NameCensus.

UK surname

Conolly

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Conghalaigh, meaning "descendant of Conghalach."

In the 1881 census there were 901 people recorded with the Conolly surname, ranking it #4,231 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 285, ranked #15,286, down from #4,231 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheviot West, Calderdale and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Conolly is 901 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 68.4%.

1881 census count

901

Ranked #4,231

Modern count

285

2016, ranked #15,286

Peak year

1881

901 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Conolly had 901 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,231 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 285 in 2016, ranked #15,286.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 901 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Conolly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Conolly surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Conolly 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 648 #4,015
1861 historical 675 #3,977
1881 historical 901 #4,231
1891 historical 806 #5,001
1901 historical 761 #5,869
1911 historical 539 #7,400
1997 modern 293 #13,736
1998 modern 292 #14,120
1999 modern 297 #14,053
2000 modern 286 #14,385
2001 modern 290 #14,033
2002 modern 305 #13,865
2003 modern 292 #14,065
2004 modern 294 #14,055
2005 modern 283 #14,343
2006 modern 295 #14,053
2007 modern 309 #13,760
2008 modern 305 #13,979
2009 modern 314 #13,985
2010 modern 303 #14,626
2011 modern 301 #14,563
2012 modern 298 #14,565
2013 modern 300 #14,744
2014 modern 301 #14,809
2015 modern 287 #15,235
2016 modern 285 #15,286

Geography

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Where Conollys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, St Pancras, Edinburgh and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheviot West, Calderdale, Northumberland, Wakefield and South Cambridgeshire. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheviot West Scottish Borders
2 Calderdale 027 Calderdale
3 Northumberland 022 Northumberland
4 Wakefield 031 Wakefield
5 South Cambridgeshire 002 South Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Conolly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Conolly

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Conolly 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

Conolly is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Conolly falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Conolly 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 Conolly, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Conolly

The surname Conolly is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Connolly" which means "descendant of the mighty one." The name emerged in the 12th century and was first recorded in County Monaghan, Ireland.

The Conolly name was originally spelled in various ways, including O'Connolly, O'Conelly, Connelly, and Connally. These spelling variations were common in the Middle Ages due to inconsistent record-keeping and regional dialects.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Conolly name is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a notable Conolly chieftain, Aedh O'Connolly, who lived in the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Conolly family held lands in County Monaghan and played a prominent role in local politics and affairs. Sir John Conolly (1570-1629) was a distinguished member of the family who served as a member of the Irish Parliament and was knighted by King James I.

Another notable figure with the Conolly surname was Thomas Conolly (1738-1824), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Malmesbury and was considered one of the wealthiest men in Ireland during his lifetime.

The Conolly name is also associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Conolly's Hill in County Monaghan and Conolly's Folly, a ruined tower located near Celbridge, County Kildare.

Other notable individuals with the Conolly surname include:

