NameCensus.

UK surname

Daly

Descendant of Dálach, an Irish Gaelic byname meaning "bold" or "presumptuous," or from the Irish surname Ó Dálaigh, meaning "descendant of Dálach."

In the 1881 census there were 2,957 people recorded with the Daly surname, ranking it #1,512 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 13,070, ranked #493, up from #1,512 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hyndburn, Darnley East and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Daly is 13,203 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 342.0%.

1881 census count

2,957

Ranked #1,512

Modern count

13,070

2016, ranked #493

Peak year

2010

13,203 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Daly had 2,957 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,512 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 13,070 in 2016, ranked #493.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,658 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Daly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Daly surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Daly 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 1,756 #1,644
1861 historical 2,123 #1,371
1881 historical 2,957 #1,512
1891 historical 3,381 #1,412
1901 historical 4,658 #1,213
1911 historical 3,477 #1,499
1997 modern 11,885 #519
1998 modern 12,329 #520
1999 modern 12,339 #521
2000 modern 12,330 #519
2001 modern 12,121 #516
2002 modern 12,545 #510
2003 modern 12,259 #510
2004 modern 12,233 #513
2005 modern 12,266 #500
2006 modern 12,325 #498
2007 modern 12,485 #493
2008 modern 12,549 #494
2009 modern 12,868 #496
2010 modern 13,203 #495
2011 modern 12,912 #495
2012 modern 12,663 #496
2013 modern 12,957 #495
2014 modern 13,103 #495
2015 modern 13,070 #495
2016 modern 13,070 #493

Geography

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Where Dalys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Hyndburn, Darnley East, Manchester, Castlemilk and Pollok North and East. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hyndburn 004 Hyndburn
2 Darnley East Glasgow City
3 Manchester 029 Manchester
4 Castlemilk Glasgow City
5 Pollok North and East Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Daly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Daly

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Daly, 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 Daly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Daly 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Daly 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

Daly 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

Daly 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 Daly is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Daly

The surname Daly is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "O'Dalaigh," which means "descendant of the daly," with "daly" meaning "assembler" or "poet." The name can be traced back to the 10th century in Ireland, where it was associated with the O'Daly clan, a prominent family of poets and scholars based in Westmeath and Meath.

Records show that the Dalys were highly regarded for their literary contributions and were often employed as chief poets and chroniclers by Irish chieftains and kings. The name appears in several ancient Irish manuscripts, including the Annals of the Four Masters, which mentions notable Daly poets and scholars from the 12th to the 17th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Cuan O'Daly, a renowned poet who lived in the 11th century and was renowned for his mastery of the Irish language and poetic traditions. Another notable figure was Muireadach O'Daly, a renowned scholar and poet who lived in the 12th century and served as the chief poet to several Irish kings.

In the 16th century, the Daly name gained prominence through figures like Donough Mor O'Daly, a renowned poet and historian who served as the chief chronicler to the O'Kelly clan of Hy-Many. His works, including the "Book of O'Daly," provide invaluable insights into Irish history and culture during that period.

The name also had connections to place names in Ireland, such as Daly's Cross in County Westmeath, which was named after the Daly family who held lands in the area. The variant spelling "Daley" was also common, particularly among those who emigrated from Ireland to other parts of the world.

Other notable figures throughout history with the surname Daly include:

1. Dermot Daly (1638-1662), an Irish Jesuit and philosopher known for his works on logic and metaphysics. 2. Maurice Daly (1787-1857), an Irish politician and lawyer who served as Solicitor-General for Ireland. 3. Augustin Daly (1838-1899), an American playwright, theater manager, and critic who was influential in the development of American theater. 4. Marcus Daly (1841-1900), an Irish-American businessman and entrepreneur who played a significant role in the development of the copper mining industry in Montana. 5. John Daly (1914-1991), an American actor best known for his roles in films such as "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" and "Paths of Glory."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Daly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Daly 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 773 Dalys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.26x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 773 2.26x
Middlesex 531 1.84x
Lanarkshire 311 3.33x
Yorkshire 184 0.64x
Surrey 152 1.08x
Durham 102 1.19x
Cheshire 95 1.49x
Renfrewshire 85 3.80x
Kent 80 0.81x
Midlothian 60 1.55x
Devon 53 0.88x
Hampshire 52 0.88x
Essex 47 0.83x
Glamorgan 37 0.74x
Staffordshire 35 0.36x
Warwickshire 35 0.48x
Northumberland 26 0.61x
Angus 22 0.82x
Ayrshire 22 1.02x
Wiltshire 22 0.86x
Sussex 21 0.43x
Cumberland 20 0.81x
Monmouthshire 17 0.82x
Dunbartonshire 16 2.06x
Channel Islands 15 1.75x
Gloucestershire 13 0.23x
Stirlingshire 9 0.85x
West Lothian 9 2.07x
Berkshire 8 0.37x
Worcestershire 8 0.21x
Cornwall 7 0.21x
Lincolnshire 7 0.15x
Norfolk 7 0.16x
Oxfordshire 7 0.39x
Royal Navy 7 2.04x
Hertfordshire 6 0.30x
Somerset 6 0.13x
Buteshire 5 2.86x
Leicestershire 5 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.13x
Suffolk 5 0.14x
Argyllshire 4 0.50x
Dumfriesshire 4 0.63x
Fife 4 0.23x
Derbyshire 3 0.07x
Dorset 2 0.11x
Inverness-shire 2 0.23x
Wigtownshire 2 0.52x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.04x
Bedfordshire 1 0.07x
Berwickshire 1 0.29x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.08x
Flintshire 1 0.13x
Isle of Man 1 0.19x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.24x
Merionethshire 1 0.19x
Morayshire 1 0.22x

