NameCensus.

UK surname

Cleary

Derived from the Irish Gaelic "O'Cleirigh," meaning "descendant of the clerk" or "descendant of the cleric."

In the 1881 census there were 1,235 people recorded with the Cleary surname, ranking it #3,279 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,805, ranked #1,412, up from #3,279 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wirral, County Durham and Tunbridge Wells.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cleary is 4,860 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 289.1%.

1881 census count

1,235

Ranked #3,279

Modern count

4,805

2016, ranked #1,412

Peak year

2014

4,860 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cleary had 1,235 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,279 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,805 in 2016, ranked #1,412.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,618 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Cleary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cleary surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cleary 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 388 #6,190
1861 historical 623 #4,292
1881 historical 1,235 #3,279
1891 historical 1,294 #3,342
1901 historical 1,539 #3,346
1911 historical 1,618 #3,001
1997 modern 4,474 #1,470
1998 modern 4,586 #1,481
1999 modern 4,679 #1,464
2000 modern 4,655 #1,465
2001 modern 4,561 #1,466
2002 modern 4,674 #1,459
2003 modern 4,574 #1,453
2004 modern 4,561 #1,458
2005 modern 4,524 #1,446
2006 modern 4,476 #1,464
2007 modern 4,553 #1,452
2008 modern 4,633 #1,427
2009 modern 4,709 #1,445
2010 modern 4,853 #1,436
2011 modern 4,829 #1,427
2012 modern 4,676 #1,438
2013 modern 4,823 #1,419
2014 modern 4,860 #1,418
2015 modern 4,799 #1,421
2016 modern 4,805 #1,412

Geography

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Where Clearys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Manchester and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wirral, County Durham, Tunbridge Wells, Wolverhampton and Halton. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wirral 008 Wirral
2 County Durham 032 County Durham
3 Tunbridge Wells 013 Tunbridge Wells
4 Wolverhampton 005 Wolverhampton
5 Halton 005 Halton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cleary

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cleary

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

Cleary 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

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

Meaning and origin of Cleary

The surname Cleary is of Irish origin, with its roots traced back to the Gaelic word "O'Cleirigh," which means "descendant of the clerk or cleric." The name is believed to have originated in County Tipperary, Ireland, in the early medieval period.

The Cleary name is believed to have been mentioned in various historical records, such as the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Cormac O'Cleirigh, who lived in the 14th century and was a renowned scribe and scholar.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Cleary name was prominent in County Tipperary, particularly in the baronies of Clanwilliam and Middlethird. The name was also found in other counties, including Clare, Cork, and Limerick, where it was sometimes spelled as Clery or Clarie.

One notable figure in Irish history was Michael O'Clery (c. 1575-1643), a Franciscan friar and one of the principal authors of the Annals of the Four Masters. His work was instrumental in preserving Irish history and literature during a time of great turmoil.

In the 18th century, the Cleary name began to spread beyond Ireland as a result of the Irish diaspora. John Cleary (1719-1789) was a prominent merchant and landowner in Waterford, Ireland, and his descendants later settled in various parts of North America and Australia.

Another notable figure was John Cleary (1801-1870), an Irish-born politician and lawyer who served as a member of the House of Commons in Canada. He played a significant role in the development of the Canadian legal system and was a staunch advocate for responsible government.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Cleary name was Michael Cleary (1727-1798), an Irish immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania and fought in the American Revolutionary War.

Throughout history, the Cleary name has been associated with various occupations, including scholars, clergy, merchants, lawyers, and politicians. The name has also been linked to several place names in Ireland, such as Cleary's Cross and Cleary's Bridge, reflecting the family's deep roots in the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cleary families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cleary 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 329 Clearys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 329 2.30x
Middlesex 200 1.66x
Surrey 115 1.96x
Yorkshire 81 0.68x
Glamorgan 47 2.24x
Lanarkshire 44 1.13x
Kent 39 0.95x
Angus 34 3.04x
Cheshire 34 1.28x
Essex 32 1.34x
Durham 28 0.78x
Gloucestershire 28 1.18x
Hampshire 28 1.13x
Staffordshire 24 0.59x
Ayrshire 17 1.88x
Lincolnshire 17 0.88x
Renfrewshire 13 1.39x
Stirlingshire 13 2.92x
Monmouthshire 12 1.38x
Sussex 11 0.54x
Dunbartonshire 9 2.78x
Cornwall 7 0.51x
Cumberland 7 0.67x
Dumfriesshire 7 2.63x
Midlothian 7 0.43x
Northumberland 7 0.39x
Peeblesshire 7 12.34x
Royal Navy 6 4.18x
Warwickshire 5 0.16x
Devon 4 0.16x
Montgomeryshire 4 1.45x
Huntingdonshire 3 1.25x
Channel Islands 2 0.56x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.12x
Westmorland 2 0.75x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.09x
Berkshire 1 0.11x
Dorset 1 0.13x
Inverness-shire 1 0.28x
Isle of Man 1 0.45x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Northamptonshire 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.13x
Somerset 1 0.05x
Wigtownshire 1 0.62x
Wiltshire 1 0.09x

