UK surname
Of Irish origin, potentially derived from "cú Nuallaigh" meaning "descendent of Nuallach".
In the 1881 census there were 124 people recorded with the Conoly surname, ranking it #17,429 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10, ranked #37,599, down from #17,429 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Minster, Sunderland and Newcastle All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Conoly is 128 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 91.9%.
1881 census count
124
Ranked #17,429
Modern count
10
2016, ranked #37,599
Peak year
1851
128 bearers
Map years
3
1851 to 1881
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Conoly surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Conoly surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 128 | #14,474 |
| 1861 | historical | 118 | #18,512 |
| 1881 | historical | 124 | #17,429 |
| 1891 | historical | 74 | #27,538 |
| 1901 | historical | 25 | #31,259 |
| 1911 | historical | 17 | #31,675 |
| 1997 | modern | 12 | #36,785 |
| 1998 | modern | 10 | #37,048 |
| 1999 | modern | 9 | #37,217 |
| 2000 | modern | 9 | #37,119 |
| 2001 | modern | 9 | #36,980 |
| 2002 | modern | 11 | #36,780 |
| 2003 | modern | 11 | #36,842 |
| 2004 | modern | 12 | #36,835 |
| 2005 | modern | 11 | #37,065 |
| 2006 | modern | 12 | #37,014 |
| 2007 | modern | 10 | #37,335 |
| 2008 | modern | 11 | #37,270 |
| 2009 | modern | 12 | #37,230 |
| 2010 | modern | 16 | #36,937 |
| 2011 | modern | 14 | #37,115 |
| 2012 | modern | 11 | #37,394 |
| 2013 | modern | 11 | #37,435 |
| 2014 | modern | 10 | #37,567 |
| 2015 | modern | 10 | #37,563 |
| 2016 | modern | 10 | #37,599 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Minster, Sunderland, Newcastle All Saints, 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 No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minster | Kent |
| 2 | Sunderland | Durham |
| 3 | Newcastle All Saints | Northumberland |
| 4 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Conoly surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Conoly, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Conoly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Conoly household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Conoly is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Conoly is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Conoly, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Conoly is believed to have originated from the Anglo-Norman French word "connil," meaning "rabbit." This name likely emerged in England during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. It was likely initially used as a nickname for someone who resembled or had characteristics similar to a rabbit, such as being quick or timid.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named Radulfus Connil in Suffolk, England. This spelling variation suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century.
As the name spread across England, it underwent various spelling changes, including Connell, Connal, and Connolly. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in record-keeping.
In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir John Conoly, a knight who fought in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 during the First War of Scottish Independence. He was reportedly captured by the Scottish forces and later released.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Thomas Conoly (c. 1575-1629), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of Eton College from 1624 until his death.
During the 17th century, the name Conoly was associated with several places in England, such as Conoly's Moor in Northamptonshire and Conoly's Green in Middlesex. These place names likely derived from individuals with the surname who once owned or resided in those areas.
In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the name was John Conoly (1719-1787), an Irish-born soldier and politician who served as the Lieutenant Governor of British West Florida from 1766 to 1768.
Another prominent figure was Benjamin Conoly (1718-1803), an American merchant and landowner who was one of the founders of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He played a significant role in the early development of the city and its surrounding areas.
