NameCensus.

UK surname

Caffery

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Cathmhaoír meaning "descendant of the battler".

In the 1881 census there were 237 people recorded with the Caffery surname, ranking it #11,509 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 268, ranked #16,003, down from #11,509 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Stockport and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Solihull, Stockton-on-Tees and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Caffery is 360 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.1%.

1881 census count

237

Ranked #11,509

Modern count

268

2016, ranked #16,003

Peak year

1911

360 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Caffery had 237 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,509 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 268 in 2016, ranked #16,003.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 360 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Caffery surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Caffery surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Caffery 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 124 #17,797
1881 historical 237 #11,509
1891 historical 318 #10,583
1901 historical 314 #11,285
1911 historical 360 #10,063
1997 modern 242 #15,597
1998 modern 252 #15,584
1999 modern 257 #15,506
2000 modern 259 #15,390
2001 modern 265 #14,915
2002 modern 284 #14,524
2003 modern 283 #14,368
2004 modern 280 #14,530
2005 modern 279 #14,480
2006 modern 272 #14,834
2007 modern 268 #15,172
2008 modern 267 #15,349
2009 modern 268 #15,620
2010 modern 287 #15,195
2011 modern 266 #15,937
2012 modern 278 #15,333
2013 modern 276 #15,683
2014 modern 280 #15,621
2015 modern 280 #15,485
2016 modern 268 #16,003

Geography

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Where Cafferys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Stockport, Wigan, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Solihull, Stockton-on-Tees and Wigan. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Solihull 017 Solihull
2 Stockton-on-Tees 024 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Wigan 015 Wigan
4 Solihull 018 Solihull
5 Stockton-on-Tees 021 Stockton-on-Tees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Caffery

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Caffery

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Caffery, 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 Caffery surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Caffery 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, Caffery 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

Caffery is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Caffery

The surname Caffery originated in Ireland and is believed to have derived from the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Cafartaigh or Ó Caifeartaigh, meaning "descendant of Caifeartach." The name Caifeartach is derived from the Gaelic elements "cath" meaning battle and "feart" meaning grave or monument, suggesting an ancestor who was a renowned warrior.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Caffery can be traced back to the 16th century in County Cork, Ireland. Historical records from this region show variations in spelling, such as Caffarty, Cafferky, and Cafferty. The name was also found in neighboring counties like Kerry and Limerick.

In the 17th century, the Caffery family held lands in the civil parish of Dromtariffe, located in the barony of West Muskerry, County Cork. One notable figure from this era was John Caffery, a landholder who was involved in local affairs and recorded in the 1659 Census of Ireland.

During the 18th century, the Caffery surname spread to other parts of Ireland, including County Tipperary. A prominent member of the family was Edmund Caffery, born in 1720, who served as a Catholic priest and was known for his involvement in local politics and education.

In the 19th century, the Caffery name gained recognition with Patrick Caffery (1801-1870), a successful merchant and landowner from County Limerick. He was actively involved in the construction of several churches and schools in the region.

Another notable figure was Michael Caffery (1844-1919), a lawyer and politician from County Cork. He served as a Member of Parliament for the Roscommon North constituency and was a prominent supporter of the Irish Parliamentary Party.

As Irish emigration increased during the 19th century, many Caffery families settled in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in the United States was in the 1820 census, where a family with the surname Caffery was listed as residing in New York.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Caffery families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Caffery 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 100 Cafferys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.63x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 100 3.63x
Durham 32 4.63x
Yorkshire 30 1.30x
Middlesex 10 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 10 3.20x
Surrey 9 0.80x
Cheshire 8 1.56x
Cumberland 8 4.00x
Angus 6 2.79x
Lincolnshire 6 1.62x
Gloucestershire 5 1.10x
Derbyshire 3 0.83x
Hampshire 3 0.63x
Essex 2 0.44x
Kent 2 0.25x
Northumberland 2 0.58x
Channel Islands 1 1.45x
Lanarkshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 14 Cafferys recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.10x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 14 19.10x
Kirkdale 11 23.74x
Nottingham St Mary 10 12.35x
Wigan 10 25.97x
Iveston 8 251.57x
Liverpool 8 4.78x
Oldham 8 9.00x
Preston 8 10.85x
Whitehaven 8 75.12x
Barnsley 7 29.50x
Shildon 7 126.13x
Colsterworth 6 759.49x
Dundee 6 7.47x
Everton 6 6.83x
Lambeth 6 2.96x
Shipley 6 50.25x
Stranton 6 25.81x
Toxteth Park 6 6.43x
Birkenhead 5 12.24x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 11.66x
Chadderton 5 37.12x
Clitheroe 5 61.65x
Rotherham 5 38.55x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 6.64x
Manchester 4 3.23x
Tanfield 4 48.72x
Widnes 4 20.13x
Alverstoke 3 17.42x
Eckington 3 33.98x
Beddington 2 45.77x
Benfieldside 2 44.05x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.98x
Brinnington 2 41.75x
Elswick 2 7.25x
Halifax 2 5.92x
Salford 2 2.47x
Sheffield 2 2.73x
St George Hanover 2 6.60x
St George In East 2 12.67x
West Ham 2 1.98x
Westby With Plumpton 2 465.12x
Woolwich 2 6.84x
York St Maurice 2 46.19x
York St Michael Le 2 270.27x
Bradford 1 1.80x
Brandon Byshottles 1 11.56x
Camberwell 1 0.67x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.29x
Crossgate 1 33.11x
Darlington 1 3.75x
Islington London 1 0.44x
Kensington London 1 0.77x
Leeds 1 0.77x
Limehouse London 1 3.92x
Little Bolton 1 2.82x
Maryhill 1 6.80x
Nether Hallam 1 3.21x
Oxton 1 34.48x
St Peter Port 1 7.86x
Sunderland 1 8.20x
Thornton On The Hill 1 1428.57x
Towerof London London 1 135.14x
Warrington 1 3.06x
Washington 1 34.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Catherine 10
Ellen 10
Elizabeth 9
Jane 8
Sarah 8
Margaret 7
Alice 5
Bridget 5
Ann 4
Hannah 4
Eliza 3
Maria 3
Annie 2
Emily 2
Julia 2
Rebecca 2
Ada 1
Cecilia 1
Evelyn 1
Everes 1
Frances 1
Louisa 1
Maggie 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
May 1
Nancy 1
Selina 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 18
John 14
Thomas 13
Patrick 12
Edward 6
Michael 4
Richard 4
William 4
George 3
Bernard 2
Charles 2
Christopher 2
Felix 2
Henry 2
Luke 2
Peter 2
Phillip 2
Thos. 2
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Brian 1
Daniel 1
Frederick 1
Hy. 1
Jerry 1
Joseph 1
Lanmas 1
Lawson 1
Martin 1
Michal 1
Michel 1
Oney 1
Owen 1
W.P. 1

FAQ

Caffery surname: questions and answers

How common was the Caffery surname in 1881?

In 1881, 237 people were recorded with the Caffery surname. That placed it at #11,509 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Caffery surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 268 in 2016. That gives Caffery a modern rank of #16,003.

What does the Caffery surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Cathmhaoír meaning "descendant of the battler".

What does the Caffery map show?

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