NameCensus.

UK surname

Caffrey

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Catharnaigh," meaning "descendant of Catharnach," a personal name meaning "warlike."

In the 1881 census there were 357 people recorded with the Caffrey surname, ranking it #8,652 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,273, ranked #4,705, up from #8,652 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Machynlleth, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, Solihull and Harborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Caffrey is 1,359 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 256.6%.

1881 census count

357

Ranked #8,652

Modern count

1,273

2016, ranked #4,705

Peak year

2010

1,359 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Caffrey had 357 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,652 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,273 in 2016, ranked #4,705.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 492 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Caffrey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Caffrey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Caffrey 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 166 #11,986
1861 historical 197 #12,166
1881 historical 357 #8,652
1891 historical 351 #9,809
1901 historical 461 #8,554
1911 historical 492 #7,913
1997 modern 1,227 #4,625
1998 modern 1,265 #4,679
1999 modern 1,273 #4,690
2000 modern 1,240 #4,770
2001 modern 1,228 #4,710
2002 modern 1,230 #4,800
2003 modern 1,197 #4,816
2004 modern 1,231 #4,698
2005 modern 1,217 #4,701
2006 modern 1,228 #4,678
2007 modern 1,259 #4,622
2008 modern 1,269 #4,604
2009 modern 1,312 #4,567
2010 modern 1,359 #4,518
2011 modern 1,307 #4,619
2012 modern 1,261 #4,692
2013 modern 1,270 #4,758
2014 modern 1,277 #4,753
2015 modern 1,275 #4,718
2016 modern 1,273 #4,705

Geography

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Where Caffreys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Machynlleth, Gateshead, Manchester, 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 Knowsley, Solihull and Harborough. 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 Machynlleth Montgomeryshire
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 008 Knowsley
2 Knowsley 010 Knowsley
3 Solihull 008 Solihull
4 Knowsley 002 Knowsley
5 Harborough 010 Harborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Caffrey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Caffrey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Caffrey, 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 Caffrey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Caffrey 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, Caffrey 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

Caffrey 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

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

Meaning and origin of Caffrey

The surname Caffrey has its origins in the Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Cafraigh, which means "descendant of Caffraidh". The name Caffraidh is derived from the Old Irish word "cafter", meaning "wild goat" or "mountain goat".

This surname is believed to have originated in County Tipperary, Ireland, where the Ó Cafraigh clan was based. The earliest recorded mention of the name dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history.

In the 16th century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, many Irish names were anglicized to conform to English spelling and pronunciation. This is when the spelling "Caffrey" emerged as a variation of the original Gaelic name Ó Cafraigh.

The Caffrey surname has been found in various historical records throughout Ireland, such as the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which were legal documents issued by the English administration in Ireland during the 16th and 17th centuries.

One notable bearer of the Caffrey name was Seán Ó Cafraigh, a 17th-century Irish poet and historian from County Tipperary, who wrote extensively about the history and genealogy of his clan.

Another prominent figure was Reverend James Caffrey (1736-1810), an Irish Catholic priest and educator who founded several schools in County Louth, Ireland, during the Penal Laws era when Catholic education was heavily restricted.

In the 19th century, John Caffrey (1817-1906) was an Irish-born lawyer and politician who served as a member of the New Zealand Parliament, representing the Waikato electorate.

The Caffrey surname also has a notable connection to the American Civil War, with John Caffrey (1832-1904) serving as a Union Army officer and receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862.

In more recent times, Sir Benjamin Caffrey (1892-1974) was a British architect and town planner who played a significant role in the reconstruction efforts in London after World War II.

These examples showcase the historical significance and widespread distribution of the Caffrey surname, which has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Caffrey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Caffrey 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 143 Caffreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.44x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 143 3.44x
Durham 51 4.90x
Yorkshire 47 1.35x
Cheshire 20 2.59x
Middlesex 19 0.54x
Cumberland 14 4.64x
Warwickshire 11 1.25x
Montgomeryshire 10 12.46x
Lanarkshire 8 0.71x
Northumberland 8 1.54x
Surrey 7 0.41x
Hampshire 3 0.42x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.64x
Somerset 3 0.53x
Monmouthshire 2 0.79x
Royal Navy 2 4.79x
Shropshire 2 0.66x
Ayrshire 1 0.38x
Channel Islands 1 0.96x
Cornwall 1 0.25x
Derbyshire 1 0.18x
Gloucestershire 1 0.15x
Northamptonshire 1 0.30x