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 73 Clearys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.40x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 73 8.40x
Manchester 49 7.62x
Govan 25 2.59x
Kirkdale 24 9.97x
St Marylebone London 21 3.26x
Toxteth Park 21 4.33x
Walsall Foreign 21 9.99x
Camberwell 18 2.34x
East Ham 17 38.49x
Kensington London 17 2.54x
Dundee 15 3.60x
Everton 15 3.29x
Southwark St John 15 40.67x
Leeds 14 2.08x
Roath 14 14.68x
Westminster St James 14 11.29x
Manningham 13 8.83x
West Derby 13 3.11x
Barony 12 1.22x
Dunipace 12 154.24x
Barrow In Furness 11 5.65x
Battersea 11 2.48x
Cheltenham 11 6.03x
Fulham London 11 6.29x
Southwark St Olave 11 119.57x
St Pancras London 11 1.13x
Bradford 10 3.46x
Cardiff St Mary 10 8.65x
Clerkenwell London 10 3.51x
Glanford Brigg 10 145.35x
Great Bolton 10 5.28x
Lochee 10 100.40x
Newington 10 2.25x
Paddington London 10 2.26x
St George In East London 10 8.82x
Tranmere 10 10.22x
Aberystruth 9 11.71x
Ainsworth 9 162.45x
Colmonell 9 99.23x
Liff Benvie 9 5.31x
Row 9 21.47x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 3.71x
St Giles In Fields London 9 15.22x
Swansea Town 9 5.23x
West Greenock 9 5.37x
Widnes 9 8.72x
Willesden 9 7.92x
Woolwich 9 5.92x
Addington 8 290.91x
Ardwick 8 6.20x
Deptford St Paul 8 2.52x
Hulme 8 2.68x
Islington London 8 0.68x
Mayfield 8 66.56x
Mile End Old Town London 8 3.12x
Oldham 8 1.73x
Portsmouth 8 14.06x
Westminster St Margaret 8 13.76x
Willington 8 38.59x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 6.16x
Croydon 7 2.15x
Drypool 7 38.27x
Dundonald 7 21.04x
Half Morton 7 339.81x
Huddersfield 7 4.02x
Lasswade 7 18.95x
Marazion 7 429.45x
Northowram 7 8.36x
St Gilesin Fields London 7 68.63x
St Luke London 7 3.62x
Stranton 7 5.80x
Wandsworth 7 6.03x
West Linton 7 151.52x
Aldershot 6 7.25x
Blackburn 6 1.58x
Bristol St James In 6 17.25x
Hyde 6 7.64x
St Mary Le Strand London 6 136.36x
Wardleworth 6 7.34x
Whitechapel London 6 5.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 115
Ellen 42
Margaret 38
Catherine 29
Elizabeth 26
Ann 21
Bridget 19
Sarah 17
Annie 16
Jane 15
Alice 11
Isabella 8
Kate 8
Hannah 7
Julia 7
Anne 5
Eliza 5
Florence 5
Johanna 5
Emma 4
Esther 4
Margret 4
Agnes 3
Anna 3
Elizth. 3
Fanny 3
Helen 3
Louisa 3
Rose 3
Cathrine 2
Charlotte 2
E. 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Hanora 2
Joanna 2
Lydia 2
Maggie 2
Margrett 2
Margt. 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Susan 2
Teresa 2
Bridgett 1
Caroline 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 97
James 63
Thomas 52
Patrick 46
William 41
Michael 36
Daniel 17
Joseph 16
Edward 11
Dennis 10
Henry 9
Francis 8
Charles 7
Timothy 7
George 6
Nicholas 6
Peter 6
Wm. 6
Arthur 5
David 5
Denis 5
Andrew 4
Harry 4
Jeremiah 4
Stephen 4
Ernest 3
Jno. 3
Martin 3
Maurice 3
Thos. 3
Alfred 2
Allan 2
Augustus 2
Owen 2
Pat. 2
Philip 2
Robert 2
Willm. 2
Bartholemew 1
Christopher 1
Cornelius 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Gregory 1
Has.Henry 1
Jno.James 1
Look 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Matthew 1

FAQ

Cleary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cleary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,235 people were recorded with the Cleary surname. That placed it at #3,279 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cleary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,805 in 2016. That gives Cleary a modern rank of #1,412.

What does the Cleary surname mean?

Derived from the Irish Gaelic "O'Cleirigh," meaning "descendant of the clerk" or "descendant of the cleric."

What does the Cleary map show?

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