NameCensus.

UK surname

Connelly

Descendant of Conghaile, an Irish name meaning "fierce as a hound" or "descending from a hound."

In the 1881 census there were 2,780 people recorded with the Connelly surname, ranking it #1,606 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,209, ranked #926, up from #1,606 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ13, IZ11 and Parkhead West and Barrowfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Connelly is 7,292 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 159.3%.

1881 census count

2,780

Ranked #1,606

Modern count

7,209

2016, ranked #926

Peak year

2010

7,292 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Connelly had 2,780 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,606 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,209 in 2016, ranked #926.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,897 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Connelly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Connelly surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Connelly 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 1,069 #2,622
1861 historical 1,405 #2,037
1881 historical 2,780 #1,606
1891 historical 2,862 #1,658
1901 historical 3,897 #1,446
1911 historical 1,940 #2,563
1997 modern 6,527 #994
1998 modern 6,838 #987
1999 modern 6,871 #991
2000 modern 6,805 #992
2001 modern 6,646 #993
2002 modern 6,740 #1,000
2003 modern 6,650 #994
2004 modern 6,655 #993
2005 modern 6,664 #987
2006 modern 6,738 #965
2007 modern 6,823 #964
2008 modern 6,923 #955
2009 modern 7,101 #954
2010 modern 7,292 #945
2011 modern 7,145 #951
2012 modern 6,986 #953
2013 modern 7,149 #948
2014 modern 7,286 #931
2015 modern 7,200 #931
2016 modern 7,209 #926

Geography

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Where Connellys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to IZ13, IZ11, Parkhead West and Barrowfield, Firhill and Hillhead. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ13 West Dunbartonshire
2 IZ11 West Dunbartonshire
3 Parkhead West and Barrowfield Glasgow City
4 Firhill Glasgow City
5 Hillhead Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Connelly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Connelly

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Connelly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Connelly household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Connelly 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

Connelly is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Connelly

The surname Connelly originates from Ireland, deriving from the Gaelic O'Conghalaigh sept, which translates to "descendant of Conghalach." The name Conghalach itself means "valorous" or "brave" in Irish. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 11th century in County Leinster, though it is believed to have roots stretching further back into ancient Irish history.

The Connelly surname is an anglicized version of the original Gaelic form, with various spelling variations appearing throughout history, such as O'Connelly, O'Connolly, and Connolly. These variations were often influenced by regional accents and dialects within Ireland. In the 16th and 17th centuries, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, many Irish families adopted anglicized versions of their surnames for political and social reasons.

One of the earliest known references to the Connelly name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. Here, the name Conghalach is mentioned in connection with events dating back to the 11th century. Additionally, the name appears in various Irish manuscripts and records from the 12th to 16th centuries, further solidifying its historical presence.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Connelly surname throughout history are:

1. John Connelly (c. 1610-1660), an Irish soldier and landowner who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. 2. William Connelly (1786-1869), an Irish-American politician and industrialist who served as the fourth Governor of New Mexico Territory. 3. Marc Connelly (1890-1980), an American playwright and director, best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning play "The Green Pastures." 4. Jennifer Connelly (born 1970), an American actress who won an Academy Award for her role in the film "A Beautiful Mind." 5. Billy Connelly (born 1942), a Scottish comedian, musician, and actor, widely regarded as one of the most influential stand-up comedians of his generation.

The Connelly surname has maintained a strong presence throughout Ireland and has also spread to various parts of the world due to Irish emigration. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Gaelic tradition, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Connelly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Connelly 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 586 Connellys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.68x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 586 6.68x
Lancashire 526 1.63x
Middlesex 208 0.77x
Durham 151 1.87x
Yorkshire 142 0.53x
Dunbartonshire 140 19.20x
Renfrewshire 140 6.66x
Angus 105 4.18x
Ayrshire 100 4.93x
Glamorgan 74 1.57x
Staffordshire 53 0.58x
Cheshire 51 0.85x
Surrey 48 0.36x
Kent 44 0.48x
Northumberland 42 1.04x
Midlothian 33 0.91x
Warwickshire 29 0.42x
Cumberland 24 1.03x
Stirlingshire 21 2.10x
Fife 19 1.18x
Leicestershire 17 0.57x
Monmouthshire 16 0.82x
Shropshire 16 0.68x
Essex 14 0.26x
Hampshire 14 0.25x
Perthshire 14 1.15x
Worcestershire 14 0.40x
West Lothian 13 3.18x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.44x
Kirkcudbrightshire 11 2.80x
Derbyshire 10 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.27x
Flintshire 9 1.23x
Herefordshire 9 0.81x
Clackmannanshire 8 3.57x
Roxburghshire 8 1.63x
Somerset 6 0.14x
East Lothian 5 1.39x
Argyllshire 4 0.53x
Channel Islands 4 0.50x
Royal Navy 4 1.24x
Brecknockshire 3 0.55x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.27x
Devon 3 0.05x
Gloucestershire 3 0.06x
Norfolk 3 0.07x
Sussex 3 0.07x
Denbighshire 2 0.20x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.33x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.23x
Buteshire 1 0.61x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.09x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Hertfordshire 1 0.05x

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 153 Connellys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.05x.

