NameCensus.

UK surname

Byrnes

An Irish surname derived from Ó Broin, meaning "descendant of Bran" (an old Celtic word for "raven").

In the 1881 census there were 534 people recorded with the Byrnes surname, ranking it #6,436 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 863, ranked #6,496, down from #6,436 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Halifax and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, Calderdale and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Byrnes is 873 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 61.6%.

1881 census count

534

Ranked #6,436

Modern count

863

2016, ranked #6,496

Peak year

2010

873 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Byrnes had 534 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,436 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 863 in 2016, ranked #6,496.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 534 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Byrnes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Byrnes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Byrnes 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 308 #7,478
1861 historical 289 #8,711
1881 historical 534 #6,436
1891 historical 499 #7,446
1901 historical 415 #9,236
1911 historical 447 #8,552
1997 modern 781 #6,668
1998 modern 800 #6,748
1999 modern 814 #6,700
2000 modern 822 #6,631
2001 modern 781 #6,771
2002 modern 840 #6,523
2003 modern 797 #6,671
2004 modern 793 #6,723
2005 modern 792 #6,660
2006 modern 801 #6,622
2007 modern 803 #6,661
2008 modern 815 #6,640
2009 modern 840 #6,625
2010 modern 873 #6,561
2011 modern 849 #6,623
2012 modern 825 #6,681
2013 modern 850 #6,632
2014 modern 866 #6,569
2015 modern 872 #6,467
2016 modern 863 #6,496

Geography

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Where Byrnes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Halifax, Toxteth Park and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, Calderdale, Manchester and Redcar and Cleveland. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Toxteth Park Lancashire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 013 Stroud
2 Calderdale 001 Calderdale
3 Manchester 003 Manchester
4 Calderdale 021 Calderdale
5 Redcar and Cleveland 022 Redcar and Cleveland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Byrnes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Byrnes

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Byrnes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Byrnes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Byrnes 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

Byrnes 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

Byrnes 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 Byrnes 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Byrnes

The surname Byrnes is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "O'Broin" or "O'Brain," which means "descendant of Bran." The name Bran itself is an old Irish name meaning "raven" or "crow." The Byrnes name can be traced back to the 10th century in Ireland, particularly in the counties of Galway, Clare, and Tipperary.

The earliest recorded instances of the Byrnes surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, an ancient chronicle of medieval Irish history. In these annals, the Byrnes family is mentioned as a prominent clan in Connacht and Thomond (present-day County Clare) during the 12th and 13th centuries.

One of the most notable members of the Byrnes family was Dermot O'Broin (c. 1198-1242), also known as Dermot Byrne, who was the King of Thomond from 1234 until his death in 1242. He played a significant role in the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland and was involved in several battles against the Norman forces.

Another notable figure was Redmond Byrne (c. 1530-1597), a powerful chieftain of the Byrnes clan in County Clare. He was involved in the Desmond Rebellions against English rule in Ireland and was eventually captured and executed in 1597.

In the 16th century, the Byrnes family was also associated with the area of Galmoy in County Kilkenny, where they held lands and positions of power. One prominent member from this branch was Sir John Byrne (c. 1570-1642), who served as a judge and was knighted by King James I.

