NameCensus.

UK surname

Birney

An anglicized version of the Irish surname Ó Braonaigh, meaning "descendant of Braonach".

In the 1881 census there were 112 people recorded with the Birney surname, ranking it #18,501 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 328, ranked #13,831, up from #18,501 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Gateshead and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Kilmaurs and Hammersmith and Fulham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Birney is 339 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 192.9%.

1881 census count

112

Ranked #18,501

Modern count

328

2016, ranked #13,831

Peak year

1999

339 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Birney had 112 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,501 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 328 in 2016, ranked #13,831.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 128 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Birney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Birney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Birney 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 67 #25,342
1881 historical 112 #18,501
1891 historical 119 #21,415
1901 historical 128 #19,822
1911 historical 128 #19,664
1997 modern 308 #13,297
1998 modern 322 #13,248
1999 modern 339 #12,892
2000 modern 331 #13,045
2001 modern 329 #12,921
2002 modern 337 #12,965
2003 modern 326 #13,076
2004 modern 308 #13,655
2005 modern 309 #13,552
2006 modern 311 #13,577
2007 modern 303 #13,965
2008 modern 299 #14,177
2009 modern 308 #14,161
2010 modern 310 #14,378
2011 modern 318 #14,023
2012 modern 322 #13,799
2013 modern 317 #14,186
2014 modern 324 #14,058
2015 modern 322 #14,023
2016 modern 328 #13,831

Geography

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Where Birneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Gateshead, Glasgow, Liverpool and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Kilmaurs, Hammersmith and Fulham, Gretna and West Lancashire. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 045 Bradford
2 Kilmaurs East Ayrshire
3 Hammersmith and Fulham 011 Hammersmith and Fulham
4 Gretna Dumfries and Galloway
5 West Lancashire 004 West Lancashire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Birney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Birney

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Birney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Birney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Birney 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

Birney 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

Birney 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 Birney 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 Birney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Birney

The surname Birney is of Irish origin, and it is believed to have originated in the 16th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "bior" meaning "pointed" and "inis" meaning "island," which together translate to "pointed island."

The Birney surname was likely first used by families who resided on or near a pointed island, possibly in the area of County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be "Birnye" in the Ulster Plantation Papers of 1619.

One of the earliest known references to the Birney name is found in the Hearth Money Rolls of 1663-1665, which were tax records for County Fermanagh. Several Birney families were listed in these records, indicating their presence in the region during that time.

In the 18th century, a notable figure with the Birney surname was James Birney (1792-1857), an American abolitionist and politician. He was born in Kentucky and later became a prominent leader in the anti-slavery movement, establishing the Liberty Party and running for President in 1840 and 1844 on an abolitionist platform.

Another historically significant individual with the Birney surname was David Birney (1939-2022), an American actor best known for his roles in the television series "St. Elsewhere" and "Bridget Loves Bernie." He was born in Los Angeles and had a successful career in both television and film.

In the 19th century, William Birney (1819-1907) was a Canadian-born American politician and lawyer who served as a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He later became a prominent figure in the Republican Party and held several political positions, including Lieutenant Governor of Michigan.

In the early 20th century, Hoffman Birney (1891-1968) was an American educator and social activist. He was born in Philadelphia and dedicated his life to promoting racial equality and civil rights. He served as the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 1936 to 1951.

Another notable figure with the Birney surname was Alfred Birney (1865-1944), an American philanthropist and businessman. He was born in New York City and became a successful industrialist, later using his wealth to support various educational and charitable organizations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Birney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Birney 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 28 Birneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.77x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 28 29.77x
Lancashire 16 1.23x
Surrey 12 2.25x
Durham 11 3.38x
Bedfordshire 9 15.91x
Hampshire 8 3.57x
Middlesex 8 0.73x
Lanarkshire 7 1.98x
Glamorgan 3 1.58x
Northumberland 3 1.85x
Banffshire 2 8.83x
Caernarfonshire 1 2.26x
Inverness-shire 1 3.07x
Renfrewshire 1 1.18x
Somerset 1 0.57x
Yorkshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedford St Peter in Bedfordshire leads with 9 Birneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 612.24x.

Place Total Index
Bedford St Peter 9 612.24x
Gateshead 9 36.99x
Portsea 8 18.23x
Aspatria 7 777.78x
Barony 7 7.83x
Toxteth Park 7 15.95x
Battersea 6 14.93x
St Pancras London 6 6.82x
Farlam 5 847.46x
Lambeth 5 5.25x
Liverpool 5 6.35x
Crosscanonby 4 128.62x
Manchester 4 6.86x
Cardiff St John 3 48.31x
Cummersdale 3 937.50x
Hensingham 3 389.61x
Byker 2 24.91x
Great Lumley 2 357.14x
Hornsey 2 14.48x
Inverkeithny 2 571.43x
St Mary Within 2 170.94x
Bangor 1 23.47x
Boleskine Abertarff 1 185.19x
Clapham 1 7.32x
East Greenock 1 12.52x
Hayton 1 188.68x
Hayton Mealo 1 909.09x
Low Holme 1 188.68x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 11.88x
Pitminster 1 192.31x
Richmond 1 59.17x
Tallentire 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Birney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Birney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 112 people were recorded with the Birney surname. That placed it at #18,501 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Birney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 328 in 2016. That gives Birney a modern rank of #13,831.

What does the Birney surname mean?

An anglicized version of the Irish surname Ó Braonaigh, meaning "descendant of Braonach".

What does the Birney map show?

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