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 36 Caffreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.26x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 36 14.26x
Oldham 20 14.91x
Iveston 16 333.33x
Monkwearmouth 13 130.39x
Birkenhead 11 17.85x
Preston 11 9.89x
Birmingham 10 3.40x
Leeds 10 5.10x
Machynlleth 10 344.83x
West Derby 9 7.40x
Blackburn 8 7.24x
Cleator 8 63.75x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 11.33x
Gateshead 8 10.26x
Govan 8 2.86x
Barnsley 7 19.56x
Islington London 7 2.06x
Kirkdale 7 10.01x
York Minster Yard W 7 864.20x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 19.18x
Caldewgate 6 36.32x
Benwell 5 87.72x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 15.15x
Camberwell 5 2.24x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 7.57x
Prescot 5 66.58x
Wigan 5 8.61x
Batley 4 12.13x
Bishopwearmouth 4 4.47x
Brightside Bierlow 4 5.88x
Manchester 4 2.14x
St George Martyr 4 67.80x
Sunderland 4 21.74x
Hulme 3 3.46x
Northowram 3 12.33x
Nottingham St Mary 3 2.46x
Openshaw 3 15.42x
Salford 3 2.45x
Tranmere 3 10.56x
Upton By Birkenhead 3 400.00x
Aldershot 2 8.32x
Bathwick 2 32.05x
Crumpsall 2 20.43x
Darlington 2 4.97x
Hexham 2 24.81x
Kirkham 2 36.43x
Middleton In Wharfedale 2 1111.11x
Monw Wearmouth Shore 2 200.00x
Royal Navy 2 5.61x
Shrewsbury St Mary 2 16.75x
St George Hanover 2 4.38x
Stockport 2 5.03x
Streatham 2 7.70x
Stretford 2 8.75x
Ayr 1 8.08x
Barrow In Furness 1 1.77x
Bradford 1 5.14x
Burnley 1 2.86x
Calverley Cum Farsley 1 10.15x
Cheetham 1 3.23x
Cheltenham 1 1.89x
Claylane 1 13.12x
Clevedon 1 17.06x
Coventry St Michael 1 3.52x
Dukinfield 1 2.80x
Falmouth 1 7.13x
Framwellgate 1 16.21x
Hoyland Nether 1 11.75x
Huyton With Roby 1 20.53x
Kensington London 1 0.51x
Monmouth 1 14.90x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 5.97x
Paddington London 1 0.78x
Portsea 1 0.71x
Shildon 1 11.95x
St Luke London 1 1.78x
St Pancras London 1 0.35x
St Peter Port 1 5.21x
Tynemouth 1 3.58x
Warrington 1 2.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 40
Catherine 10
Ann 8
Bridget 8
Elizabeth 8
Margaret 8
Sarah 8
Eliza 5
Rose 5
Ellen 4
Agnes 3
Annie 3
Jane 3
Anne 2
Barbara 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Johanna 2
Kate 2
Maggie 2
Rebeccah 2
Rosanna 2
Ada 1
Anna 1
Betsey 1
Blanch 1
Charlotte 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Dabella 1
Eliz. 1
Emma 1
Everis 1
Francis 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Juleah 1
Julia 1
Lavinia 1
Lizzie 1
Margerite 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Rosy 1
Sophia 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
James 23
Thomas 23
William 11
Patrick 10
George 9
Joseph 8
Michael 7
Edward 5
Philip 5
Benjamin 3
Charles 3
Francis 3
Luke 3
Arthur 2
Christopher 2
Hugh 2
Jas. 2
Martin 2
Paul 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Andrew 1
Anthony 1
Barney 1
David 1
Denis 1
Edmond 1
Frank 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Manuel 1
Mark 1
Matt 1
Matthew 1
Michl. 1
Ounce 1
Owen 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Simon 1
Stephen 1
Steven 1
Terence 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Vincent 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Caffrey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Caffrey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 357 people were recorded with the Caffrey surname. That placed it at #8,652 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Caffrey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,273 in 2016. That gives Caffrey a modern rank of #4,705.

What does the Caffrey surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Catharnaigh," meaning "descendant of Catharnach," a personal name meaning "warlike."

What does the Caffrey map show?

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