The
McGinley surname is principally a Donegal surname. It has been
such since the dawning of our clan in the 1200's, but it can now
be found all over the globe in English speaking countries. In
its native Donegal, nearly all of the name are spelt McGinley.
Any other form of the name would be extremely rare here. Equally
so, the surname in Scotland is usually found as McGinlay and it
is found in Donegal among clan members who returned home to their
roots. In the past three hundred years many variations of the
name have developed, as McGinleys have dispersed around the globe.
The distribution of the name McGinley (and its variant forms)
is as follows...
Ireland…
The vast majority of the name in Ireland, as much as 80%, are
to be found in the native homeland of Co. Donegal. Today they
are a little more spread out from the original north Donegal area,
with a good number in the towns of Letterkenny and Milford. The
name is well represented along the western coast especially in
the town of Dungloe. Most of the rest can be found in neighbouring
Derry and Tyrone counties.
SCOTLAND
The
vast majority of the name, at
least 60%, are to be found in the city of Glasgow.
They have been there since the Great Hunger in the mid-1800’s,
although some isolated instances are found before that date. Most
seem to have first settled in the Pollock and Pollockshaws areas
of the city. Others are found in the greater Lanarkshire area.
In Scotland the name is found as McGinley but McGinlay is by far
the more common. Including England and Scotland together, the
vast majority of McGinleys, probably over 50% are found in the
Lanarkshire area, Glasgow in particular.
ENGLAND
The
vast majority of the surname McGinley are to be found in the north
of England where they have been since the Great Hunger. Records
for the year 1891 show that the county of Lancashire has had the
highest percentage of McGinleys, between 20% and 24%. Next to
Lancashire is the county of Durham which has the second highest
groupings of McGinleys with about 20%. Another neighbouring county,
Cheshire, has a further 15%. These three counties have around
60% of the McGinley families in England.
In
the past 50 years, more McGinleys have settled in London for work
reasons.
AMERICA
The
vast majority (over 55%) of the name, in the year 1920, are to
be found in the state of Pennsylvania alone. Another 20 to 30%
are to be found in the neighbouring state of New York. Together
these two states must have at least 80% of the name in America.
Earlier in 1840 the state of Pennsylvania had an even higher percentage
at 60%+. From the New York Official Passenger Lists, it can be
seen that there was a steady flow of McGinleys into America from
1840 onwards with the peak period being 1881-1885. The name is
found as McGinley, Ginley, Ginly as well as the very rare variants
(Mc)Ginnery and McGuinley. The McGinley name has been recorded
in America since the early 1700’s.
CANADA
The
surname of McGinley (and its variants) are also to be found in
Canada, but there, they are no where near as prolific as in America.
The surname was found in Canada at a later date than in America.
The vast majority of McGinleys in Canada were to be found in the
Ontario area at the end of the nineteenth century and this is
still the case at the start of the twenty first century. The main
city has always been Toronto. A sizable amount are also located
in nearby New Brunswick.
AUSTRALIA
Families
and individuals of the McGinley name have also settled in Australia.
Maybe ‘settled’ would be a wrong word since Australia
was used as a dumping ground for those that the English Crown
called criminals. To the English, a criminal could be someone
caught stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving children,
or someone who could not pay a ‘foreign rent’. He/she
would be sent to the other side of the world, never to see their
families again. Many cases are recorded of such abuse of power
by the English. In Australia, the vast majority of McGinleys,
more than 70% are to be found in New South Wales. Since the late
1850’s, with the help of the Donegal Relief Fund, many ships
left the north west of Ireland bound for Australia with its new
cargo of humans. Most of these had Donegal surnames, including
McGinley. They settled in the New South Wales area, primarily
in Sydney.
NEW
ZEALAND
It
would seem that most of the McGinleys who are found in New Zealand
settled there after having been in Australia first, possibly as
criminals who were later released. In New Zealand nearly all of
the McGinleys are recorded on the North Island. This is not surprising,
as the largest population concentration is here, especially around
Wellington.
