NameCensus.

UK surname

Connor

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Conchobhar," meaning "lover of hounds" or "wolf-lover."

In the 1881 census there were 8,809 people recorded with the Connor surname, ranking it #478 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 14,789, ranked #430, up from #478 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Halton, Liverpool and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Connor is 14,809 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.9%.

1881 census count

8,809

Ranked #478

Modern count

14,789

2016, ranked #430

Peak year

2014

14,809 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Connor had 8,809 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #478 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 14,789 in 2016, ranked #430.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,969 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Connor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Connor surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Connor 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 4,275 #660
1861 historical 5,283 #531
1881 historical 8,809 #478
1891 historical 8,504 #518
1901 historical 9,969 #526
1911 historical 8,657 #569
1997 modern 13,297 #457
1998 modern 13,701 #464
1999 modern 13,831 #460
2000 modern 13,802 #455
2001 modern 13,525 #455
2002 modern 13,910 #454
2003 modern 13,589 #453
2004 modern 13,608 #454
2005 modern 13,535 #448
2006 modern 13,598 #447
2007 modern 13,744 #444
2008 modern 13,882 #442
2009 modern 14,382 #440
2010 modern 14,805 #435
2011 modern 14,506 #439
2012 modern 14,263 #437
2013 modern 14,624 #434
2014 modern 14,809 #433
2015 modern 14,764 #430
2016 modern 14,789 #430

Geography

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Where Connors are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Halton, Liverpool, Copeland and Hartlepool. 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 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Halton 006 Halton
2 Halton 004 Halton
3 Liverpool 059 Liverpool
4 Copeland 004 Copeland
5 Hartlepool 002 Hartlepool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Connor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Connor

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

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Connor surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Connor household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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, Connor 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

Connor is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Connor 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 Connor is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Connor

The surname Connor originated from Ireland, with roots dating back to the ancient Gaelic language. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic words "Ó Conchobhair," which translate to "descendant of Conchobhar." Conchobhar was a personal name meaning "lover of hounds" or "wolfdog," reflecting the importance of hunting and canines in ancient Celtic culture.

The name Connor first appeared in historical records during the Middle Ages, notably in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name was Toirdhealbhach Ua Conchobhair, a 12th-century King of Connacht, a province in western Ireland.

Throughout Irish history, the Connor family held prominent positions and played significant roles in various regions. In the 14th century, Ruaidhri O'Connor was the last King of Connacht before the Norman invasion. The surname was also associated with the O'Connor Sligo dynasty, which ruled the territory of Sligo in northwestern Ireland for centuries.

In the 16th century, the Connor surname gained recognition beyond Ireland's borders. Conn O'Connor, born in 1561, was an Irish military commander who served in the Spanish Army of Flanders during the Eighty Years' War against the Dutch Republic.

Another notable figure was Dennis O'Connor, an Irish-born Catholic priest who lived in the 17th century. He served as the Archbishop of Armagh, the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland, from 1672 until his death in 1697.

The Connor surname has also been associated with several prominent figures in more recent centuries. For instance, James Fenimore Cooper, the renowned American novelist, was born in 1789 to a family with Irish roots that included the Connor surname.

In the 20th century, Eugene O'Connor, born in 1888, was an Irish politician and member of the first Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament, representing the Sinn Féin party. He played a significant role in the Irish War of Independence and the subsequent Irish Civil War.

