NameCensus.

UK surname

Connolley

Irish surname derived from Ó Conghalaigh meaning "descendant of Conghalach", a personal name of uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 157 people recorded with the Connolley surname, ranking it #15,046 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 125, ranked #26,827, down from #15,046 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maidstone, Bolsover and Peterborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Connolley is 275 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.4%.

1881 census count

157

Ranked #15,046

Modern count

125

2016, ranked #26,827

Peak year

1901

275 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Connolley had 157 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,046 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016, ranked #26,827.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 275 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Connolley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Connolley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Connolley 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 56 #23,235
1861 historical 66 #25,487
1881 historical 157 #15,046
1891 historical 265 #12,208
1901 historical 275 #12,332
1911 historical 176 #16,185
1997 modern 136 #22,398
1998 modern 146 #22,031
1999 modern 148 #22,020
2000 modern 145 #22,259
2001 modern 142 #22,234
2002 modern 141 #22,794
2003 modern 133 #23,359
2004 modern 137 #23,098
2005 modern 134 #23,406
2006 modern 134 #23,590
2007 modern 141 #23,137
2008 modern 141 #23,383
2009 modern 144 #23,577
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 120 #26,961
2013 modern 129 #26,211
2014 modern 130 #26,216
2015 modern 128 #26,356
2016 modern 125 #26,827

Geography

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Where Connolleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Maidstone, Bolsover, Peterborough, Blackpool and West Oxfordshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Maidstone 018 Maidstone
2 Bolsover 004 Bolsover
3 Peterborough 021 Peterborough
4 Blackpool 019 Blackpool
5 West Oxfordshire 003 West Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Connolley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Connolley

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Connolley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Connolley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Connolley is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Connolley is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Connolley

The surname "CONNOLLEY" is of Irish origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Conghalaigh," which means "descendant of the valorous one." The name is closely associated with County Galway and the neighboring regions of western Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1292, a entry mentions "Conchobar Ó Conghalaigh," which translates to "Conor O'Connolley." This suggests that the name had already been established by the 13th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Connolley family played a significant role in the Irish Confederate Wars, with several members holding prominent positions within the Catholic Confederation of Kilkenny. One notable figure was Sir John Connolley, who served as a colonel in the Confederate forces and was later executed in 1653 for his involvement in the wars.

The surname is also closely linked to the town of Ballinasloe in County Galway, which was historically known as "Bealach na Sluaigheadh" or "the Road of the Hosts." This place name is thought to be derived from the Connolley family's influence in the area, as they were once a powerful clan in the region.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Connolley have made their mark. One notable example is Thomas Connolley (1806-1879), an Irish-American businessman and politician who served as the 13th Mayor of San Francisco from 1856 to 1857. Another prominent figure was John Connolley (1768-1835), an Irish-born American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later became a prominent landowner in Pennsylvania.

Other notable individuals include Patrick Connolley (1892-1961), an Irish-born American actor who appeared in several Hollywood films during the 1930s and 1940s, and Brendan Connolley (born 1970), an English author and science writer who has published several books on astronomy and space exploration.

While the surname Connolley is predominantly found in Ireland and among the Irish diaspora, it has also been recorded in various parts of the United Kingdom, the United States, and other regions with significant Irish immigration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Connolley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Connolley 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 59 Connolleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.23x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 59 3.23x
Cheshire 21 6.17x
Yorkshire 19 1.24x
Kent 11 2.09x
Pembrokeshire 8 16.34x
Durham 7 1.53x
Middlesex 7 0.45x
Midlothian 7 3.39x
Lanarkshire 5 1.00x
Worcestershire 4 1.99x
Warwickshire 3 0.77x
Monmouthshire 2 1.80x
Argyllshire 1 2.33x
Channel Islands 1 2.19x
Cumberland 1 0.75x
Hampshire 1 0.32x
Staffordshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gorton in Lancashire leads with 17 Connolleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 98.89x.

Place Total Index
Gorton 17 98.89x
Tottington Lower End 9 103.57x
Batley 8 55.13x
Birkenhead 8 29.50x
Pembroke St Mary 8 126.78x
Burnley 7 45.45x
Lamesley 7 283.40x
Manchester 7 8.51x
Leftwich 6 397.35x
Chatham 5 34.58x
Chester St Oswald 5 81.17x
Eltham 5 162.34x
North Leith 5 52.36x
Brightside Bierlow 4 13.36x
Islington London 4 2.68x
Oldbury 4 40.40x
Birmingham 3 2.32x
Everton 3 5.15x
Govan 3 2.43x
Leeds 3 3.48x
Barony 2 1.59x
Burley In Wharfdale 2 148.15x
Farnworth 2 18.25x
Liverpool 2 1.80x
Livesey 2 62.31x
Poplar London 2 6.88x
Salford 2 3.72x
St Woollos 2 16.09x
Tottington Higher End 2 96.15x
West Derby 2 3.74x
Altrincham 1 16.84x
Bradford 1 2.70x
Chelsea London 1 2.15x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 3.22x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.20x
Erith 1 19.31x
Kilmore Kilbride 1 36.76x
Lasswade 1 21.19x
Liscard 1 16.31x
Pemberton 1 13.72x
Pendleton In Salford 1 4.59x
Portsea 1 1.62x
St Helier 1 6.72x
Toxteth Park 1 1.62x
Whitehaven 1 14.14x
Withington 1 16.98x
Wolverhampton 1 2.50x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
James 6
Thomas 6
William 6
Michael 4
Patrick 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Daniel 3
Peter 3
George 2
Kern 2
Martin 2
Patsey 2
Bartholemew 1
Bernard 1
Burnerd 1
Christopher 1
Cornelius 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Philip 1

FAQ

Connolley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Connolley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 157 people were recorded with the Connolley surname. That placed it at #15,046 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Connolley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016. That gives Connolley a modern rank of #26,827.

What does the Connolley surname mean?

Irish surname derived from Ó Conghalaigh meaning "descendant of Conghalach", a personal name of uncertain origin.

What does the Connolley map show?

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