NameCensus.

UK surname

Breheny

Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Bréanaigh meaning "descendant of Bréanach".

In the 1881 census there were 5 people recorded with the Breheny surname, ranking it #33,110 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 348, ranked #13,233, up from #33,110 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, Wigan and Luton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Breheny is 360 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6860.0%.

1881 census count

5

Ranked #33,110

Modern count

348

2016, ranked #13,233

Peak year

1999

360 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Breheny had 5 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,110 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 348 in 2016, ranked #13,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 38 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Breheny surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Breheny surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Breheny 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 6 #32,278
1861 historical 7 #33,053
1881 historical 5 #33,110
1891 historical 15 #32,956
1901 historical 23 #31,466
1911 historical 38 #29,147
1997 modern 329 #12,734
1998 modern 339 #12,810
1999 modern 360 #12,371
2000 modern 357 #12,380
2001 modern 348 #12,419
2002 modern 359 #12,383
2003 modern 356 #12,258
2004 modern 336 #12,848
2005 modern 322 #13,175
2006 modern 320 #13,289
2007 modern 313 #13,648
2008 modern 320 #13,550
2009 modern 338 #13,302
2010 modern 355 #13,099
2011 modern 341 #13,341
2012 modern 331 #13,538
2013 modern 357 #12,984
2014 modern 360 #13,006
2015 modern 353 #13,086
2016 modern 348 #13,233

Geography

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Where Brehenys 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 South Tyneside, Wigan and Luton. 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 South Tyneside 021 South Tyneside
2 Wigan 021 Wigan
3 Luton 009 Luton
4 Wigan 011 Wigan
5 Wigan 014 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Breheny

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Breheny

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Breheny surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Breheny 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 predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Breheny is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Breheny is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Breheny falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Breheny is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Breheny

The surname BREHENY originated in Ireland and is derived from the Irish Gaelic name "Ó Braonáin" meaning "descendant of Braonán". Braonán is an old Irish personal name that may have been derived from the word "braon" meaning "drop" or "rain".

The earliest recorded spelling of the name was found in the Annals of Ulster in 1435, which mentioned "Concubhur O'Braonan". Similar spellings from historical records include O'Braonain, O'Broenain, and O'Braonayn. The name was predominantly found in counties Leitrim, Sligo, and Roscommon in the province of Connacht.

In the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, there are several references to the BREHENY surname. One notable entry from 1586 mentions "Owen O'Braonan, Chief Professor of Fermanagh".

The BREHENY surname is also linked to the Brehon Laws, which were the ancient laws of Ireland administered by judges called "Brehons". It is believed that some members of the BREHENY family may have served as Brehon judges in the past.

Notable individuals with the BREHENY surname include:

1. William Breheny (1760-1819), an Irish-born soldier who served in the American Revolutionary War. 2. Patrick Breheny (1789-1867), an Irish Catholic priest and educator who founded several schools in the United States. 3. John Breheny (1836-1900), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the New York State Assembly. 4. Michael Breheny (1887-1976), an Irish hurler who played for the Galway senior hurling team and won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in 1923. 5. Padraig Breheny (1953-present), an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for the Sligo senior football team and won the Connacht Senior Football Championship in 1975.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Breheny families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Breheny 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 4 Brehenys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.95x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 4 6.95x
Renfrewshire 1 26.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Farnworth in Lancashire leads with 4 Brehenys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1176.47x.

Place Total Index
Farnworth 4 1176.47x
Paisley Middle Church 1 454.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Bridget 1
Honora 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
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 Breheny households.

Occupation Count
Scholar 2
Gen Lab 1

FAQ

Breheny surname: questions and answers

How common was the Breheny surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5 people were recorded with the Breheny surname. That placed it at #33,110 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Breheny surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 348 in 2016. That gives Breheny a modern rank of #13,233.

What does the Breheny surname mean?

Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Bréanaigh meaning "descendant of Bréanach".

What does the Breheny map show?

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