NameCensus.

UK surname

Canney

An Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Canaigh, meaning "descendant of Canaigh".

In the 1881 census there were 113 people recorded with the Canney surname, ranking it #18,412 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 200, ranked #19,591, down from #18,412 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Port Glasgow, Sunderland and Auckland St Andrew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Greenock East and Warwick.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Canney is 207 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 77.0%.

1881 census count

113

Ranked #18,412

Modern count

200

2016, ranked #19,591

Peak year

2009

207 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Canney had 113 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,412 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016, ranked #19,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 178 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Canney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Canney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Canney 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 133 #14,106
1861 historical 149 #15,373
1881 historical 113 #18,412
1891 historical 178 #16,264
1901 historical 129 #19,735
1911 historical 124 #20,023
1997 modern 200 #17,618
1998 modern 198 #18,224
1999 modern 205 #17,960
2000 modern 202 #18,094
2001 modern 191 #18,453
2002 modern 201 #18,236
2003 modern 189 #18,738
2004 modern 196 #18,438
2005 modern 192 #18,640
2006 modern 199 #18,357
2007 modern 199 #18,542
2008 modern 200 #18,640
2009 modern 207 #18,600
2010 modern 206 #19,066
2011 modern 207 #18,841
2012 modern 203 #19,025
2013 modern 199 #19,584
2014 modern 205 #19,375
2015 modern 198 #19,714
2016 modern 200 #19,591

Geography

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Where Canneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Port Glasgow, Sunderland, Auckland St Andrew, Greenock and Almondbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Greenock East, Warwick, Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl and Greenock Upper Central. 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 Port Glasgow Renfrew
2 Sunderland Durham
3 Auckland St Andrew Durham
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Almondbury Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig Inverclyde
2 Greenock East Inverclyde
3 Warwick 004 Warwick
4 Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl Inverclyde
5 Greenock Upper Central Inverclyde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Canney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Canney

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Canney is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Canney 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

Canney 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 Canney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Canney

The surname Canney has its origins in Ireland, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Irish Gaelic word "cainne," meaning fair-haired or fair-skinned. This suggests that the name was originally a descriptive nickname given to someone with a fair complexion.

The earliest recorded instances of the Canney surname can be found in ancient Irish records and manuscripts from the medieval period. In the 14th century, a man named Seamus O'Cainne was mentioned in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history.

As the name spread across Ireland, it took on various spellings and variations, such as Canney, Canny, and Caney. Some of these variations were influenced by regional dialects and the anglicization of Irish surnames during the English conquest of Ireland.

One notable bearer of the Canney surname was Sir John Canney, an Irish politician and landowner who lived in the 17th century. He served as a member of the Irish Parliament and was involved in the Confederate Wars of the 1640s.

Another historical figure with this surname was Patrick Canney, an Irish soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Born in County Cork in 1750, he enlisted in the Continental Army and participated in several battles against the British forces.

In the 19th century, a prominent member of the Canney family was Michael Canney, a successful businessman and philanthropist from County Limerick. He founded the Canney Trust, a charitable organization that supported education and community development in his hometown.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Canney surname in England can be traced back to the 16th century, when a family by the name of Canney settled in the county of Devon. This branch of the family eventually spread to other parts of England and beyond.

Another notable bearer of the Canney name was James Canney, an English author and historian who lived in the late 18th century. He wrote several books on the history and genealogy of noble families in England and Ireland.

While the Canney surname is most commonly associated with Ireland, it has also been found in other parts of the world due to Irish immigration and diaspora communities. However, the historical records and references mentioned above provide a glimpse into the rich heritage and origins of this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Canney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Canney 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. Durham leads with 36 Canneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.98x.

County Total Index
Durham 36 10.98x
Middlesex 23 2.09x
Renfrewshire 18 21.07x
Kent 10 2.66x
Yorkshire 5 0.46x
Lancashire 4 0.31x
Leicestershire 4 3.27x
Surrey 4 0.74x
Sussex 3 1.61x
Essex 2 0.92x
Argyllshire 1 3.26x
Cheshire 1 0.41x
Lanarkshire 1 0.28x
Staffordshire 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sunderland in Durham leads with 14 Canneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 241.80x.

Place Total Index
Sunderland 14 241.80x
Port Glasgow 11 266.34x
Bishopwearmouth 10 35.52x
Bishop Auckland 9 204.55x
Deal 9 280.37x
East West Greenock 7 5000.00x
Hampstead London 7 40.77x
Meltham 5 294.12x
Mile End Old Town London 5 21.31x
Camberwell 4 5.68x
Kensington London 4 6.53x
Leicester St Mary 4 40.53x
Brighton 3 8.00x
Charterhouse London 3 576.92x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 46.88x
Toxteth Park 3 6.77x
St Marylebone London 2 3.40x
Stoke Newington London 2 23.28x
Altrincham 1 23.53x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 4.81x
Colchester St Peter 1 114.94x
Glenaray 1 400.00x
Govan 1 1.13x
Hammerwich 1 188.68x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 294.12x
Ramsgate 1 16.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Thomas 7
John 6
George 4
Joseph 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Johnson 2
Richard 2
Richd. 2
William 2
Adam 1
Alfred 1
Duncan 1
Francis 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Jno.Weighill 1
Nicholas 1
Reginald 1
Samuel 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Canney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Canney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 113 people were recorded with the Canney surname. That placed it at #18,412 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Canney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016. That gives Canney a modern rank of #19,591.

What does the Canney surname mean?

An Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Canaigh, meaning "descendant of Canaigh".

What does the Canney map show?

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