UK surname

Mctiernan

Irish surname meaning "son of the hereditary wolf-hunter or forester".

In the 1881 census there were 28 people recorded with the Mctiernan surname, ranking it #29,646 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 295, ranked #14,915, up from #29,646 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Middlesbrough, Hillhead and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mctiernan is 301 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 953.6%.

1881 census count

Ranked #29,646

Modern count

295

2016, ranked #14,915

Peak year

2010

301 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• Mctiernan had 28 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,646 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 295 in 2016, ranked #14,915.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 62 in 1901.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Map

Mctiernan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mctiernan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Mctiernan 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	5	#32,456
1861	historical	6	#33,230
1881	historical	28	#29,646
1891	historical	49	#30,349
1901	historical	62	#27,252
1911	historical	41	#28,802
1997	modern	263	#14,769
1998	modern	270	#14,913
1999	modern	280	#14,630
2000	modern	268	#15,018
2001	modern	257	#15,236
2002	modern	272	#14,930
2003	modern	259	#15,254
2004	modern	250	#15,695
2005	modern	260	#15,250
2006	modern	266	#15,076
2007	modern	277	#14,818
2008	modern	275	#15,036
2009	modern	280	#15,141
2010	modern	301	#14,697
2011	modern	298	#14,666
2012	modern	297	#14,607
2013	modern	292	#15,027
2014	modern	294	#15,047
2015	modern	291	#15,078
2016	modern	295	#14,915

Geography

Where Mctiernans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Middlesbrough, Hillhead, Wakefield and County Durham. 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	No data	No data

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Middlesbrough 009	Middlesbrough
2	Hillhead	East Dunbartonshire
3	Wakefield 022	Wakefield
4	County Durham 004	County Durham
5	Wakefield 026	Wakefield

Forenames

First names often paired with Mctiernan

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Mary Anne Susan Stephanie Janice Elizabeth Rosemary Julie Angela Zara

Recent male names

John Michael Peter James Mark Matthew Patrick Paul Richard Sean

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Mctiernan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mctiernan, 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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Mctiernan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Mctiernan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Mctiernan is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Mctiernan 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mctiernan 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mctiernan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - Irish

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Mctiernan

The surname MCTIERNAN is of Irish origin, tracing its roots back to the 12th century in County Mayo, Ireland. It is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "Mac Tighearnaigh," which means "son of the lord" or "son of the landowner." The name is derived from the Gaelic words "mac," meaning "son," and "tighearnaigh," meaning "lord" or "landowner."

The surname MCTIERNAN first appeared in historical records during the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in the late 12th century. The name is linked to the MacTiernan clan, which was a prominent family in County Mayo and held significant landholdings in the region. The earliest known bearer of the name was Maoileachlainn Mac Tighearnaigh, who was a chieftain of the MacTiernan clan in the late 12th century.

In the 14th century, the MCTIERNAN surname is mentioned in the "Annals of the Four Masters," a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals record several notable members of the MacTiernan clan, including Tadhg Mac Tighearnaigh, who was a skilled military leader and played a significant role in the Irish campaigns against the Anglo-Normans.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname MCTIERNAN can be found in the "Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns," which were official documents issued by the English government in Ireland during the 16th century. The records mention individuals such as Edmond McTiernan, who was granted land in County Mayo in 1586.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname MCTIERNAN. One such person was Michael McTiernan (1829-1892), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. Another prominent figure was John McTiernan (1951-present), an American film director known for his work on popular action movies like "Die Hard" and "The Hunt for Red October."

Other notable individuals with the surname MCTIERNAN include:

1. Francis McTiernan (1835-1899), an Irish-American businessman and banker in New York City. 2. Hugh McTiernan (1856-1936), an Irish-American Catholic priest and educator who served as the president of Niagara University. 3. John McTiernan (1911-1993), an Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League. 4. Edna McTiernan (1898-1982), an American actress who appeared in several Broadway productions and films during the 1920s and 1930s. 5. Michael McTiernan (1929-2007), an Irish journalist and author who wrote extensively on Irish history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Mctiernan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mctiernan 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. Cheshire leads with 2 Mctiernans recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.01x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Cheshire	2	0.00%	31.01x
Yorkshire	1	0.00%	3.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birkenhead in Cheshire leads with 2 Mctiernans recorded in 1881 and an index of 392.16x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Birkenhead	2	0.00%	392.16x
Wakefield	1	0.00%	454.55x

Top female names

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

Name	Count
Alice	1
Mary	1

Top male names

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

Name	Count
John	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 Mctiernan households.

Occupation	Count
Genl Labourer	1
No Occupation	1

FAQ

Mctiernan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mctiernan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 28 people were recorded with the Mctiernan surname. That placed it at #29,646 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mctiernan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 295 in 2016. That gives Mctiernan a modern rank of #14,915.

What does the Mctiernan surname mean?