NameCensus.

UK surname

Conley

Derived from Irish Gaelic "Ó Conghaile," meaning "descendant of Conghaile," a personal name composed of "con" (hound) and "gal" (valor).

In the 1881 census there were 1,078 people recorded with the Conley surname, ranking it #3,678 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,153, ranked #5,122, down from #3,678 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Campbeltown, Northumberland and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Conley is 1,182 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.0%.

1881 census count

1,078

Ranked #3,678

Modern count

1,153

2016, ranked #5,122

Peak year

2013

1,182 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Conley had 1,078 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,678 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,153 in 2016, ranked #5,122.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,078 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Conley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Conley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Conley 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 719 #3,640
1861 historical 848 #3,260
1881 historical 1,078 #3,678
1891 historical 971 #4,261
1901 historical 1,002 #4,752
1911 historical 951 #4,738
1997 modern 1,115 #5,008
1998 modern 1,160 #5,019
1999 modern 1,134 #5,166
2000 modern 1,118 #5,204
2001 modern 1,091 #5,207
2002 modern 1,135 #5,145
2003 modern 1,123 #5,089
2004 modern 1,119 #5,110
2005 modern 1,104 #5,111
2006 modern 1,105 #5,121
2007 modern 1,140 #5,021
2008 modern 1,153 #5,002
2009 modern 1,143 #5,157
2010 modern 1,167 #5,160
2011 modern 1,158 #5,153
2012 modern 1,159 #5,054
2013 modern 1,182 #5,058
2014 modern 1,179 #5,103
2015 modern 1,153 #5,144
2016 modern 1,153 #5,122

Geography

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Where Conleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Manchester, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Campbeltown, Northumberland, Barnsley, Kintyre Trail and 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Campbeltown Argyll and Bute
2 Northumberland 019 Northumberland
3 Barnsley 014 Barnsley
4 Kintyre Trail Argyll and Bute
5 County Durham 050 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Conley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Conley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Conley, 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 Conley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Conley 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Conley 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

Conley is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Conley 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 Conley 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Conley

The surname Conley is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic name "O'Connalaidh" or "O'Conalaidhe," meaning "descendant of the lone brave one." It originated in County Galway, particularly in the region around Connemara, where it was first recorded in the 13th century.

The earliest known bearer of this name was Donnchadh Ó Conalaidhe, a prominent chieftain who lived in the late 12th century. His descendants adopted the anglicized form "Conley" during the 16th and 17th centuries when the use of English became more prevalent in Ireland.

One notable historical reference to the Conley name is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. It mentions several members of the Ó Conalaidhe clan, including their involvement in local conflicts and power struggles.

In the 16th century, the Conley family held lands in the baronies of Moycullen and Ballynahinch in County Galway. They were among the prominent Gaelic families who resisted the Tudor conquest of Ireland and were eventually dispossessed of their lands during the Cromwellian settlement of the 1650s.

Among the earliest recorded examples of the name Conley are William Conley, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of County Galway in 1635, and Edmond Conley, a landowner in County Mayo mentioned in the Books of Survey and Distribution from the late 17th century.

Some notable individuals with the surname Conley throughout history include:

