NameCensus.

UK surname

Clarey

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a clearing or open space.

In the 1881 census there were 272 people recorded with the Clarey surname, ranking it #10,409 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 431, ranked #11,170, down from #10,409 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Brightlingsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clarey is 460 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.5%.

1881 census count

272

Ranked #10,409

Modern count

431

2016, ranked #11,170

Peak year

2011

460 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clarey had 272 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,409 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016, ranked #11,170.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 338 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Clarey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clarey surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clarey 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 154 #12,668
1861 historical 193 #12,371
1881 historical 272 #10,409
1891 historical 249 #12,813
1901 historical 326 #10,990
1911 historical 338 #10,521
1997 modern 434 #10,361
1998 modern 457 #10,279
1999 modern 446 #10,513
2000 modern 446 #10,516
2001 modern 430 #10,619
2002 modern 441 #10,618
2003 modern 433 #10,614
2004 modern 445 #10,418
2005 modern 427 #10,633
2006 modern 428 #10,659
2007 modern 431 #10,703
2008 modern 426 #10,911
2009 modern 440 #10,888
2010 modern 453 #10,858
2011 modern 460 #10,594
2012 modern 425 #11,157
2013 modern 434 #11,158
2014 modern 428 #11,371
2015 modern 429 #11,252
2016 modern 431 #11,170

Geography

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Where Clareys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Brightlingsea and Exning. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Brightlingsea Essex
4 London parishes London 3
5 Exning Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 064 County Durham
2 County Durham 057 County Durham
3 County Durham 051 County Durham
4 County Durham 055 County Durham
5 County Durham 049 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clarey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clarey

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Clarey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Clarey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Clarey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Clarey is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Clarey falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Clarey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Clarey

The surname Clarey is believed to have originated in Ireland during the medieval period. It is thought to be an Anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "O'Clery," which translates to "descendant of the cleric." This indicates that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked as a clerk or scribe in a religious or monastic setting.

The Clarey name can be traced back to County Donegal in the northwestern region of Ireland, where it was particularly prevalent among families living in the area around the town of Killybegs. Records from the 16th and 17th centuries show various spellings such as O'Clery, O'Clerigh, and Cleary, which eventually evolved into the more modern form of Clarey.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of Irish history compiled by members of the O'Clery family in the early 17th century. This work mentions several notable individuals bearing the name, including Lughaidh O'Clery, a renowned scholar and historian who lived in the 15th century.

Another prominent figure associated with the Clarey surname was Sir John Clarey, an Irish soldier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for County Donegal in the late 17th century. He played a significant role in the Williamite War in Ireland, fighting for the forces of King William III against the Jacobite supporters of James II.

In the 18th century, Patrick Clarey (1738-1812) gained recognition as a skilled architect and builder, responsible for designing and constructing several notable structures in County Donegal, including churches and private residences.

During the 19th century, James Clarey (1821-1896) made his mark as a prominent businessman and philanthropist in the city of Dublin. He founded a successful textile manufacturing company and was known for his charitable contributions to various causes, particularly those focused on education and poverty alleviation.

Another notable figure bearing the Clarey name was Mary Clarey (1875-1952), a highly respected educator and women's rights advocate from County Mayo. She played a crucial role in establishing several schools for girls and promoting the advancement of women's education in Ireland during the early 20th century.

While the Clarey surname has its roots firmly planted in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through the Irish diaspora. Today, individuals with this surname can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clarey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clarey 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 53 Clareys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.68x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 53 1.68x
Yorkshire 29 1.10x
Staffordshire 25 2.78x
Middlesex 22 0.83x
Suffolk 18 5.55x
Durham 17 2.15x
Monmouthshire 16 8.31x
Essex 14 2.66x
Surrey 13 1.00x
Midlothian 11 3.08x
Glamorgan 9 1.94x
Gloucestershire 5 0.96x
Kent 5 0.55x
Sussex 5 1.11x
Derbyshire 4 0.96x
Dorset 4 2.29x
Lincolnshire 4 0.94x
Lanarkshire 3 0.35x
Perthshire 3 2.51x
Warwickshire 3 0.45x
Angus 2 0.81x
Cheshire 2 0.34x
Isle of Man 2 4.04x
Herefordshire 1 0.92x
Northumberland 1 0.25x
Oxfordshire 1 0.61x
Worcestershire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Trevethin in Monmouthshire leads with 16 Clareys recorded in 1881 and an index of 88.01x.

