NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcsorley

A Gaelic surname derived from a nickname for someone with a ruddy or reddish complexion.

In the 1881 census there were 89 people recorded with the Mcsorley surname, ranking it #21,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,196, ranked #4,981, up from #21,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Govan Combination and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Easterhouse East, Parkhead East and Braidfauld North and Laighstonehall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcsorley is 1,204 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1243.8%.

1881 census count

89

Ranked #21,091

Modern count

1,196

2016, ranked #4,981

Peak year

2009

1,204 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcsorley had 89 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,196 in 2016, ranked #4,981.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 224 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcsorley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcsorley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcsorley 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 57 #23,092
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 89 #21,091
1891 historical 161 #17,473
1901 historical 224 #14,091
1911 historical 82 #24,635
1997 modern 1,063 #5,222
1998 modern 1,075 #5,358
1999 modern 1,094 #5,304
2000 modern 1,091 #5,302
2001 modern 1,074 #5,271
2002 modern 1,123 #5,202
2003 modern 1,107 #5,154
2004 modern 1,117 #5,123
2005 modern 1,078 #5,219
2006 modern 1,129 #5,023
2007 modern 1,135 #5,049
2008 modern 1,161 #4,967
2009 modern 1,204 #4,929
2010 modern 1,200 #5,046
2011 modern 1,171 #5,087
2012 modern 1,142 #5,114
2013 modern 1,166 #5,116
2014 modern 1,196 #5,034
2015 modern 1,193 #4,998
2016 modern 1,196 #4,981

Geography

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Where Mcsorleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Govan Combination, Glasgow, Liverpool and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Easterhouse East, Parkhead East and Braidfauld North, Laighstonehall, Redcar and Cleveland and Granton South and Wardieburn. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Easterhouse East Glasgow City
2 Parkhead East and Braidfauld North Glasgow City
3 Laighstonehall South Lanarkshire
4 Redcar and Cleveland 011 Redcar and Cleveland
5 Granton South and Wardieburn City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcsorley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcsorley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Mcsorley 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

Mcsorley 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

Mcsorley 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 Mcsorley 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcsorley

The surname McSorley is an Irish surname that originated in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is a variant of the name Somerville, which is derived from the Old English words "somu" meaning summer and "vill" meaning town or village, essentially translating to "summer village."

The McSorley name can be traced back to the 12th century, when it was recorded as MacSomerlied. This spelling variation was used by the Lords of Argyll, a powerful Scottish clan that ruled over parts of western Scotland and northern Ireland. The prefix "Mac" in Gaelic means "son of," indicating that the name was originally a patronymic.

In the 16th century, the McSorley name appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Conquest of Ireland, which were records of land grants and pardons issued by the English Crown. This suggests that the McSorleys were among the Gaelic Irish families who were dispossessed of their lands during the Tudor conquest and subsequent plantation of Ulster.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the McSorley name is John McSorley, who was born in County Antrim in 1550. He was a prominent figure in the Irish rebellion against English rule, known as the Nine Years' War (1594-1603).

Another notable McSorley was Thomas McSorley (1777-1853), who was a successful businessman and landowner in County Antrim. He played a significant role in the development of the linen industry in the region.

In the United States, one of the earliest McSorleys of note was John McSorley (1828-1910), who was born in County Antrim and immigrated to New York City in the mid-19th century. He established the famous McSorley's Old Ale House in 1854, which is one of the oldest continuously operating taverns in the city.

Another prominent American McSorley was Joseph McSorley (1867-1946), a professional baseball player who played for the Boston Beaneaters and the Cleveland Spiders in the late 19th century.

In more recent history, John McSorley (1910-1994) was a Canadian ice hockey coach and executive who played a significant role in the development of professional hockey in Canada and the United States. He coached the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings, winning multiple Stanley Cup championships.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcsorley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcsorley 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. Middlesex leads with 8 Mcsorleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.26x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 8 10.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tottenham in Middlesex leads with 8 Mcsorleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 645.16x.

Place Total Index
Tottenham 8 645.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Gertrude 2
Clara 1
Edith 1
Ella 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Hugh 2
Alexander 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 Mcsorley households.

FAQ

Mcsorley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcsorley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 89 people were recorded with the Mcsorley surname. That placed it at #21,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcsorley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,196 in 2016. That gives Mcsorley a modern rank of #4,981.

What does the Mcsorley surname mean?

A Gaelic surname derived from a nickname for someone with a ruddy or reddish complexion.

What does the Mcsorley map show?

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