1. William Conolly (1662-1729), an Anglo-Irish politician and Speaker of the Irish House of Commons. 2. Benjamin Conolly (1666-1729), an Anglo-Irish landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ballyshannon. 3. Thomas Conolly (1804-1876), an Irish-American politician who served as a U.S. Congressman from South Carolina. 4. John Conolly (1794-1866), an English physician and pioneer in the humane treatment of the mentally ill. 5. Jane Conolly (1843-1914), an Irish writer and journalist known for her works on Irish folklore and mythology.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Conolly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Conolly 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 223 Conollys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.13x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 223 2.13x
Middlesex 169 1.91x
Durham 48 1.83x
Midlothian 47 3.97x
Surrey 47 1.09x
Kent 44 1.46x
Cheshire 40 2.05x
Yorkshire 39 0.45x
Lanarkshire 33 1.15x
Staffordshire 26 0.87x
Glamorgan 25 1.62x
Northumberland 25 1.90x
Monmouthshire 19 2.97x
Bedfordshire 13 2.84x
Essex 11 0.63x
Suffolk 11 1.02x
Dorset 8 1.38x
Renfrewshire 8 1.17x
Angus 7 0.86x
Hampshire 6 0.33x
Shropshire 6 0.79x
Somerset 6 0.42x
West Lothian 6 4.51x
Hertfordshire 5 0.82x
Sussex 4 0.27x
Devon 3 0.16x
Northamptonshire 3 0.36x
Berkshire 2 0.30x
Channel Islands 2 0.76x
Derbyshire 2 0.14x
Fife 2 0.38x
Isle of Man 2 1.22x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.71x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.12x
Ayrshire 1 0.15x
Banffshire 1 0.55x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.27x
Gloucestershire 1 0.06x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.78x
Lincolnshire 1 0.07x
Oxfordshire 1 0.18x
Roxburghshire 1 0.62x
Royal Navy 1 0.95x
Warwickshire 1 0.04x
Worcestershire 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 28 Conollys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.40x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 28 4.40x
Manchester 26 5.51x
Islington London 18 2.10x
Oldham 17 5.02x
St Luke London 17 11.99x
St Pancras London 17 2.39x
Toxteth Park 17 4.79x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 15 3.15x
Salford 15 4.86x
Tottenham 15 10.66x
Ratcliffe London 14 28.68x
Shotts 14 40.94x
Barony 13 1.80x
Darlington 13 12.81x
South Leith 13 9.76x
Wolverhampton 13 5.67x
Berwick Upon Tweed 12 43.07x
Gorton 12 12.17x
Lambeth 12 1.56x
Luton 12 15.15x
Gateshead 11 5.59x
West Ham 11 2.86x
Abergavenny 10 41.79x
Lowestoft 10 19.67x
Newton 10 12.37x
Ardwick 9 9.51x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 9 11.03x
Battersea 9 2.77x
Birkenhead 9 5.79x
Charlton Next Woolwich 9 28.62x
Edinburgh Old Church 9 94.64x
Skipton 9 32.66x
Spotland 9 7.72x
St George Hanover Square 9 5.78x
Westminster St Margaret 9 21.11x
Bermondsey 7 2.66x
Duffryn 7 864.20x
Dukinfield 7 7.76x
Frodsham 7 92.59x
Gelligaer 7 19.92x
Great Bolton 7 5.04x
Kensington London 7 1.42x
Melcombe Regis 7 29.12x
Plumstead 7 6.96x
Barrow In Furness 6 4.21x
Bathgate 6 20.77x
Eastwood 6 14.22x
Edinburgh Canongate 6 19.91x
Elvet 6 31.61x
Handsworth 6 8.16x
Huddersfield 6 4.70x
Knutsford Nether 6 50.89x
Washington 6 54.45x
West Derby 6 1.96x
Bilston 5 8.65x
Elswick 5 4.76x
Kimblesworth 5 142.05x
Lee 5 11.42x
Poplar London 5 3.00x
St Anne Soho London 5 9.91x
Watford 5 10.59x
Whitefriars Precinct 5 354.61x
Ynysawdre 5 201.61x
Bedlington 4 9.11x
Bradford 4 1.89x
Burnley 4 4.53x
Charlton 4 19.97x
Cwmdu 4 21.33x
Dundee 4 1.31x
Everton 4 1.20x
Limehouse London 4 4.12x
Llanwonno 4 7.23x
Oswestry Town 4 16.36x
Paddington London 4 1.23x
Rotherhithe 4 3.66x
Runcorn 4 8.89x
Taunton St Mary 4 15.32x
Whitechapel London 4 4.59x
Widnes 4 5.29x
Wallsend 3 7.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 82
Margaret 26
Catherine 23
Ann 21
Ellen 19
Sarah 18
Elizabeth 16
Eliza 14
Annie 13
Jane 13
Bridget 12
Maria 9
Alice 7
Emily 7
Emma 7
Susan 6
Kate 5
Louisa 5
Martha 5
Caroline 4
Frances 4
Julia 4
Lucy 4
Sophia 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Fanny 3
Margt. 3
Rose 3
Adelaide 2
Edith 2
Francis 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Isabella 2
Maggie 2
Margret 2
Minnie 2
Allice 1
Amy 1
Biddy 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Johanna 1
Katherine 1
Kitty 1
Lidia 1
V. 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Conolly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Conolly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 901 people were recorded with the Conolly surname. That placed it at #4,231 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Conolly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 285 in 2016. That gives Conolly a modern rank of #15,286.

What does the Conolly surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Conghalaigh, meaning "descendant of Conghalach."

What does the Conolly map show?

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