NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcwhinney

A surname derived from the Gaelic prefix 'Mac' meaning 'son of' combined with 'Whinney', meaning a horse of dun color.

In the 1881 census there were 98 people recorded with the Mcwhinney surname, ranking it #19,999 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 157, ranked #23,006, down from #19,999 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigton, Govan Combination and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sutton, Westminster and Wyre.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcwhinney is 157 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.2%.

1881 census count

98

Ranked #19,999

Modern count

157

2016, ranked #23,006

Peak year

2016

157 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcwhinney had 98 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,999 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016, ranked #23,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 103 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Mcwhinney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcwhinney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mcwhinney 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 98 #19,999
1891 historical 73 #27,677
1901 historical 103 #22,444
1911 historical 55 #27,313
1997 modern 130 #23,021
1998 modern 141 #22,517
1999 modern 145 #22,305
2000 modern 148 #21,971
2001 modern 148 #21,664
2002 modern 144 #22,501
2003 modern 135 #23,155
2004 modern 130 #23,902
2005 modern 135 #23,297
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 141 #23,137
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 140 #24,033
2010 modern 140 #24,569
2011 modern 134 #25,050
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 148 #23,884
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 154 #23,306
2016 modern 157 #23,006

Geography

Back to top

Where Mcwhinneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigton, Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and Shotts. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sutton, Westminster, Wyre, Bothwell South and Highland. 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 Wigton Cumberland
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Shotts Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sutton 022 Sutton
2 Westminster 004 Westminster
3 Wyre 001 Wyre
4 Bothwell South South Lanarkshire
5 Highland Stirling

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mcwhinney

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mcwhinney

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Mcwhinney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mcwhinney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mcwhinney is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcwhinney is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcwhinney falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcwhinney 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcwhinney

The surname MCWHINNEY is of Scottish origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is a variant of the name McWhinnie, which is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Fhionnghuine," meaning "fair-born" or "fair-skinned."

This name is believed to have originated in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and Perthshire. The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland and the Ragman Rolls.

One notable early reference to the name can be found in the Charter of Invermay, dated 1305, where a certain "Gilmor McWhinney" is mentioned as a witness. This document provides valuable insight into the geographic distribution of the name during that era.

Over the centuries, the surname has undergone various spelling variations, including McWhinny, McWhinnie, and McWheneye, reflecting the influence of local dialects and scribal interpretations. It is also believed to be related to the place name "Whinnie" or "Whinny," which is derived from the Gaelic word "choinnich," meaning "place of whins" or "gorse bushes."

Among the notable individuals bearing this surname throughout history are:

1. Sir William McWhinney (1776-1857), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the city of Glasgow. 2. John McWhinney (1819-1892), a Scottish-American industrialist and founder of the McWhinney Steel Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 3. Reverend James McWhinney (1858-1939), a Presbyterian minister and author from Belfast, Northern Ireland. 4. Katharine McWhinney (1887-1976), an American educator and author who was a pioneer in the field of modern dance education. 5. Major General Robert McWhinney (1901-1979), a highly decorated British Army officer who served in both World War I and World War II.

While the MCWHINNEY surname may not be among the most common in the world, its rich history and Scottish heritage have contributed to its enduring presence and significance over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mcwhinney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcwhinney 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. Cumberland leads with 3 Mcwhinneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 89.55x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 3 89.55x
Buckinghamshire 1 42.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Workington in Cumberland leads with 3 Mcwhinneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1578.95x.

Place Total Index
Workington 3 1578.95x
Chalfont St Peter 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Hanna 1
Jane 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 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 Mcwhinney households.

Occupation Count
Cook Dom 1
Labourer 1

FAQ

Mcwhinney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcwhinney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 98 people were recorded with the Mcwhinney surname. That placed it at #19,999 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcwhinney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016. That gives Mcwhinney a modern rank of #23,006.

What does the Mcwhinney surname mean?

A surname derived from the Gaelic prefix 'Mac' meaning 'son of' combined with 'Whinney', meaning a horse of dun color.

What does the Mcwhinney map show?

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