NameCensus.

UK surname

Connors

A surname of Irish origin meaning "lover of hounds" or "wolf lover," derived from the Irish word "conchobhar."

In the 1881 census there were 475 people recorded with the Connors surname, ranking it #7,031 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,704, ranked #3,661, up from #7,031 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Merthyr Tydfil. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cardiff, North Hertfordshire and Merthyr Tydfil.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Connors is 1,711 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 258.7%.

1881 census count

475

Ranked #7,031

Modern count

1,704

2016, ranked #3,661

Peak year

2014

1,711 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Connors had 475 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,031 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,704 in 2016, ranked #3,661.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 475 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Connors surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Connors surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Connors 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 121 #15,049
1861 historical 211 #11,508
1881 historical 475 #7,031
1891 historical 352 #9,781
1901 historical 366 #10,099
1911 historical 386 #9,535
1997 modern 1,341 #4,290
1998 modern 1,414 #4,240
1999 modern 1,430 #4,228
2000 modern 1,389 #4,314
2001 modern 1,365 #4,290
2002 modern 1,457 #4,164
2003 modern 1,431 #4,150
2004 modern 1,414 #4,185
2005 modern 1,378 #4,248
2006 modern 1,396 #4,202
2007 modern 1,464 #4,085
2008 modern 1,511 #4,001
2009 modern 1,591 #3,900
2010 modern 1,685 #3,790
2011 modern 1,676 #3,763
2012 modern 1,663 #3,718
2013 modern 1,686 #3,733
2014 modern 1,711 #3,694
2015 modern 1,697 #3,693
2016 modern 1,704 #3,661

Geography

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Where Connors' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Merthyr Tydfil and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cardiff, North Hertfordshire and Merthyr Tydfil. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cardiff 011 Cardiff
2 Cardiff 013 Cardiff
3 North Hertfordshire 015 North Hertfordshire
4 Merthyr Tydfil 004 Merthyr Tydfil
5 Cardiff 016 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Connors

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Connors

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Connors surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Connors household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Connors is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Connors 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

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

Meaning and origin of Connors

The surname Connors has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the 12th century. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Ó Conchobhair," which means "descendant of Conchobhar." The name Conchobhar itself is derived from the Old Irish words "con" meaning hound and "cobhar" meaning help or favor, implying someone who was favored by hounds or a skilled hunter.

Connors is a variant spelling of the more common Irish surname Connor. In ancient Irish manuscripts and records, the name has been written as Ó Conchobhair, O'Conor, O'Connor, and various other spellings reflecting regional dialects and scribal preferences.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Connors can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled by Franciscan monks in the 17th century. The annals mention several notable figures with the surname Connors or its variant spellings, including Ruaidhri Ó Conchobhair (Rory O'Connor), the last High King of Ireland, who reigned from 1166 to 1198.

In the 14th century, the Connors were among the most powerful families in the Irish province of Connacht, where they ruled as Kings of Connacht and held significant influence and territories. Several place names in Ireland, such as Connaught (the anglicized version of Connacht) and Roscommon, are believed to be derived from the surname Connors or its variants.

Notable individuals with the surname Connors throughout history include:

1. Charles Connors (1856-1945), an American baseball player and manager in the late 19th century. 2. Marcus Aurelius Connors (1809-1877), an Irish-born American soldier who fought in the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. 3. Patrick Connors (1887-1957), an Irish-born American bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. 4. William Connors (1870-1944), an American politician who served as the 47th Governor of Rhode Island from 1939 to 1943. 5. John Connors (1785-1855), an Irish-born American businessman and pioneer who helped establish the city of Springfield, Illinois.

The surname Connors has a rich history rooted in ancient Irish culture, with its origins linked to powerful families, rulers, and notable figures across various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Connors families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Connors 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. Middlesex leads with 108 Connors' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 108 2.27x
Glamorgan 91 11.00x
Lancashire 66 1.17x
Monmouthshire 36 10.48x
Hampshire 20 2.05x
Surrey 20 0.86x
Cheshire 17 1.62x
Norfolk 15 2.05x
Yorkshire 15 0.32x
Kent 12 0.74x
Lanarkshire 11 0.72x
Channel Islands 8 5.68x
Essex 8 0.85x
Leicestershire 7 1.33x
Midlothian 7 1.10x
Staffordshire 7 0.44x
Durham 5 0.35x
Northumberland 5 0.71x
Cumberland 4 0.98x
Dorset 4 1.28x
Royal Navy 4 7.07x
Gloucestershire 3 0.32x
Pembrokeshire 3 1.99x
Derbyshire 2 0.27x
Devon 2 0.20x
Northamptonshire 2 0.45x
Warwickshire 2 0.17x
Fife 1 0.36x
Hertfordshire 1 0.31x
Lincolnshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan leads with 36 Connors' recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.28x.