1. Patrick Conley (1787-1858), an Irish-born Catholic priest who served as the first Bishop of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 2. John Conley (1843-1924), an American Civil War veteran and recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863. 3. William G. Conley (1866-1940), an American politician who served as the 28th Governor of West Virginia from 1929 to 1933. 4. Edward Conley (1900-1986), an American actor and comedian who appeared in numerous films and television shows, including The Honeymooners and The Abbott and Costello Show. 5. Nancy Conley (born 1946), an American author and historian known for her books on the history of Alaska and the Arctic region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Conley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Conley 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 236 Conleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.88x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 236 1.88x
Durham 195 6.20x
Yorkshire 132 1.26x
Middlesex 67 0.63x
Kent 58 1.61x
Lanarkshire 53 1.55x
Northumberland 36 2.29x
Surrey 23 0.45x
Midlothian 22 1.55x
Cheshire 18 0.77x
Derbyshire 17 1.03x
Cumberland 16 1.76x
Argyllshire 15 5.10x
Ayrshire 13 1.64x
Monmouthshire 13 1.70x
West Lothian 13 8.16x
Warwickshire 12 0.45x
Glamorgan 11 0.60x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.70x
Brecknockshire 9 4.26x
Cornwall 9 0.75x
Angus 8 0.82x
Hertfordshire 8 1.10x
Wigtownshire 8 5.70x
Gloucestershire 7 0.34x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 4.57x
Renfrewshire 7 0.85x
Somerset 7 0.41x
Devon 6 0.27x
Leicestershire 6 0.51x
Caernarfonshire 5 1.17x
Staffordshire 5 0.14x
Sussex 4 0.22x
Channel Islands 3 0.96x
Lincolnshire 3 0.18x
Stirlingshire 3 0.77x
Worcestershire 3 0.22x
Essex 2 0.10x
Hampshire 2 0.09x
Herefordshire 2 0.46x
Shetland 2 1.85x
Isle of Man 1 0.51x
Morayshire 1 0.61x
Oxfordshire 1 0.15x
Perthshire 1 0.21x
Selkirkshire 1 1.05x
Shropshire 1 0.11x
Suffolk 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 70 Conleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.41x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 70 12.41x
Liverpool 43 5.64x
Govan 32 3.78x
Bishopwearmouth 20 7.41x
Toxteth Park 19 4.47x
Heworth 18 29.04x
Brandon Byshottles 16 40.60x
Minster In Sheppey 15 25.10x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 14 10.28x
Barony 13 1.50x
Dalmeny 13 213.46x
Leeds 13 2.20x
Bradford 12 4.73x
Stockton On Tees 12 7.91x
Iveston 11 75.91x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 11 11.71x
North Shields 11 35.03x
Westoe 11 6.17x
Aston 10 1.36x
Dawdon 10 25.85x
Preston 10 2.98x
Sheffield 10 3.00x
Tunstall 10 63.86x
Everton 9 2.25x
Holy Trinity 9 3.57x
Kensington London 9 1.53x
Morley 9 16.52x
Penderyn 9 155.71x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 2.92x
Bethnal Green London 8 1.74x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 8.03x
Gateshead 8 3.40x
Linthorpe 8 12.79x
Monkwearmouth Shore 8 13.03x
Shoreditch London 8 1.75x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 3.76x
St Albans St Peter 8 32.53x
Workington 8 15.35x
Ballantrae 7 133.84x
Barrow In Furness 7 4.10x
Bedminster 7 4.38x
Birkenhead 7 3.76x
Brabourne 7 258.30x
Breadsall 7 364.58x
Byers Green 7 78.83x
Campbeltown 7 19.71x
Deal 7 22.75x
Dundee 7 1.91x
Norton 7 51.32x
Saddell Skipness 7 167.06x
South Leith 7 4.39x
St Luke London 7 4.13x
Stoneykirk 7 69.72x
Thornton In Fylde 7 25.50x
Widnes 7 7.73x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 6.15x
Bedwellty 6 4.45x
Caldewgate 6 12.03x
Edinburgh Tron Church 6 90.36x
Elksley 6 500.00x
Folkestone 6 8.57x
Formby 6 42.22x
Hythe St Leonard 6 47.06x
Loughborough 6 11.28x
Monkwearmouth 6 19.93x
Newton 6 6.20x
Scarborough 6 6.30x
St Bartholomew Great 6 62.37x
Swansea Town 6 3.97x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 0.88x
Eston 5 21.91x
Llandudno 5 32.81x
Newcastle On Tyne St 5 6.13x
Roath 5 5.98x
St Germans 5 59.88x
Trentham 5 16.47x
Upper Llanvrechva 5 42.09x
West Auckland 5 43.48x
Whickham 5 17.27x
Willington 5 27.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 101
Elizabeth 28
Sarah 27
Catherine 23
Ann 22
Ellen 22
Margaret 19
Bridget 16
Jane 13
Annie 12
Eliza 11
Emily 10
Harriet 7
Louisa 7
Alice 6
Emma 6
Hannah 6
Maria 6
Isabella 5
Martha 5
Clara 4
Elizth. 4
Frances 4
Rachel 4
Susan 4
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Bertha 3
Edith 3
Kate 3
Caroline 2
Cecilia 2
Dinah 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Johanna 2
Julia 2
Maggie 2
Margret 2
Margt. 2
Rebecca 2
Rosannah 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Winifred 2
Brazil 1
E.A. 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizebeth 1
Harriett 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 90
James 52
Thomas 37
William 35
Patrick 19
Edward 17
George 16
Henry 14
Peter 14
Michael 11
Charles 9
Robert 8
Francis 7
Joseph 6
Owen 6
Arthur 5
Daniel 5
Frederick 5
Samuel 5
Andrew 4
Hugh 4
Richard 4
Thos. 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Anthony 3
Martin 3
Bernard 2
Fred. 2
Isaac 2
Jas. 2
Jeremiah 2
Mathew 2
Matthew 2
Micheal 2
Stephen 2
Timothy 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Annie 1
Bartholomew 1
Bryan 1
F. 1
Felix 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Headley 1
Maurice 1

FAQ

Conley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Conley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,078 people were recorded with the Conley surname. That placed it at #3,678 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Conley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,153 in 2016. That gives Conley a modern rank of #5,122.

What does the Conley surname mean?

Derived from Irish Gaelic "Ó Conghaile," meaning "descendant of Conghaile," a personal name composed of "con" (hound) and "gal" (valor).

What does the Conley map show?

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