NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcniff

An Irish surname derived from Mac an Naoibh meaning "son of the noble one".

In the 1881 census there were 130 people recorded with the Mcniff surname, ranking it #16,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 259, ranked #16,393, up from #16,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Leith, Wakefield and Selby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcniff is 274 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 99.2%.

1881 census count

130

Ranked #16,911

Modern count

259

2016, ranked #16,393

Peak year

1999

274 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcniff had 130 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016, ranked #16,393.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 130 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcniff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcniff surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcniff 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 63 #22,069
1861 historical 85 #22,922
1881 historical 130 #16,911
1891 historical 121 #21,169
1901 historical 123 #20,248
1911 historical 102 #22,465
1997 modern 264 #14,734
1998 modern 266 #15,053
1999 modern 274 #14,826
2000 modern 265 #15,143
2001 modern 264 #14,958
2002 modern 258 #15,485
2003 modern 252 #15,530
2004 modern 233 #16,471
2005 modern 231 #16,529
2006 modern 239 #16,224
2007 modern 236 #16,617
2008 modern 235 #16,777
2009 modern 240 #16,896
2010 modern 241 #17,186
2011 modern 239 #17,138
2012 modern 246 #16,702
2013 modern 258 #16,421
2014 modern 263 #16,334
2015 modern 260 #16,361
2016 modern 259 #16,393

Geography

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Where Mcniffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, Edinburgh, Manchester, Mottram-in-Longdendale and Wakefield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Leith, Wakefield, Selby, Mole Valley and Bo'ness - Newtown. 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 Darlington Durham
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Mottram-in-Longdendale Lancashire
5 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Leith City of Edinburgh
2 Wakefield 016 Wakefield
3 Selby 003 Selby
4 Mole Valley 006 Mole Valley
5 Bo'ness - Newtown Falkirk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcniff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcniff

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Mcniff is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcniff 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mcniff

The surname McNiff originated in Ireland, deriving from the Gaelic Mac an Naofa, meaning "son of the saint." This name first appeared in the eastern province of Ulster, particularly in counties Armagh and Monaghan. It is believed that the name was originally bestowed upon a family descended from a revered or pious individual, potentially a cleric or monk.

Early records of the McNiff name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the late 12th century, a figure named Mael Petair Mac an Naofa is mentioned, indicating the surname's use at that time. Similar spellings such as MacNiff, McNefe, and McNeve were also present in historical documents.

The McNiff surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Diarmaid Mac an Naofa, a 16th-century poet and historian from County Monaghan. His works, though largely lost, were instrumental in preserving the oral traditions and genealogies of Irish clans.

In the 18th century, Patrick McNiff (1675-1744) was a prominent Catholic landowner and politician from County Leitrim. He actively campaigned for the rights of Irish Catholics during the Penal Laws, which imposed severe restrictions on their religious and civil liberties.

Another noteworthy figure was James McNiff (1836-1906), an Irish-American journalist and author. He founded the Irish American newspaper in New York City and was a vocal advocate for Irish independence and cultural preservation.

In the realm of literature, Seamus McNiff (1915-2003) was a celebrated Irish poet and playwright. Born in County Armagh, his works often explored themes of identity, nature, and the Irish experience. He received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Irish Life Poetry Award.

Lastly, John McNiff (1920-2005) was a renowned American artist and educator. Born in New York to Irish immigrant parents, he was a pioneering figure in the Abstract Expressionist movement and taught at institutions such as the Pratt Institute and the School of Visual Arts.

These examples illustrate the enduring presence of the McNiff surname throughout Irish and Irish-American history, spanning various fields and eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcniff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcniff 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. Yorkshire leads with 10 Mcniffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.45x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 10 5.45x
Lancashire 7 3.19x
Cheshire 1 2.45x
Durham 1 1.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Droylsden in Lancashire leads with 6 Mcniffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 833.33x.

Place Total Index
Droylsden 6 833.33x
Leeds 6 57.92x
Sheffield 3 51.37x
Brinnington 1 263.16x
Darlington 1 46.95x
Keighley 1 51.02x
Liverpool 1 7.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Jane 2
Bgt. 1
Elizabeth 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Maria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Peter 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 Mcniff households.

FAQ

Mcniff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcniff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 130 people were recorded with the Mcniff surname. That placed it at #16,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcniff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016. That gives Mcniff a modern rank of #16,393.

What does the Mcniff surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from Mac an Naoibh meaning "son of the noble one".

What does the Mcniff map show?

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