UK surname
An Anglicized form of an Irish surname, Ó Caiside, meaning "descendant of Caiside," a personal name of unknown meaning.
In the 1881 census there were 120 people recorded with the Cassady surname, ranking it #17,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 30, ranked #35,997, down from #17,756 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Sandiacre, Dale Abbey, Govan Combination and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cassady is 171 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 75.0%.
1881 census count
120
Ranked #17,756
Modern count
30
2016, ranked #35,997
Peak year
1861
171 bearers
Map years
3
1851 to 1881
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Cassady surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Cassady surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 142 | #13,428 |
| 1861 | historical | 171 | #13,692 |
| 1881 | historical | 120 | #17,756 |
| 1891 | historical | 88 | #25,677 |
| 1901 | historical | 49 | #28,696 |
| 1911 | historical | 56 | #27,216 |
| 1997 | modern | 28 | #34,904 |
| 1998 | modern | 34 | #34,433 |
| 1999 | modern | 34 | #34,528 |
| 2000 | modern | 35 | #34,420 |
| 2001 | modern | 33 | #34,436 |
| 2002 | modern | 32 | #34,790 |
| 2003 | modern | 37 | #34,432 |
| 2004 | modern | 34 | #34,868 |
| 2005 | modern | 38 | #34,741 |
| 2006 | modern | 33 | #35,329 |
| 2007 | modern | 29 | #35,725 |
| 2008 | modern | 33 | #35,556 |
| 2009 | modern | 34 | #35,608 |
| 2010 | modern | 39 | #35,451 |
| 2011 | modern | 36 | #35,613 |
| 2012 | modern | 33 | #35,767 |
| 2013 | modern | 35 | #35,697 |
| 2014 | modern | 30 | #36,005 |
| 2015 | modern | 30 | #35,979 |
| 2016 | modern | 30 | #35,997 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Sandiacre, Dale Abbey, Govan Combination, Manchester, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sandiacre, Dale Abbey | Derbyshire |
| 2 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry | Forfar |
| 5 | Nottingham St Mary | Nottinghamshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Cassady surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cassady, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Cassady surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Cassady household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Cassady is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cassady is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Cassady, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Cassady has its origins in Ireland, where it emerged as an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Ó Caiside" or "Ó Casaidhe". This name is thought to be derived from the Irish word "casadh", which means "twist" or "turn", possibly referring to a physical characteristic or occupation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history written in the early 17th century. The annals mention a family called "Ó Caiside" from County Fermanagh in Ulster.
The Cassady surname is also associated with the Cassidy clan, a prominent family from County Fermanagh and County Donegal. In the 16th century, the Cassidys were among the most powerful clans in Ulster, holding significant lands and influence in the region.
In the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, many Irish families, including the Cassadys, were dispossessed of their lands by English and Scottish settlers. This led to the spread of the surname throughout Ireland and beyond as families sought new opportunities.
One notable individual with the surname Cassady was Neal Cassady (1926-1968), an American writer and iconic figure of the Beat Generation. He was immortalized in Jack Kerouac's novel "On the Road" as the character Dean Moriarty.
Another well-known Cassady was Robert Cassady (1923-2013), an American baseball player who played in the Major Leagues for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
In literature, the character of Frankie Cassady appears in the novel "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck (1902-1968). Frankie Cassady is a young boy who befriends the Joad family during their journey to California.
The Cassady surname can also be found in historical records from County Fermanagh, such as the Hearth Money Rolls of the 1660s, which list several households with variations of the name, including Cassidy, Cassedy, and Cassady.
