NameCensus.

UK surname

Cloherty

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Clochartaigh, meaning descendant of Clochartach (territory ruler).

In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Cloherty surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 260, ranked #16,349, up from #31,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brighton and Hove, Brent and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cloherty is 260 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1757.1%.

1881 census count

14

Ranked #31,604

Modern count

260

2016, ranked #16,349

Peak year

2016

260 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cloherty had 14 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 260 in 2016, ranked #16,349.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 31 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Cloherty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cloherty surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cloherty 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 10 #31,497
1861 historical 16 #31,832
1881 historical 14 #31,604
1891 historical 31 #31,820
1901 historical 27 #31,057
1911 historical 30 #30,073
1997 modern 201 #17,564
1998 modern 208 #17,693
1999 modern 209 #17,771
2000 modern 222 #17,032
2001 modern 212 #17,324
2002 modern 230 #16,730
2003 modern 230 #16,549
2004 modern 232 #16,539
2005 modern 239 #16,144
2006 modern 243 #16,052
2007 modern 249 #15,943
2008 modern 245 #16,295
2009 modern 239 #16,951
2010 modern 247 #16,931
2011 modern 246 #16,833
2012 modern 242 #16,886
2013 modern 246 #16,979
2014 modern 258 #16,554
2015 modern 249 #16,858
2016 modern 260 #16,349

Geography

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Where Clohertys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brighton and Hove, Brent, Camden, Braidfauld and Cardowan and Millerston. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brighton and Hove 013 Brighton and Hove
2 Brent 010 Brent
3 Camden 015 Camden
4 Braidfauld Glasgow City
5 Cardowan and Millerston North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cloherty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cloherty

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Cloherty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Cloherty household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Cloherty is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cloherty 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

Cloherty falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cloherty 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Cloherty

The surname Cloherty has its roots in Ireland, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Irish Gaelic word "clochar," which means "stony place" or "place of stones." This suggests that the name may have been derived from a family that lived near a rocky or stony area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cloherty can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a "Cloherty" in the year 1595, indicating that the name was already established by that time.

The name Cloherty is predominantly associated with County Mayo in the western part of Ireland. It is believed that the original bearers of the name hailed from this region, which is known for its rugged landscapes and rocky terrain, further supporting the connection to the word "clochar."

In the 17th century, historical records mention a Cloherty family residing in the townland of Ballycroy, County Mayo. This area was known for its rich farmland and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, suggesting that the Cloherty family may have been involved in agricultural or fishing activities.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Cloherty include:

1. Patrick Cloherty (1768-1842), an Irish merchant and landowner from County Mayo. 2. Michael Cloherty (1825-1901), an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Cloherty Charitable Trust in Boston, Massachusetts. 3. Eileen Cloherty (1900-1985), an Irish-born American author and journalist known for her work on Irish cultural heritage. 4. John Cloherty (1926-2018), an American neonatologist and author of several influential textbooks on newborn care. 5. Brendan Cloherty (born 1958), an Irish hurler who played for the Galway senior hurling team in the 1980s.

While the surname Cloherty has its origins in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to Irish migration and diaspora. However, its historical roots remain deeply embedded in the rocky landscapes and cultural heritage of County Mayo.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cloherty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cloherty 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. Lanarkshire leads with 6 Clohertys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.60x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 6 13.60x
Lancashire 4 2.47x
Middlesex 2 1.47x
Durham 1 2.46x
Kent 1 2.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 6 Clohertys recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.00x.

Place Total Index
Govan 6 55.00x
Liverpool 2 20.35x
St Marylebone London 2 27.47x
Birkdale 1 243.90x
Chatham 1 78.13x
North Meols 1 63.29x
South Shields 1 277.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Honora 1
Isabella 1
Jacobinna 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 1
Patrick 1
William 1

Top occupations

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 Cloherty households.

FAQ

Cloherty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cloherty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Cloherty surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cloherty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 260 in 2016. That gives Cloherty a modern rank of #16,349.

What does the Cloherty surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Clochartaigh, meaning descendant of Clochartach (territory ruler).

What does the Cloherty map show?

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