NameCensus.

UK surname

Mulcare

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Maolchaire", meaning a devotee or follower of St. Ciar.

In the 1881 census there were 35 people recorded with the Mulcare surname, ranking it #28,715 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, down from #28,715 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, Kensington and Chelsea and Poole.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mulcare is 112 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 211.4%.

1881 census count

35

Ranked #28,715

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

2010

112 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mulcare had 35 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,715 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016, ranked #29,402.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 38 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Mulcare surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mulcare surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mulcare 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 7 #32,070
1861 historical 6 #33,230
1881 historical 35 #28,715
1891 historical 33 #31,681
1901 historical 30 #30,724
1911 historical 38 #29,147
1997 modern 85 #28,988
1998 modern 82 #29,754
1999 modern 85 #29,578
2000 modern 87 #29,377
2001 modern 84 #29,508
2002 modern 85 #29,867
2003 modern 91 #29,121
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 97 #28,485
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 97 #29,156
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 112 #28,336
2011 modern 102 #29,759
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 102 #30,415
2014 modern 106 #30,030
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

Back to top

Where Mulcares 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 Birmingham, Kensington and Chelsea, Poole and Thanet. 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 Birmingham 071 Birmingham
2 Birmingham 136 Birmingham
3 Kensington and Chelsea 011 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Poole 003 Poole
5 Thanet 010 Thanet

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mulcare

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mulcare

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Mulcare surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Mulcare household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mulcare 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

Mulcare 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

Mulcare 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 Mulcare 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mulcare

The surname Mulcare is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic words "mul" meaning "summit" or "hilltop" and "cathair" meaning "fortress" or "stone enclosure". It is believed to have originated in the region of County Clare, located in the west of Ireland, during the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Mulcare surname can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history dating back to the 12th century. The name appears as "Mulcathair" in reference to a prominent family residing in the area around Ennis, the county town of Clare.

During the 16th century, the Mulcare clan played a significant role in the local politics and conflicts of the region. Notable figures from this era include Dermot Mulcare (c. 1520-1590), a chieftain and landowner who fought alongside the Earl of Desmond in the Desmond Rebellions against English rule.

In the 17th century, the Mulcares were among the many Irish families dispossessed of their lands during the Cromwellian conquest and subsequent plantation of Protestant settlers. Some members of the clan sought refuge in the remote regions of County Clare, where the name continued to be found in various spellings such as Mulkeere, Mulkere, and Mulkerry.

One notable individual from this period was Conor Mulcare (c. 1630-1695), a Jacobite soldier who fought for the Catholic King James II during the Williamite War in Ireland. He later fled to France after the defeat of the Jacobite forces.

In the 18th century, the Mulcare name gained some prominence in the field of education. Reverend John Mulcare (1714-1786) was a renowned Catholic priest and headmaster of a prominent school in County Clare, educating many students during the era of the Penal Laws.

As the centuries progressed, members of the Mulcare family dispersed throughout Ireland and beyond, with some emigrating to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia. Notable individuals from more recent times include Patrick Mulcare (1876-1952), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mulcare families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mulcare 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. Middlesex leads with 11 Mulcares recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.22x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 11 3.22x
Staffordshire 8 6.95x
Kent 7 6.01x
Lancashire 5 1.23x
Perthshire 3 19.60x
Surrey 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Willesden in Middlesex leads with 10 Mulcares recorded in 1881 and an index of 310.56x.

Place Total Index
Willesden 10 310.56x
Wolverhampton 8 90.29x
Kirkdale 5 73.42x
Woolwich 4 93.02x
Maidstone 3 86.46x
Perth East Church 3 208.33x
Putney 1 64.10x
St George Hanover 1 22.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Lilly 1
Margrate 1
Martha 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 5
John 4
Thomas 2
Arthur 1
Charles 1
George 1
Harry 1
Patrick 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 Mulcare households.

FAQ

Mulcare surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mulcare surname in 1881?

In 1881, 35 people were recorded with the Mulcare surname. That placed it at #28,715 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mulcare surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016. That gives Mulcare a modern rank of #29,402.

What does the Mulcare surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Maolchaire", meaning a devotee or follower of St. Ciar.

What does the Mulcare map show?

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