Place Total Index
Trevethin 16 88.01x
Liverpool 14 7.30x
Oswaldtwistle 9 80.65x
Stone 9 78.26x
Battersea 7 7.14x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 27.90x
Edinburgh Canongate 7 77.09x
Leeds 7 4.70x
Manningham 7 21.53x
Sunderland Bridge 7 555.56x
Wednesfield 7 52.91x
Windle 7 39.37x
Billington 6 465.12x
Little Saxham 6 3750.00x
Mile End Old Town London 6 10.59x
Normanby In 6 85.11x
Royton 6 62.05x
Walsall Foreign 6 12.92x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 20.34x
Cardiff St Mary 5 19.58x
East Grinstead 5 78.74x
St Pancras London 5 2.33x
Beighton 4 211.64x
Bishopwearmouth 4 5.88x
Glanford Brigg 4 263.16x
Great Bradley 4 1212.12x
Lasswade 4 49.02x
Lawford 4 519.48x
Merthyr Tydfil 4 8.97x
Northfleet 4 50.00x
Portland 4 42.55x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 4 106.10x
Westley 4 2666.67x
Aston 3 1.62x
Barnham 3 714.29x
Bristol St Augustine 3 35.59x
Eldon 3 238.10x
Rattray 3 107.91x
Ardleigh 2 136.99x
Birkenhead 2 4.27x
Braddan 2 74.07x
Brightlingsea 2 66.67x
Darlaston 2 16.10x
Dundee 2 2.17x
Govan 2 0.94x
Mistley 2 141.84x
Monkwearmouth 2 26.39x
Newington 2 2.03x
Poplar London 2 3.98x
West Ham 2 1.72x
Aconbury 1 666.67x
Ardwick 1 3.51x
Bermondsey 1 1.26x
Brampton Bierlow 1 29.59x
Brancepeth 1 69.44x
Brightside Bierlow 1 1.93x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 11.55x
Camberwell 1 0.59x
Carnwath 1 18.80x
Chipping Norton 1 26.32x
Gloucester 1 555.56x
Halifax 1 2.58x
Islington London 1 0.39x
Kensington London 1 0.68x
Manchester 1 0.70x
Manningtree 1 117.65x
Minster In Sheppey 1 6.64x
Penge 1 5.88x
Purleigh 1 128.21x
Ratcliffe London 1 6.80x
Salford 1 1.08x
Sheffield 1 1.19x
Southwark St Saviour 1 7.30x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 18.25x
St George In East London 1 3.99x
Stourbridge 1 11.17x
Walsall Borough 1 14.33x
Walton On Hill 1 5.84x
Westbury On Trym 1 5.65x
Woolsington 1 1428.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 10
Bridget 7
Margaret 7
Ann 6
Eliza 6
Ellen 5
Catherine 4
Martha 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Maryann 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Barbara 1
Belinda 1
Christiana 1
Dorothy 1
Eda 1
Edith 1
Elizebeth 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Honora 1
Infant 1
Johanne 1
Mabel 1
Maggie 1
Marsha 1
Maud 1
Mrgt. 1
Olive 1
Olivia 1
Phoebe 1
Polly 1
Rachel 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Clarey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clarey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 272 people were recorded with the Clarey surname. That placed it at #10,409 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clarey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016. That gives Clarey a modern rank of #11,170.

What does the Clarey surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a clearing or open space.

What does the Clarey map show?

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