Place Total Index
Merthyr Tydfil 36 45.28x
St Marylebone London 27 10.65x
Swansea Town 22 32.44x
St Pancras London 17 4.45x
St Woollos 16 41.74x
Liverpool 15 4.38x
St Anne Soho London 13 47.92x
Newport 12 73.26x
Aldershot 10 30.66x
St Giles In Fields London 10 42.90x
Cardiff St Mary 9 19.75x
East Dereham 9 97.51x
Salford 9 5.43x
Bedwellty 8 13.19x
Cardiff St John 8 29.61x
Chiswick 8 30.82x
Birkenhead 7 8.37x
Chatham 7 15.70x
Glen Parva 7 564.52x
Govan 7 1.84x
Kirkdale 7 7.38x
Chester St Mary On Hill 6 66.67x
Hulme 6 5.10x
Llantwit Vairdre 6 64.52x
Mortlake 6 58.14x
St Thomas Winchester 6 87.21x
Heap 5 16.72x
Lambeth 5 1.21x
Middlesbrough 5 8.16x
Poplar London 5 5.58x
St Helier 5 10.91x
West Derby 5 3.03x
Windle 5 15.76x
Alnwick 4 32.92x
Chelsea London 4 2.79x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 4 26.58x
Fulham London 4 5.81x
Gelligaer 4 21.18x
Higher Bebington 4 59.61x
Leckwith 4 205.13x
Royal Navy 4 8.27x
Tipton 4 8.15x
Weymouth 4 67.68x
Arlecdon 3 27.57x
Azerley 3 267.86x
Barony 3 0.77x
Croydon 3 2.33x
Ealing 3 7.07x
Glencorse 3 122.95x
Heston 3 19.01x
Llanstadwell 3 60.85x
Manchester 3 1.18x
Norwich St Paul 3 68.65x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 3.14x
St Luke London 3 3.94x
St Saviour 3 38.56x
Willesden 3 6.70x
Bristol St Stephen 2 82.64x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.23x
Cwmdu 2 19.84x
East Ham 2 11.49x
Elton 2 10.27x
Hammersmith London 2 1.71x
Northampton St Giles 2 11.75x
Norwich St Martin At 2 162.60x
Old Artillery Ground 2 48.90x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 2.63x
Portsmouth 2 8.92x
West Ham 2 0.97x
Wolverhampton 2 1.62x
Broxbourne 1 15.41x
Cupar 1 8.18x
Elvet 1 9.80x
Farnborough 1 9.78x
Holt 1 40.00x
Mappleton 1 312.50x
Margate St John Baptist 1 3.37x
Sunderland 1 4.01x
Westoe 1 1.25x
Witton Gilbert 1 17.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 64
Margaret 21
Catherine 14
Elizabeth 12
Ellen 12
Julia 10
Bridget 9
Annie 5
Anne 4
Hannah 4
Margery 4
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Johanna 3
Kate 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Anna 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Margt. 2
Maria 2
Nora 2
Cecilia 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Florry 1
Gertrude 1
Hanora 1
Honnorah 1
Honorah 1
Jane 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Lizzie 1
Margret 1
Margt 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 38
Thomas 26
Patrick 19
William 17
James 16
Edward 14
Michael 13
Daniel 11
Joseph 7
Timothy 6
Charles 5
George 5
Jeremiah 5
David 4
Andrew 3
Francis 3
Jno. 3
Peter 3
Dennis 2
Jas. 2
Lawrence 2
Martin 2
Owen 2
Philip 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Alfred 1
Arthr. 1
Arthur 1
Bartholomew 1
Cornelias 1
Cornelius 1
Dan 1
Ed. 1
Edmond 1
Edwd. 1
Ellen 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.J. 1
Henry 1
Humphrey 1
J. 1
Jas.Wm. 1
Jerry 1
Jno 1
Morris 1
Moses 1
Ned 1

FAQ

Connors surname: questions and answers

How common was the Connors surname in 1881?

In 1881, 475 people were recorded with the Connors surname. That placed it at #7,031 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Connors surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,704 in 2016. That gives Connors a modern rank of #3,661.

What does the Connors surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin meaning "lover of hounds" or "wolf lover," derived from the Irish word "conchobhar."

What does the Connors map show?

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