NameCensus.

UK surname

Deady

An Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Ó Déadaidh meaning "descendant of Déadaidh".

In the 1881 census there were 60 people recorded with the Deady surname, ranking it #25,133 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 162, ranked #22,512, up from #25,133 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Staffordshire Moorlands, North Somerset and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Deady is 194 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 170.0%.

1881 census count

60

Ranked #25,133

Modern count

162

2016, ranked #22,512

Peak year

2010

194 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Deady had 60 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,133 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016, ranked #22,512.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 87 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Deady surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Deady surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Deady 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 82 #19,317
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 60 #25,133
1891 historical 28 #32,046
1901 historical 33 #30,384
1911 historical 65 #26,343
1997 modern 169 #19,578
1998 modern 172 #19,883
1999 modern 177 #19,670
2000 modern 168 #20,252
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 170 #20,243
2003 modern 162 #20,624
2004 modern 171 #20,079
2005 modern 166 #20,379
2006 modern 174 #19,921
2007 modern 171 #20,387
2008 modern 175 #20,311
2009 modern 175 #20,707
2010 modern 194 #19,819
2011 modern 190 #19,942
2012 modern 176 #20,915
2013 modern 180 #20,954
2014 modern 177 #21,340
2015 modern 161 #22,599
2016 modern 162 #22,512

Geography

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Where Deadys 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 Staffordshire Moorlands, North Somerset, Bristol, Birmingham and Bolton. 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 Staffordshire Moorlands 005 Staffordshire Moorlands
2 North Somerset 006 North Somerset
3 Bristol 037 Bristol, City of
4 Birmingham 134 Birmingham
5 Bolton 031 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Deady

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Deady

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

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Deady 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

Deady is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Deady falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Deady 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Deady

The surname Deady originated in Ireland, with the earliest known records dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old Irish Gaelic word "deidadh," meaning "to delay" or "to hinder." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was perceived as slow or deliberate in their actions.

The name Deady is most commonly associated with County Cork in the province of Munster, Ireland. It is believed that the name first appeared in the Barony of Muskerry, a historic region of County Cork. The Deadys were among the prominent families in this area during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Deady can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals refer to a "Diarmaid Deady" who lived in the late 12th century and was involved in a conflict between rival Irish clans.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Deady family played a notable role in the Gaelic resistance against English rule in Ireland. Several members of the family were influential leaders and soldiers, including Donal Deady, who fought in the Nine Years' War (1594-1603) against the English crown.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure bearing the Deady name was Patrick Deady (1700-1778), a wealthy landowner and merchant from County Cork. His descendants continued to be influential in the region for several generations.

Another notable individual was Daniel Deady (1810-1887), an Irish-born judge who served on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. He was appointed to the bench by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1871.

Other notable individuals with the surname Deady include:

1. Michael Deady (1824-1898), an Irish-American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. 2. Kathleen Deady (1926-2022), an American actress and singer who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout her career. 3. Brendan Deady (born 1959), an Irish hurler who played for the Cork senior hurling team and won two All-Ireland championships. 4. Patrick Deady (born 1973), an Irish professional golfer who has competed on the European Tour and won several tournaments.

While the Deady surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to emigration. However, the earliest and most significant historical references to this name can be traced back to its origins in County Cork and the broader province of Munster.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Deady families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Deady 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 25 Deadys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 25 4.27x
Lancashire 13 1.87x
Surrey 8 2.81x
Yorkshire 6 1.03x
Cheshire 3 2.32x
Somerset 2 2.12x
Durham 1 0.57x
Gloucestershire 1 0.87x
Kent 1 0.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clapham in Surrey leads with 8 Deadys recorded in 1881 and an index of 109.29x.

Place Total Index
Clapham 8 109.29x
St Pancras London 7 14.86x
Great Bolton 5 54.35x
Mile End Old Town London 5 40.16x
Wigan 5 51.55x
Manningham 4 56.02x
Birkenhead 3 29.13x
Clerkenwell London 3 21.72x
St Giles In Fields London 3 104.53x
Bradford 2 14.25x
Ealing 2 38.24x
North Meols 2 29.41x
Norwood 2 149.25x
St James Bath 2 4000.00x
St Marylebone London 2 6.40x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 1 95.24x
Everton 1 4.52x
Southwick 1 60.61x
St Mary Cray 1 263.16x
Stoke Newington London 1 21.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Jane 4
Ellen 3
Margaret 3
Catherine 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Elizh. 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Louisa 1
Martha 1
May 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

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 Deady households.

FAQ

Deady surname: questions and answers

How common was the Deady surname in 1881?

In 1881, 60 people were recorded with the Deady surname. That placed it at #25,133 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Deady surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016. That gives Deady a modern rank of #22,512.

What does the Deady surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Ó Déadaidh meaning "descendant of Déadaidh".

What does the Deady map show?

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