The
first European settlers here arrived in September 1839. The earliest
McGinleys would have been around 1860, with the biggest influx
happening in the 1870's and 1880's.
WALES
The
Irish settlements in Wales can be traced back to the sixth century
when many Irish monks and then general settlers arrived from south
eastern parts of Ireland. The main settlement of Irish in Wales
however was much later. Most of the Irish/McGinley families in
Wales arrived there after the Great Hunger in the late 1840's.
They would have went to England at first and then later some moved
to Wales, probably for work related reasons, most notably in the
coal mines. Today, as in the last century, the vast majority of
McGinleys are to be found in or close to the city of Cardiff in
the south of the country.
The
vast majority of the name, at
least 60%, are to be found in the city of Glasgow.
They have been there since the Great Hunger in the mid-1800’s,
although some isolated instances are found before that date. Most
seem to have first settled in the Pollock and Pollockshaws areas
of the city. Others are found in the greater Lanarkshire area.
In Scotland the name is found as McGinley but McGinlay is by far
the more common. Including England and Scotland together, the
vast majority of McGinleys, probably over 50% are found in the
Lanarkshire area, Glasgow in particular.
The
vast majority of the surname McGinley are to be found in the north
of England where they have been since the Great Hunger. Records
for the year 1891 show that the county of Lancashire has had the
highest percentage of McGinleys, between 20% and 24%. Next to
Lancashire is the county of Durham which has the second highest
groupings of McGinleys with about 20%. Another neighbouring county,
Cheshire, has a further 15%. These three counties have around
60% of the McGinley families in England.
The
vast majority (over 55%) of the name, in the year 1920, are to
be found in the state of Pennsylvania alone. Another 20 to 30%
are to be found in the neighbouring state of New York. Together
these two states must have at least 80% of the name in America.
Earlier in 1840 the state of Pennsylvania had an even higher percentage
at 60%+. From the New York Official Passenger Lists, it can be
seen that there was a steady flow of McGinleys into America from
1840 onwards with the peak period being 1881-1885. The name is
found as McGinley, Ginley, Ginly as well as the very rare variants
(Mc)Ginnery and McGuinley. The McGinley name has been recorded
in America since the early 1700’s. 
The
surname of McGinley (and its variants) are also to be found in
Canada, but there, they are no where near as prolific as in America.
The surname was found in Canada at a later date than in America.
The vast majority of McGinleys in Canada were to be found in the
Ontario area at the end of the nineteenth century and this is
still the case at the start of the twenty first century. The main
city has always been Toronto. A sizable amount are also located
in nearby New Brunswick.
Families
and individuals of the McGinley name have also settled in Australia.
Maybe ‘settled’ would be a wrong word since Australia
was used as a dumping ground for those that the English Crown
called criminals. To the English, a criminal could be someone
caught stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving children,
or someone who could not pay a ‘foreign rent’. He/she
would be sent to the other side of the world, never to see their
families again. Many cases are recorded of such abuse of power
by the English. In Australia, the vast majority of McGinleys,
more than 70% are to be found in New South Wales. Since the late
1850’s, with the help of the Donegal Relief Fund, many ships
left the north west of Ireland bound for Australia with its new
cargo of humans. Most of these had Donegal surnames, including
McGinley. They settled in the New South Wales area, primarily
in Sydney.
It
would seem that most of the McGinleys who are found in New Zealand
settled there after having been in Australia first, possibly as
criminals who were later released. In New Zealand nearly all of
the McGinleys are recorded on the North Island. This is not surprising,
as the largest population concentration is here, especially around
Wellington.
The
Irish settlements in Wales can be traced back to the sixth century
when many Irish monks and then general settlers arrived from south
eastern parts of Ireland. The main settlement of Irish in Wales
however was much later. Most of the Irish/McGinley families in
Wales arrived there after the Great Hunger in the late 1840's.
They would have went to England at first and then later some moved
to Wales, probably for work related reasons, most notably in the
coal mines. Today, as in the last century, the vast majority of
McGinleys are to be found in or close to the city of Cardiff in
the south of the country.