Overall, the surname Connor has a rich history rooted in ancient Irish culture, with numerous notable individuals bearing the name contributing to various aspects of society, from politics and religion to literature and warfare, throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Connor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Connor 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 2,905 Connors recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.84x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,905 2.84x
Middlesex 1,251 1.45x
Lanarkshire 646 2.32x
Yorkshire 618 0.72x
Surrey 463 1.10x
Durham 341 1.33x
Cheshire 334 1.75x
Kent 253 0.86x
Midlothian 178 1.54x
Staffordshire 175 0.60x
Warwickshire 149 0.69x
Renfrewshire 143 2.14x
Ayrshire 137 2.12x
Northumberland 107 0.83x
Cumberland 99 1.33x
Hampshire 95 0.54x
Angus 90 1.13x
Glamorgan 90 0.60x
Gloucestershire 55 0.33x
Sussex 54 0.37x
Essex 52 0.31x
Derbyshire 50 0.37x
Devon 35 0.20x
Dunbartonshire 30 1.29x
Royal Navy 30 2.92x
Monmouthshire 27 0.43x
Channel Islands 25 0.98x
Aberdeenshire 24 0.30x
Cornwall 23 0.24x
Stirlingshire 23 0.72x
Lincolnshire 21 0.15x
Shropshire 21 0.28x
Hertfordshire 19 0.32x
Dumfriesshire 18 0.94x
Argyllshire 16 0.67x
Nottinghamshire 16 0.14x
Flintshire 15 0.65x
West Lothian 14 1.08x
Worcestershire 14 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 13 0.25x
Kirkcudbrightshire 13 1.04x
Wiltshire 12 0.16x
Fife 11 0.22x
Denbighshire 10 0.31x
Leicestershire 10 0.10x
Somerset 10 0.07x
Anglesey 9 0.59x
Berkshire 9 0.14x
Isle of Man 9 0.56x
Roxburghshire 9 0.58x
Pembrokeshire 8 0.29x
Perthshire 8 0.21x
East Lothian 7 0.61x
Inverness-shire 7 0.27x
Brecknockshire 6 0.35x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.09x
Kincardineshire 4 0.38x
Northamptonshire 4 0.05x
Dorset 3 0.05x
Selkirkshire 3 0.38x
Buteshire 2 0.38x
Peeblesshire 2 0.49x
Suffolk 2 0.02x
Berwickshire 1 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.03x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.03x
Norfolk 1 0.01x
Sutherland 1 0.15x
Wigtownshire 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 647 Connors recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.41x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 647 10.41x
Manchester 292 6.34x
Barony 156 2.21x
Govan 145 2.10x
Salford 141 4.68x
Toxteth Park 125 3.61x
Bethnal Green London 118 3.15x
Glasgow 104 2.10x
Everton 102 3.13x
Birmingham 98 1.35x
Wigan 92 6.43x
Leeds 83 1.72x
St Pancras London 83 1.20x
West Derby 79 2.64x
Lambeth 78 1.04x
Oldham 70 2.12x
Kirkdale 69 4.01x
Birkenhead 68 4.48x
Blackburn 67 2.46x
St George In East London 67 8.26x
St Marylebone London 67 1.46x
Bermondsey 63 2.45x
Islington London 58 0.69x
Warrington 58 4.78x
Chelsea London 57 2.19x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 55 1.18x
Shoreditch London 55 1.47x
Ashton Under Lyne 53 2.37x
Dundee 52 1.74x
Hulme 51 2.39x
Southwark St George Martyr 50 2.88x
Bootle Cum Linacre 46 5.66x
Westminster St John 46 4.38x
Widnes 46 6.23x
Barton Upon Irwell 45 5.84x
Chorlton On Medlock 45 2.77x
Dewsbury 43 4.91x
Macclesfield 43 5.08x
Deptford St Paul 42 1.85x
St Andrew Holborn London 41 10.98x
Stockport 41 4.18x
Preston 40 1.46x
Sheffield 39 1.43x
Poplar London 38 2.33x
Rotherhithe 38 3.57x
St Giles In Fields London 38 8.98x
Newington 37 1.16x
Stoke Upon Trent 37 1.20x
Abbey 36 3.53x
Burnley 36 4.18x
Duncton 36 455.12x
Heworth 36 7.12x
Portsea 36 1.04x
Bradford 35 1.69x
Liff Benvie 35 2.89x
Whitechapel London 35 4.12x
Woolwich 35 3.22x
Battersea 34 1.07x
Parr 34 9.29x
Camberwell 33 0.60x
Dalry 33 10.87x
Kensington London 33 0.69x
Gateshead 32 1.67x
Hamilton 32 4.11x
Paddington London 32 1.01x
Great Bolton 31 2.29x
Aston 30 0.50x
Batley 30 3.69x
St Luke London 30 2.17x
Bromley London 29 1.53x
Darlington 29 2.93x
Royal Navy 29 3.30x
Barrow In Furness 28 2.01x
Bradford 28 5.85x
Greenwich 28 2.04x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 28 2.52x
Wardleworth 28 4.79x
West Greenock 28 2.33x
Mile End Old Town London 27 1.47x
Bothwell 26 3.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 849
Ellen 244
Margaret 236
Catherine 219
Elizabeth 199
Ann 158
Sarah 147
Bridget 142
Jane 101
Annie 84
Alice 68
Eliza 68
Kate 62
Hannah 49
Julia 49
Maria 38
Emma 37
Agnes 35
Anne 31
Rose 31
Martha 29
Emily 28
Esther 25
Johanna 19
Louisa 19
Margt. 19
Amelia 17
Caroline 17
Isabella 17
Susan 17
Charlotte 16
Norah 16
Elizth. 15
Ada 14
Edith 14
Florence 14
Harriet 13
Margret 13
Lucy 12
Frances 11
Katherine 10
Winifred 10
Clara 9
Maggie 9
Fanny 8
Helen 8
Honora 8
Teresa 8
Harriett 7
Lizzie 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 748
James 385
Thomas 315
William 289
Patrick 233
Michael 198
Edward 121
Henry 87
Charles 86
Joseph 84
Peter 73
Daniel 65
George 65
Martin 59
Richard 44
Francis 38
Arthur 36
Timothy 36
Robert 35
Dennis 32
Jeremiah 24
Alfred 23
Thos. 20
David 19
Frederick 19
Samuel 19
Wm. 19
Cornelius 17
Matthew 17
Andrew 15
Frank 15
Albert 14
Hugh 14
Walter 12
Bernard 11
Ernest 11
Denis 10
Jas. 10
Stephen 10
Alexander 9
Anthony 9
Eugene 9
Nicholas 9
Pat 9
Phillip 9
Christopher 8
Herbert 8
Mark 8
Maurice 8
Harry 7

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 Connor households.

FAQ

Connor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Connor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,809 people were recorded with the Connor surname. That placed it at #478 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Connor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 14,789 in 2016. That gives Connor a modern rank of #430.

What does the Connor surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Conchobhar," meaning "lover of hounds" or "wolf-lover."

What does the Connor map show?

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