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 224 Dalys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.78x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 224 10.78x
Barony 116 4.91x
Manchester 101 6.56x
Glasgow 75 4.53x
Abbey 58 17.00x
Govan 52 2.25x
Kensington London 52 3.24x
Lambeth 47 1.87x
Everton 45 4.13x
West Derby 45 4.49x
St Marylebone London 40 2.60x
St Andrew Holborn London 39 31.23x
Hulme 38 5.32x
Leeds 31 1.92x
St George In East London 31 11.43x
Birkenhead 28 5.52x
Islington London 26 0.93x
Kirkdale 25 4.34x
Plymouth St Andrew 25 5.41x
Salford 24 2.38x
St Pancras London 24 1.03x
Sheffield 22 2.42x
Newchurch 20 7.14x
Paddington London 20 1.89x
St Luke London 20 4.32x
Bothwell 19 7.51x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 18 1.16x
Mile End Old Town London 17 2.77x
Poplar London 17 3.12x
South Leith 17 3.91x
West Ham 17 1.35x
Widnes 17 6.89x
Battersea 16 1.51x
Bermondsey 16 1.86x
St George Hanover Square 16 3.15x
Bootle Cum Linacre 15 5.52x
Bradford 15 2.17x
Hackney London 15 0.93x
Limehouse London 15 4.74x
Barnes 14 23.55x
Whitworth 14 22.28x
Clerkenwell London 13 1.91x
Liff Benvie 13 3.20x
Middlesbrough 13 3.49x
Portsea 13 1.12x
Sculcoates 13 2.87x
Warrington 13 3.20x
Chorlton On Medlock 12 2.21x
Radcliffe 12 7.27x
Rutherglen 12 8.77x
Swansea Town 12 2.91x
Woolwich 12 3.30x
Ardwick 11 3.56x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 1.47x
Broughton In Salford 11 3.51x
Darlington 11 3.32x
Deptford St Paul 11 1.45x
Tranmere 11 4.70x
Wolverhampton 11 1.47x
Fulham London 10 2.39x
Hammersmith London 10 1.41x
Holy Trinity 10 1.45x
Monk Bretton 10 34.55x
Tormoham 10 3.94x
Toxteth Park 10 0.86x
Westminster St John 10 2.85x
Blantyre 9 9.27x
Camberwell 9 0.49x
Gateshead 9 1.40x
Newington 9 0.84x
Pudsey 9 5.89x
Shotts 9 8.06x
Trevethin 9 4.57x
Arrow 8 640.00x
East Ham 8 7.57x
East Rainton 8 48.16x
Gorton 8 2.49x
St Helier 8 2.88x
St Stephen Coleman Street 8 79.05x
Westgate 8 3.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 250
Margaret 78
Catherine 71
Elizabeth 67
Ellen 67
Ann 56
Bridget 41
Sarah 35
Jane 31
Eliza 28
Annie 25
Julia 25
Kate 22
Alice 21
Emily 21
Hannah 19
Maria 19
Emma 15
Rose 13
Agnes 12
Florence 11
Martha 10
Fanny 9
Frances 8
Amy 7
Anna 7
Anne 7
Charlotte 6
Elizth. 6
Katherine 6
Catharine 5
Clara 5
Louisa 5
Norah 5
Teresa 5
Caroline 4
Esther 4
Francis 4
Jessie 4
M. 4
Margeret 4
Minnie 4
Nora 4
Rosina 4
Susan 4
Susannah 4
Grace 3
Harriet 3
Johanna 3
Margt. 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 224
James 116
Thomas 86
William 80
Patrick 65
Michael 49
Joseph 31
Edward 28
Charles 26
Peter 26
Daniel 25
George 20
Timothy 20
Henry 17
Richard 16
Francis 15
Owen 14
Arthur 12
Robert 12
Bernard 11
Denis 10
Dennis 10
Frederick 8
Jeremiah 7
Matthew 7
Wm. 7
David 6
Philip 6
Alfred 5
Edwin 5
Frank 5
Maurice 5
Thos. 5
Cornelius 4
Harry 4
Hugh 4
Albert 3
Bartholomew 3
Christopher 3
Eugene 3
J. 3
Jas. 3
Martin 3
Robt. 3
Sidney 3
Stephen 3
Willm. 3
Andrew 2
Micheal 2
Patric 2

FAQ

Daly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Daly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,957 people were recorded with the Daly surname. That placed it at #1,512 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Daly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 13,070 in 2016. That gives Daly a modern rank of #493.

What does the Daly surname mean?

Descendant of Dálach, an Irish Gaelic byname meaning "bold" or "presumptuous," or from the Irish surname Ó Dálaigh, meaning "descendant of Dálach."

What does the Daly map show?

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