NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcstay

A surname of Scottish origin meaning "son of a monk's servant".

In the 1881 census there were 94 people recorded with the Mcstay surname, ranking it #20,467 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 366, ranked #12,690, up from #20,467 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Port Glasgow, Wilne and Newcastle St Andrew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carluke East, Newcastle upon Tyne and Overtown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcstay is 382 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 289.4%.

1881 census count

94

Ranked #20,467

Modern count

366

2016, ranked #12,690

Peak year

2014

382 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcstay had 94 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,467 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 366 in 2016, ranked #12,690.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 156 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcstay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcstay surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcstay 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 60 #22,584
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 94 #20,467
1891 historical 128 #20,393
1901 historical 156 #17,638
1911 historical 89 #23,922
1997 modern 352 #12,117
1998 modern 367 #12,121
1999 modern 369 #12,147
2000 modern 343 #12,746
2001 modern 341 #12,588
2002 modern 357 #12,424
2003 modern 337 #12,759
2004 modern 343 #12,616
2005 modern 350 #12,359
2006 modern 341 #12,684
2007 modern 345 #12,714
2008 modern 344 #12,874
2009 modern 357 #12,766
2010 modern 373 #12,628
2011 modern 367 #12,647
2012 modern 367 #12,499
2013 modern 374 #12,521
2014 modern 382 #12,408
2015 modern 375 #12,470
2016 modern 366 #12,690

Geography

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Where Mcstays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Port Glasgow, Wilne, Newcastle St Andrew, Gateshead and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carluke East, Newcastle upon Tyne, Overtown, Linwood North and Carntyne West and Haghill. 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 Port Glasgow Renfrew
2 Wilne Derbyshire
3 Newcastle St Andrew Northumberland
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carluke East South Lanarkshire
2 Newcastle upon Tyne 029 Newcastle upon Tyne
3 Overtown North Lanarkshire
4 Linwood North Renfrewshire
5 Carntyne West and Haghill Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcstay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcstay

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mcstay is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcstay is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mcstay

The surname MCSTAY originated in Scotland in the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic Mac Staidh, meaning "son of the stoic or potent one". This name was likely given as a nickname to someone with a stern or imposing demeanor.

The earliest known record of the MCSTAY name dates back to 1249 in the county of Ayrshire, where a William McStay was recorded as a landholder. By the 14th century, the name had spread to other parts of Scotland, including the Highlands and Islands.

In the 16th century, the MCSTAY name appeared in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were records of landholdings and tax payments. Notable individuals from this time period include John McStay, who was a merchant in Inverness in 1532, and Angus McStay, who was a soldier in the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547.

During the 17th century, the MCSTAY name was found in various parish records and legal documents throughout Scotland. One notable figure was Robert McStay, a minister who served in the parish of Arbuthnott in Aberdeenshire from 1635 to 1668.

As the Scottish diaspora spread across the world, the MCSTAY name traveled with it. In the 18th century, James McStay (1720-1802) was a Scottish-born merchant who settled in Virginia, USA, and became a prominent figure in the American Revolutionary War.

Other notable individuals with the MCSTAY surname include:

1. John McStay (1822-1891), an Irish-born Australian politician and banker. 2. William McStay (1856-1927), a Scottish-born Canadian politician and businessman. 3. Robert McStay (1901-1982), a Scottish-born Australian actor and director. 4. Eileen McStay (1920-2003), an English actress and singer. 5. Patrick McStay (born 1962), an Irish-born American soccer player and coach.

The MCSTAY name has a rich history that spans centuries and continents, reflecting the Scottish heritage and resilience of those who bore this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcstay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcstay 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 6 Mcstays recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.50x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 6 34.50x
Durham 3 8.63x
Lancashire 2 1.44x
Hampshire 1 4.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wallsend in Northumberland leads with 6 Mcstays recorded in 1881 and an index of 1090.91x.

Place Total Index
Wallsend 6 1090.91x
Heworth 3 434.78x
Newton 2 186.92x
Portsmouth 1 181.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Bridget 2
Lydia 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Daniel 2
Jas. 2
Edward 1
James 1
John 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 Mcstay households.

FAQ

Mcstay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcstay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 94 people were recorded with the Mcstay surname. That placed it at #20,467 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcstay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 366 in 2016. That gives Mcstay a modern rank of #12,690.

What does the Mcstay surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin meaning "son of a monk's servant".

What does the Mcstay map show?

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