Despite its English origins, the surname Conoly also gained a presence in other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and Ireland, where it sometimes took on the spelling variations of Connolly or Connelly.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Conoly surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 28 Conolys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.97x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 28 | 1.97x |
| Durham | 13 | 3.64x |
| Yorkshire | 13 | 1.09x |
| Cheshire | 12 | 4.53x |
| Kent | 12 | 2.93x |
| Lanarkshire | 8 | 2.06x |
| Glamorgan | 7 | 3.35x |
| Northumberland | 5 | 2.80x |
| Kirkcudbrightshire | 4 | 23.03x |
| Midlothian | 4 | 2.49x |
| Staffordshire | 4 | 0.99x |
| Warwickshire | 3 | 0.99x |
| Ayrshire | 2 | 2.23x |
| Anglesey | 1 | 4.70x |
| Angus | 1 | 0.90x |
| Argyllshire | 1 | 2.99x |
| Caernarfonshire | 1 | 2.06x |
| Dunbartonshire | 1 | 3.10x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.08x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 1.15x |
| West Lothian | 1 | 5.53x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Altrincham in Cheshire leads with 9 Conolys recorded in 1881 and an index of 194.38x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Altrincham | 9 | 194.38x |
| Barony | 8 | 8.15x |
| Cranbrook | 8 | 462.43x |
| Stranton | 7 | 58.24x |
| Toxteth Park | 6 | 12.45x |
| Blackburn | 5 | 13.20x |
| Manchester | 5 | 7.81x |
| Newcastle On Tyne All Sts | 5 | 46.90x |
| Tanfield | 5 | 117.92x |
| Cardiff St Mary | 4 | 34.75x |
| Rerrick | 4 | 533.33x |
| Tonge | 4 | 133.78x |
| Walsall Borough | 4 | 127.39x |
| Birmingham | 3 | 2.98x |
| Dewsbury | 3 | 24.61x |
| Everton | 3 | 6.61x |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 3 | 14.94x |
| Minster In Sheppey | 3 | 44.25x |
| York St Lawrence | 3 | 241.94x |
| Barton Upon Irwell | 2 | 18.66x |
| Kilwinning | 2 | 68.97x |
| Lasswade | 2 | 54.50x |
| Liberton | 2 | 80.65x |
| Pontefract | 2 | 78.13x |
| Azerley | 1 | 357.14x |
| Birkenhead | 1 | 4.74x |
| Bradford | 1 | 3.47x |
| Campbeltown | 1 | 24.81x |
| Conway | 1 | 106.38x |
| Dalmeny | 1 | 144.93x |
| Dundee | 1 | 2.41x |
| Farningham | 1 | 270.27x |
| Kirkintilloch | 1 | 22.83x |
| Leeds | 1 | 1.49x |
| Linthorpe | 1 | 14.08x |
| Litherland | 1 | 33.56x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1.16x |
| Llangefni | 1 | 156.25x |
| Newport | 1 | 24.15x |
| Runcorn | 1 | 16.37x |
| St Luke London | 1 | 5.20x |
| Tintwistle | 1 | 70.42x |
| Wardleworth | 1 | 12.29x |
| Westoe | 1 | 4.94x |
| York St Maurice | 1 | 44.64x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Conoly surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Conoly surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Conoly households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 23 |
| Labourer | 5 |
| Domestic Servant | 3 |
| Cotton Operative | 2 |
| Labourer Wife | 2 |
| Rag Picker | 2 |
| Spinner (Artiz) | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Ag Labourer | 1 |
| Card Room Hand | 1 |
| Chairwoman | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Comb Cutter | 1 |
| Comb Stainer | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver | 1 |
| Dock Labourer | 1 |
| Domestic Servant General | 1 |
| Errand Boy | 1 |
| Farm Laborer | 1 |
| Flax Mill Reeler | 1 |
| General Hawker | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| Hawker (Formerly) | 1 |
| Hawker Of Umbrellas | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Housekeeper (Dom) | 1 |
| Housemaid | 1 |
| Housewife | 1 |
| Lab (Ag Lab) | 1 |
| Laborer | 1 |
| Laborer In Chemical Works | 1 |
| Labourer (Dock) | 1 |
| Labourer In Iron Works | 1 |
| Lodging House Keeper | 1 |
| Plasterer Labourer | 1 |
| Schollar | 1 |
| Silk Weaver | 1 |
| Tailoress | 1 |
| Tin Plate Worker | 1 |
| Traveller | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 124 people were recorded with the Conoly surname. That placed it at #17,429 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 10 in 2016. That gives Conoly a modern rank of #37,599.
Of Irish origin, potentially derived from "cú Nuallaigh" meaning "descendent of Nuallach".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Conoly bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.