NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcwhinnie

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Cuithein' meaning 'son of the fair-haired one'.

In the 1881 census there were 464 people recorded with the Mcwhinnie surname, ranking it #7,157 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 767, ranked #7,156, up from #7,157 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Girvan, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Penilee, Townhead and Greenock East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcwhinnie is 809 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.3%.

1881 census count

464

Ranked #7,157

Modern count

767

2016, ranked #7,156

Peak year

2010

809 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcwhinnie had 464 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,157 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 767 in 2016, ranked #7,156.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 579 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mcwhinnie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcwhinnie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcwhinnie 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 309 #7,449
1861 historical 358 #7,132
1881 historical 464 #7,157
1891 historical 518 #7,216
1901 historical 579 #7,261
1911 historical 118 #20,649
1997 modern 755 #6,853
1998 modern 781 #6,890
1999 modern 763 #7,047
2000 modern 744 #7,145
2001 modern 727 #7,146
2002 modern 746 #7,140
2003 modern 736 #7,110
2004 modern 750 #7,015
2005 modern 749 #6,964
2006 modern 760 #6,908
2007 modern 773 #6,887
2008 modern 790 #6,822
2009 modern 794 #6,940
2010 modern 809 #6,958
2011 modern 785 #7,060
2012 modern 754 #7,193
2013 modern 762 #7,246
2014 modern 757 #7,317
2015 modern 766 #7,187
2016 modern 767 #7,156

Geography

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Where Mcwhinnies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Girvan, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Penilee, Townhead, Greenock East, Sunnyside and Cliftonville and Cliftonville. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Girvan Ayr
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Penilee Glasgow City
2 Townhead North Lanarkshire
3 Greenock East Inverclyde
4 Sunnyside and Cliftonville North Lanarkshire
5 Cliftonville North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcwhinnie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcwhinnie

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mcwhinnie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mcwhinnie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcwhinnie 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

Mcwhinnie 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

Mcwhinnie 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 Mcwhinnie 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.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mcwhinnie

The surname McWhinnie has its origins in Scotland. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Ùinnidh, which means "son of the green-hued one." This refers to someone with a pale or sallow complexion.

The name is thought to have originated in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and the Western Isles. It has been recorded in various spellings over the centuries, such as McWhinney, McWhinnay, and McWhinny.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the late 13th century, where a "Gillebride McWhinny" is mentioned in a record from 1296.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, with a "Donald McWhinnie" referenced in an entry from 1541.

A notable McWhinnie in Scottish history was John McWhinnie (c. 1778-1854), a renowned Scottish poet and songwriter from Ayrshire. He is best known for his ballad "The Bridal o' Pitgaveny," which celebrates a local folk tale.

Another individual of note was Reverend William McWhinnie (1836-1911), a Scottish minister and author who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1901.

In the 19th century, the McWhinnie name can be found in various parish records and census records from across Scotland, particularly in the counties of Argyll, Ayrshire, and the Hebrides islands.

One of the earliest known McWhinnies to immigrate to North America was James McWhinnie, who arrived in Nova Scotia, Canada in 1801 from the Scottish Highlands.

Another notable McWhinnie was Sir Donald McWhinnie (1901-1982), a British jurist and legal scholar who served as a Lord Justice of Appeal in England and Wales from 1965 to 1976.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcwhinnie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcwhinnie 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. Lancashire leads with 15 Mcwhinnies recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.40x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 15 5.40x
Hampshire 4 8.34x
Ayrshire 3 17.13x
Sussex 2 5.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkdale in Lancashire leads with 7 Mcwhinnies recorded in 1881 and an index of 149.89x.

Place Total Index
Kirkdale 7 149.89x
Toxteth Park 5 53.19x
Alton 4 1111.11x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 32.95x
Hove 2 115.61x
Dalmellington 1 196.08x
Manchester 1 8.01x
Maybole 1 188.68x
Sorn 1 294.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Ada 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Etta 1
Flora 1
Nicholas 1
Penelope 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
William 2
Alexander 1
Daniel 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
John 1
Sydney 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 Mcwhinnie households.

FAQ

Mcwhinnie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcwhinnie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 464 people were recorded with the Mcwhinnie surname. That placed it at #7,157 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcwhinnie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 767 in 2016. That gives Mcwhinnie a modern rank of #7,156.

What does the Mcwhinnie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Cuithein' meaning 'son of the fair-haired one'.

What does the Mcwhinnie map show?

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