Lastly, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Cassady spelling can be found in the register of the Church of Ireland Parish of Devenish, County Fermanagh, where a burial record from 1695 mentions a "Cassady" family.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cassady surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 35 Cassadys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.52x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 35 | 2.52x |
| Lanarkshire | 25 | 6.61x |
| Angus | 8 | 7.38x |
| Yorkshire | 8 | 0.69x |
| Derbyshire | 7 | 3.82x |
| Northumberland | 7 | 4.02x |
| Midlothian | 6 | 3.83x |
| Nottinghamshire | 6 | 3.80x |
| Cheshire | 4 | 1.55x |
| Fife | 4 | 5.77x |
| Staffordshire | 2 | 0.51x |
| Cumberland | 1 | 0.99x |
| Dumfriesshire | 1 | 3.87x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.29x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.49x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.09x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 1.10x |
| Wigtownshire | 1 | 6.44x |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 0.97x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newchurch in Lancashire leads with 8 Cassadys recorded in 1881 and an index of 70.42x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Newchurch | 8 | 70.42x |
| Barony | 7 | 7.31x |
| Glasgow | 7 | 10.42x |
| North Seaton | 7 | 958.90x |
| Old Monkland | 6 | 39.95x |
| Oldham | 6 | 13.39x |
| Borthwick | 5 | 714.29x |
| Clitheroe | 5 | 122.25x |
| Hamilton | 5 | 47.35x |
| Burnley | 4 | 34.22x |
| Cupar | 4 | 132.89x |
| Derby St Werburgh | 4 | 37.81x |
| Liff Benvie | 4 | 24.30x |
| Snenton | 4 | 64.52x |
| Dewsbury | 3 | 25.23x |
| Glossop Dale | 3 | 34.97x |
| Great Neston | 3 | 352.94x |
| Liverpool | 3 | 3.56x |
| Lochee | 3 | 309.28x |
| Walton On Hill | 3 | 39.89x |
| Manchester | 2 | 3.20x |
| Nottingham St Mary | 2 | 4.90x |
| Rawmarsh | 2 | 48.78x |
| Barrow In Furness | 1 | 5.29x |
| Burton Upon Trent | 1 | 10.82x |
| Dumfries | 1 | 39.22x |
| Dundee | 1 | 2.47x |
| Halifax | 1 | 5.87x |
| Harrington | 1 | 81.97x |
| Hartlepool | 1 | 20.20x |
| Holy Trinity | 1 | 3.59x |
| Hook | 1 | 39.22x |
| Inveresk | 1 | 23.58x |
| Kilmalcolm | 1 | 91.74x |
| Little Neston | 1 | 243.90x |
| Mochrum | 1 | 107.53x |
| North Meols | 1 | 7.36x |
| Salisbury The Close | 1 | 400.00x |
| Sefton | 1 | 666.67x |
| St George In East London | 1 | 9.08x |
| Stoke Upon Trent | 1 | 2.39x |
| Thornton In Fylde | 1 | 32.89x |
| Ystradyfodwg | 1 | 5.59x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cassady surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cassady surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Cassady households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 14 |
| Labourer | 3 |
| Spinner In Cotton | 3 |
| Dressmaker | 2 |
| General Labourer | 2 |
| Iron Moulder | 2 |
| Spinner Cotton | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Carpet Weaver | 1 |
| Char Woman | 1 |
| Cloth Weaver | 1 |
| Coalminer | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Cotton Operative | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Engine Fitter | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Farm Labr | 1 |
| Farm Labr Wife | 1 |
| General Servant Domestic | 1 |
| House Duty | 1 |
| Ironworker | 1 |
| Medical Assistant Licentiate Of The Royal College Of Surgeons In Ireland | 1 |
| Painter | 1 |
| Pedlar | 1 |
| School Girl | 1 |
| Servant (Dom) | 1 |
| Servant Ladies Maid | 1 |
| Shipbroker | 1 |
| Sinker Maker (Die) | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
| Washerwoman | 1 |
| Working At Forge | 1 |
| Worsted Warper | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 120 people were recorded with the Cassady surname. That placed it at #17,756 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 30 in 2016. That gives Cassady a modern rank of #35,997.
An Anglicized form of an Irish surname, Ó Caiside, meaning "descendant of Caiside," a personal name of unknown meaning.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cassady bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.