Place Total Index
Govan 153 7.05x
Glasgow 135 8.67x
Barony 84 3.78x
Dundee 83 8.85x
Liverpool 77 3.94x
Manchester 68 4.70x
Dumbarton 56 55.19x
Cardross 38 43.41x
Old Monkland 36 10.34x
Paisley High Church 33 19.72x
Bothwell 32 13.45x
Blantyre 30 32.84x
West Derby 29 3.08x
Ashton Under Lyne 27 3.84x
Bethnal Green London 25 2.12x
Birmingham 25 1.10x
Neilston 25 23.69x
Salford 25 2.64x
Abbey 24 7.48x
Bootle Cum Linacre 24 9.39x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 24 6.87x
Kilmarnock 22 9.10x
Liff Benvie 22 5.77x
Sheffield 22 2.57x
Heworth 21 13.20x
Clerkenwell London 20 3.12x
Oldham 19 1.83x
Birkenhead 18 3.77x
Bonhill 18 15.38x
Dalziel 17 18.01x
Maryhill 17 9.90x
Kensington London 16 1.06x
Leeds 16 1.05x
Merthyr Tydfil 16 3.52x
Port Glasgow 16 15.74x
Shettleston 16 20.37x
St George In East London 16 6.27x
Wigan 16 3.56x
Wolverhampton 16 2.27x
Blackburn 15 1.75x
Warrington 15 3.93x
Westminster St James 15 5.38x
Cardiff St Mary 14 5.38x
Everton 14 1.36x
Toxteth Park 14 1.28x
Dalry 13 13.61x
Sorn 13 32.60x
Wallsend 13 10.16x
Holy Trinity 12 1.86x
Preston 12 1.39x
Southwark St George Martyr 12 2.20x
St Pancras London 12 0.55x
Hackney London 11 0.72x
Limehouse London 11 3.69x
New Monkland 11 4.24x
Newcastle Under Lyme 11 6.79x
Shotts 11 10.48x
Aberdeen Old Machar 10 1.91x
Framwellgate 10 20.92x
Hamilton 10 4.09x
Old Kilpatrick 10 11.61x
Stockport 10 3.24x
West Greenock 10 2.65x
Ardwick 9 3.10x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 1.76x
Cilybebill 9 49.94x
Clitheroe 9 9.50x
Flint 9 21.74x
Heaton Norris 9 4.91x
Lanark 9 12.75x
Nottingham St Mary 9 0.95x
Rugeley 9 13.70x
Bradford 8 1.23x
Bromley London 8 1.34x
Broughton In Salford 8 2.72x
Dunfermline 8 3.24x
East Greenock 8 4.03x
Lambeth 8 0.34x
Llanwonno 8 4.71x
Oldbury 8 4.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 178
Margaret 60
Ellen 48
Catherine 45
Elizabeth 43
Bridget 41
Ann 29
Sarah 29
Annie 17
Kate 17
Jane 12
Hannah 11
Maria 11
Anne 9
Emma 9
Charlotte 8
Eliza 8
Martha 8
Alice 7
Julia 7
Agnes 6
Emily 6
Isabella 6
Rose 6
Johanna 5
Susan 5
Elizth. 4
Esther 4
Frances 4
Nora 4
Eliz. 3
Lucy 3
Margt. 3
Anna 2
Caroline 2
Catharine 2
Cathrine 2
Ceely 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Jemima 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Margart 2
Mary.A. 2
Minnie 2
Theresa 2
Winefred 2
Winifred 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 152
Patrick 84
Thomas 72
James 71
William 54
Michael 40
Edward 27
Peter 19
Henry 16
Martin 15
Charles 13
Joseph 12
Daniel 9
Dennis 9
Francis 9
George 9
Robert 9
Richard 8
Timothy 8
Alfred 7
Bernard 7
Jeremiah 7
Thos. 7
Walter 7
Owen 6
Andrew 5
Hugh 5
Benjamin 4
Cornelius 4
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Mark 4
Christopher 3
David 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Barnard 2
Barney 2
Denis 2
Dominic 2
Isaac 2
Matthew 2
Michal 2
Morris 2
Patk. 2
Philip 2
Roger 2
Willm. 2
Barthelomy 1
Bartholw. 1

FAQ

Connelly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Connelly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,780 people were recorded with the Connelly surname. That placed it at #1,606 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Connelly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,209 in 2016. That gives Connelly a modern rank of #926.

What does the Connelly surname mean?

Descendant of Conghaile, an Irish name meaning "fierce as a hound" or "descending from a hound."

What does the Connelly map show?

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