.
1881 census count
80
Ranked #22,225
Modern count
10
2016, ranked #37,599
Peak year
1851
182 bearers
Map years
3
1851 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Mcniell surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Mcniell surname density by area, 1891 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 | 182 | #11,209 |
| 1861 | historical | 107 | #20,008 |
| 1881 | historical | 80 | #22,225 |
| 1891 | historical | 115 | #21,878 |
| 1901 | historical | 92 | #23,800 |
| 1911 | historical | 33 | #29,703 |
| 1997 | modern | 15 | #36,409 |
| 1998 | modern | 15 | #36,457 |
| 1999 | modern | 10 | #37,072 |
| 2000 | modern | 11 | #36,879 |
| 2001 | modern | 11 | #36,727 |
| 2002 | modern | 12 | #36,679 |
| 2003 | modern | 10 | #36,964 |
| 2004 | modern | 9 | #37,213 |
| 2005 | modern | 6 | #37,724 |
| 2006 | modern | 8 | #37,481 |
| 2007 | modern | 5 | #38,004 |
| 2008 | modern | 5 | #38,027 |
| 2009 | modern | 6 | #37,953 |
| 2010 | modern | 8 | #37,769 |
| 2011 | modern | 8 | #37,737 |
| 2012 | modern | 8 | #37,740 |
| 2013 | modern | 9 | #37,653 |
| 2014 | modern | 10 | #37,567 |
| 2015 | modern | 9 | #37,684 |
| 2016 | modern | 10 | #37,599 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Tranent, Torosay and Kinlochspervie, Govan Combination, Kilfinichen and Iona and Edinburgh. 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 | Tranent | Haddington |
| 2 | Torosay and Kinlochspervie | Argyll |
| 3 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 4 | Kilfinichen and Iona | Argyll |
| 5 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Mcniell 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 Mcniell, 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 Mcniell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Mcniell 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, Mcniell 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 Mcniell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Mcniell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname MCNIELL is of Scottish origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic personal name "Niall" or "Niallghas", which means "champion" or "passionate". The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" means "son of" in Gaelic.
The name is thought to have originated in the region of Argyllshire, on the western coast of Scotland. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Gillechrist McNiell, who was mentioned in the records of the Isle of Bute in 1292. Another early reference is to a John McNiell, who was listed as a tenant in the Barony of Renfrew in 1405.
The MCNIELL name has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. In the 16th century, Hector McNiell (c. 1510-1580) was a Scottish poet and translator who worked on the translation of Virgil's Aeneid into Scots verse.
During the 17th century, Robert McNiell (1622-1670) was a Scottish Presbyterian minister and author who wrote several religious works. He was born in Stirlingshire and served as the minister of the parish of Wilton in Roxburghshire.
In the 18th century, William McNeill (1734-1819) was a Scottish-born British army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He was captured by the Americans at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781.
In the 19th century, John McNeill (1795-1857) was a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada. He was born in Argyllshire and emigrated to Upper Canada (now Ontario) in 1822.
Another notable bearer of the name was Sir John McNeill (1831-1904), a Scottish-born British army officer and diplomat who served as the British Ambassador to Persia (now Iran) from 1888 to 1892.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcniell 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. Lancashire leads with 10 Mcniells recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.21x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 10 | 7.21x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 1.71x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 8 Mcniells recorded in 1881 and an index of 178.57x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Oldham | 8 | 178.57x |
| Bethnal Green London | 2 | 39.37x |
| Liverpool | 2 | 23.75x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mcniell 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 Mcniell 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 Mcniell households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 2 |
| Assistant At Home | 1 |
| Boot Finisher | 1 |
| Dock Labourer | 1 |
| Drapers Assistant | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Out Of Business | 1 |
| Post Office Clerk (CS) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Mcniell surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 10 in 2016. That gives Mcniell a modern rank of #37,599.
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Niall, meaning "son of Niall".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mcniell 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.