NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcweeney

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Maolmhuaidh, meaning "descendant of the devotee of the shaver."

In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Mcweeney surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 99, ranked #31,358, down from #31,170 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet, Hammersmith and Fulham and Pembrokeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcweeney is 118 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 482.4%.

1881 census count

17

Ranked #31,170

Modern count

99

2016, ranked #31,358

Peak year

2002

118 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Mcweeney had 17 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 99 in 2016, ranked #31,358.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 31 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Mcweeney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcweeney surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcweeney 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
1861 historical 13 #32,208
1881 historical 17 #31,170
1891 historical 28 #32,046
1901 historical 29 #30,848
1911 historical 31 #29,952
1997 modern 115 #24,834
1998 modern 104 #26,981
1999 modern 110 #26,315
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 111 #25,767
2002 modern 118 #25,358
2003 modern 109 #26,361
2004 modern 109 #26,607
2005 modern 103 #27,531
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 99 #28,852
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 103 #29,127
2010 modern 103 #29,780
2011 modern 100 #30,058
2012 modern 85 #32,395
2013 modern 93 #31,785
2014 modern 94 #31,909
2015 modern 98 #31,342
2016 modern 99 #31,358

Geography

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Where Mcweeneys 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 Barnet, Hammersmith and Fulham, Pembrokeshire, Harrow and East Hertfordshire. 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 Barnet 007 Barnet
2 Hammersmith and Fulham 008 Hammersmith and Fulham
3 Pembrokeshire 013 Pembrokeshire
4 Harrow 010 Harrow
5 East Hertfordshire 012 East Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcweeney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcweeney

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Mcweeney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Mcweeney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcweeney is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcweeney is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcweeney falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcweeney 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 Mcweeney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcweeney

The surname McWeeney is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Bhuidhionnaigh, meaning "son of the yellow haired one." It traces its roots back to County Tyrone in Northern Ireland during the late medieval period.

The name is believed to have first appeared in written records in the 14th century, with variations in spelling such as McVeney and McVeany. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a Giolla Buidhe Mac Bhuidhionnaigh in 1381.

In the 16th century, the McWeeney clan was prominent in the Barony of Strabane, County Tyrone. They were among the many Irish families who resisted the Tudor conquest of Ireland and the subsequent Plantation of Ulster, which saw their ancestral lands confiscated and granted to English and Scottish settlers.

Notable McWeeneys from this period include Donal McWeeney, who was involved in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 against English rule, and his son Rory, who fought in the Williamite War in Ireland in the late 17th century.

The name also has a strong connection to County Mayo in western Ireland, where it is believed to have been introduced by members of the clan who fled Tyrone during the Plantation. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Patrick McWeeney (1789-1877), a distinguished Catholic priest and Irish patriot from Ballina, County Mayo.

Other prominent McWeeneys throughout history include:

1. John McWeeney (1825-1899), an Irish-American architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Church of St. Vincent de Paul.

2. Edward McWeeney (1835-1911), an Irish-born American prelate who served as the Bishop of Hartford, Connecticut.

3. Mary McWeeney (1858-1930), an Irish politician and activist who was one of the first women elected to the Dublin Corporation.

4. John Joseph McWeeney (1884-1954), an Irish-born American prelate who served as the Bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin.

5. Eugene McWeeney (1922-2003), an Irish-born American actor best known for his role as Father Benny Lankamp Byers in the television series The Waltons.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mcweeney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcweeney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Mcweeney surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcweeney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 99 in 2016. That gives Mcweeney a modern rank of #31,358.

What does the Mcweeney surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Maolmhuaidh, meaning "descendant of the devotee of the shaver."

What does the Mcweeney map show?

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