The Magee surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 27,720 people carried this name — #1,269 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 10,600 people counted. That is up 6% from 26,031 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Magee surname

Variant of McGee.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Magee» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As a surname in the United Kingdom

Harrison classes it as a Celtic name: ‘Son of Aedh or Aodh (Ardour)’.

From the Irish Mac Aedha.

From Henry Harrison, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary, vol. II (London: The Morland Press, 1918), p. 9 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 193 births for the Magee name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 8,600 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 55 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 150
Leinster 28
Connacht 11
Munster 4

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

20 people named Magee live in Switzerland.

They live in 2 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 16
Aargau 4

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In Scotland’s registers today

Magee was recorded 24 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1003rd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 37. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

In 1790, Magee was counted together with McGee: 154 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 739 people lived in those households, 4.8 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: McGee, McGahee, McGahey, Mcgahey, McGahhy, McGahy, McGaighy, Mcgeahey, Mcgee, M'gee, McGeehee, McGees, McGehe, McGehee, McGehey, McGhee, Mage, Magee, Magehee, Megee, Megehee. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 53
Pennsylvania 30
New York 19
Virginia 18
Maryland 12
South Carolina 10
Massachusetts 7
Maine 2
Vermont 1
Rhode Island 1
Connecticut 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 252 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Magee in American newspapers,
1919.

Newspaper page from The Ogden Standard carrying the name Magee
The Ogden Standard 1919-11-29
Newspaper page from The Ogden Standard carrying the name Magee
The Ogden Standard 1919-12-27
Newspaper page from The Ogden Standard carrying the name Magee
The Ogden Standard 1919-11-29

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 167,623 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Magee in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2010s.

17,338 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Magee. The most, 4,859, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 6,007
New South Wales 4,587
Victoria 3,845
Western Australia 1,796
South Australia 713
Tasmania 225
ACT (Canberra) 77
Northern Territory 7

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Magee.

Who carried it

People named Magee,
with a public archive behind them.

  • George F. Magee d. 2007 · physician
  • John Magee d. 1340 · Catholic priest
  • James Magee d. 1866
  • Moira Magee d. 1986
  • Mary Catherine Cox d. 1892
  • Mary Josephine Magee d. 1946

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Magee,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States3,630 records

3,630 records of the Magee name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 897
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 881
  • Other U.S. records 1,852
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record George M. Magee

    Born 1918 in New Jersey. Enlisted 1941 at Trenton; stenographer. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1986, buried at BG William C Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Wrightstown, New Jersey.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Ellen Magee

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Majestic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 19; servant. From Blackburn, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Mitchell Magee

    Born 1948; from Gary, Indiana. U.S. Army, medical equipment repairer; died in an accident 1969 in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 3,630 records for Magee in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia765 records

765 records of the Magee name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 293
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 194
  • Other Australian records 278
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Eleanor Magee

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1842. Married 1843 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 22.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Susanna Magee

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Asia, arriving 1830; ticket of leave 1832. Native of Sligo.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Michael Magee

    Arrived in Victoria in 1854 aboard the Africa, aged 40; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 765 records for Magee in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada283 records

283 records of the Magee name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 182
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 43
  • Other Canadian records 58
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record C.d Magee

    Came to Ontario in 1877 aboard the Peruvian, landing at Quebec, bound for London, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Rita Joan Magee

    Buried in 1986 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 63.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record James Manks Magee

    Died 1941 in Wolfville, Kings, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 283 records for Magee in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom15 records

15 records of the Magee name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 13
  • Welsh wills index cards 2
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Margaret Magee

    Will proved in 1922; of Holyhead, Anglesey.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Magee

    Worcestershire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Catherine Magee

    Will proved in 1877; of Holyhead, Anglesey.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 15 records for Magee in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand14 records

14 records of the Magee name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Bernard Magee

    Died 1959, aged 79; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Kathleen Magee

    Died 1964, aged 87; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Bridget Magee

    Died 1992, aged 88; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 14 records for Magee in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Ireland7 records

7 records of the Magee name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Rose Magee

    Died 1881, aged 69; buried at Oranmore (Medieval), Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Magee

    Died 1984, aged 85; buried at Moylough, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Anne Magee

    Died 1872; buried at Clonburn, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Magee in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands6 records

6 records of the Magee name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 3
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Anna Christina Magee

    Died 1817 in Harderwijk, aged 35.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record John C. Magee

    Died 1962 in Overleden op Zee, aged 70.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Wilhelmus Magee

    Baptised in 1795 in Bergen op Zoom.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Magee in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France3 records

3 records of the Magee name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Patricia Marion Magee

    Born 1916 in Canada; died 2000 in Opio (Alpes-Maritimes).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Leslie Philip Magee

    Born 1923 in Great Britain; died 1995 in Libourne (Gironde).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Magee in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Magee.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Magee is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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