The Byrnes surname can also be found in various historical records, such as the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which documented land grants and other legal transactions in Ireland during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Other notable individuals with the Byrnes surname include William Byrne (1776-1862), an Irish architect who designed several prominent buildings in Dublin, and John Byrne (1786-1847), an Irish painter known for his portraits and religious works.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Byrnes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Byrnes 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 237 Byrnes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.85x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 237 3.85x
Middlesex 58 1.12x
Yorkshire 50 0.97x
Cheshire 38 3.32x
Staffordshire 31 1.77x
Kent 17 0.96x
Warwickshire 16 1.22x
Hampshire 10 0.94x
Lanarkshire 10 0.60x
Gloucestershire 9 0.88x
Denbighshire 8 4.08x
Dorset 8 2.35x
Derbyshire 6 0.74x
Cumberland 5 1.12x
Surrey 4 0.16x
Ayrshire 3 0.77x
Northumberland 3 0.39x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.61x
Essex 2 0.20x
Glamorgan 2 0.22x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.29x
Shropshire 2 0.45x
Westmorland 2 1.75x
Cornwall 1 0.17x
Durham 1 0.06x
Inverness-shire 1 0.65x
Lincolnshire 1 0.12x
Norfolk 1 0.13x
Somerset 1 0.12x
Sussex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 37 Byrnes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.89x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 37 9.89x
Everton 21 10.70x
Preston 20 12.14x
Toxteth Park 19 9.11x
Ashton Under Lyne 18 13.37x
Birmingham 16 3.67x
Kirkdale 16 15.45x
West Derby 16 8.88x
Leeds 14 4.82x
Birkenhead 11 12.05x
Dukinfield 10 18.89x
Wigan 10 11.62x
Gorton 9 15.55x
Bowling 8 15.71x
Bradford 8 6.43x
Fulwood 8 120.30x
Portland 8 43.69x
Ruabon 8 29.67x
St George Martyr London 8 76.12x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 14.31x
Chelsea London 7 4.48x
Dalziel 7 38.76x
Great Bolton 7 8.58x
Halifax 7 9.27x
Keighley 7 12.77x
Newcastle Under Lyme 7 22.58x
St Martin In Fields 7 22.53x
Ulverston 7 39.02x
Wednesbury 7 15.99x
Dalton In Furness 6 25.24x
Hayfield 6 120.48x
Malpas 6 355.03x
Mile End Old Town London 6 5.43x
St Martin Ludgate London 6 2307.69x
Tranmere 6 14.25x
Wolverhampton 6 4.45x
Barnsley 5 9.43x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 5.22x
Hammersmith London 5 3.91x
Hulme 5 3.89x
Lewisham 5 5.30x
Manchester 5 1.81x
St Peters 5 61.05x
Chester Holy Trinity 4 74.49x
Clifton 4 7.77x
Paddington London 4 2.10x
West Bromwich 4 3.99x
Westminster St James 4 7.50x
Aldershot 3 8.42x
Alston 3 36.45x
Blackburn 3 1.83x
Bradford 3 10.41x
Elswick 3 4.87x
Glasgow 3 1.01x
Ince In Makerfield 3 10.47x
Muirkirk 3 32.89x
Widnes 3 6.75x
Bromley London 2 1.75x
Cardiff St Mary 2 4.02x
Charterhouse London 2 81.63x
Colwich 2 48.08x
Denton 2 14.65x
Farnborough 2 17.91x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 2 56.02x
Leyton Low 2 9.61x
Minster In Sheppey 2 6.82x
North Meols 2 3.32x
Openshaw 2 6.93x
Rotherhithe 2 3.12x
St Faith Winchester 2 40.32x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.19x
St Luke London 2 2.40x
Stone 2 8.92x
Walsall Foreign 2 2.21x
Aighton Bailey 1 33.67x
Greenwich 1 1.21x
Helsington 1 161.29x
Lichfield St Mary 1 19.80x
Monk Hesleden 1 23.26x
Whitehaven 1 4.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 47
Margaret 23
Catherine 17
Elizabeth 16
Ann 11
Annie 10
Bridget 10
Sarah 10
Alice 8
Eliza 8
Hannah 7
Edith 4
Ellen 4
Maria 4
Agnes 3
Caroline 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Josephine 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Anne 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Leah 2
Teresa 2
Theresa 2
Winifred 2
Amy 1
Anastasia 1
Barbara 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
E.A. 1
E.J. 1
Eleanor 1
Elleanor 1
Eveline 1
J.R. 1
Julie 1
Levina 1
Lilian 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Maggie 1
Mararet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 41
James 36
Thomas 28
Patrick 17
William 16
Michael 11
Edward 10
Peter 8
George 7
Francis 6
Joseph 6
Henry 5
Charles 4
Matthew 4
Robert 4
Martin 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Andrew 2
Dennis 2
Frank 2
Jas. 2
Jno. 2
Lawrence 2
Luke 2
Richard 2
Richd. 2
Walter 2
Cormack 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Fredric 1
Garrett 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Isaac 1
Louis 1
Michel 1
Moses 1
Oscar 1
Patric 1
Philip 1
Rob. 1
Robt. 1
Silvester 1
Simpson 1

FAQ

Byrnes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Byrnes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 534 people were recorded with the Byrnes surname. That placed it at #6,436 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Byrnes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 863 in 2016. That gives Byrnes a modern rank of #6,496.

What does the Byrnes surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from Ó Broin, meaning "descendant of Bran" (an old Celtic word for "raven").

What does the Byrnes map show?

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