NameCensus.

UK surname

Corbally

A surname derived from a placename referring to a location with a ruined church or monastery.

In the 1881 census there were 23 people recorded with the Corbally surname, ranking it #30,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 188, ranked #20,417, up from #30,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selby, Rochdale and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Corbally is 207 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 717.4%.

1881 census count

23

Ranked #30,339

Modern count

188

2016, ranked #20,417

Peak year

2010

207 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Corbally had 23 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016, ranked #20,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 53 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Corbally surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Corbally surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Corbally 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 #32,658
1861 historical 7 #33,053
1881 historical 23 #30,339
1891 historical 29 #31,963
1901 historical 43 #29,380
1911 historical 53 #27,508
1997 modern 169 #19,578
1998 modern 177 #19,523
1999 modern 177 #19,670
2000 modern 172 #19,974
2001 modern 168 #19,986
2002 modern 185 #19,212
2003 modern 186 #18,928
2004 modern 180 #19,424
2005 modern 185 #19,051
2006 modern 179 #19,592
2007 modern 189 #19,146
2008 modern 189 #19,315
2009 modern 202 #18,896
2010 modern 207 #19,007
2011 modern 196 #19,538
2012 modern 193 #19,665
2013 modern 193 #19,997
2014 modern 194 #20,097
2015 modern 192 #20,138
2016 modern 188 #20,417

Geography

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Where Corballys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selby, Rochdale, Birmingham, Bradford and Blackburn with Darwen. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Selby 006 Selby
2 Rochdale 014 Rochdale
3 Birmingham 038 Birmingham
4 Bradford 024 Bradford
5 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Corbally

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Corbally

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Corbally is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Corbally 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

Corbally falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Corbally

The surname Corbally has its origins in Ireland, where it first emerged in the early medieval period. The name is derived from the Irish Gaelic words "corr" meaning "odd" or "crooked" and "baile" meaning "town" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have originated from a crooked or oddly-shaped settlement.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Corbally can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history written in the 17th century. The annals mention a family with the name Corbally residing in County Galway in the 13th century.

During the Elizabethan era, the surname Corbally appeared in various legal documents and records, such as the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereign, which were letters patent issued by the English monarchy. These records suggest that the Corbally family held lands and positions of authority in Ireland during this time.

The earliest known bearer of the surname Corbally was Seán Corbally, a notable Irish scholar who lived in the late 15th century and was renowned for his knowledge of ancient Irish literature and history. Another prominent figure with this surname was Brendan Corbally, a 17th-century Irish nobleman and landowner in County Mayo.

In the 18th century, a branch of the Corbally family settled in County Leitrim, where they established themselves as prominent landowners and merchants. One notable member of this branch was Patrick Corbally (1725-1802), a successful businessman and philanthropist who funded the construction of several schools and churches in the region.

During the 19th century, the surname Corbally was also found in various parts of Ireland, including County Sligo, where a family of that name owned a large estate near the town of Ballymote. One of the most prominent figures from this family was Michael Corbally (1823-1895), a respected magistrate and member of the Irish landed gentry.

Other notable individuals with the surname Corbally include John Corbally (1860-1932), an Irish-born author and journalist who wrote extensively about American politics and culture, and Eileen Corbally (1918-2007), an Irish artist and sculptor best known for her intricate woodcarvings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Corbally families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Corbally 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 12 Corballys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.51x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 12 4.51x
Durham 9 13.48x
Lanarkshire 1 1.38x
Warwickshire 1 1.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Usworth in Durham leads with 8 Corballys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2285.71x.

Place Total Index
Usworth 8 2285.71x
Barrow In Furness 6 165.75x
West Derby 5 64.18x
Barony 1 5.45x
Liverpool 1 6.18x
Princethorpe 1 5000.00x
Stranton 1 44.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Fanny 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 3
Bernard 2
Patrick 2
Thomas 2
Christopher 1
John 1
Joseph 1
Peter 1

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 Corbally households.

FAQ

Corbally surname: questions and answers

How common was the Corbally surname in 1881?

In 1881, 23 people were recorded with the Corbally surname. That placed it at #30,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Corbally surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016. That gives Corbally a modern rank of #20,417.

What does the Corbally surname mean?

A surname derived from a placename referring to a location with a ruined church or monastery.

What does the Corbally map show?

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