UK surname
Derived from the Old French word "delé" meaning "beyond" or "across".
In the 1881 census there were 83 people recorded with the Dealy surname, ranking it #21,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 13, ranked #37,278, down from #21,808 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Northfield, St Mary Whitechapel and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dealy is 224 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 84.3%.
1881 census count
83
Ranked #21,808
Modern count
13
2016, ranked #37,278
Peak year
1851
224 bearers
Map years
2
1851 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Dealy surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Dealy surname density by area, 1861 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 | 224 | #9,534 |
| 1861 | historical | 157 | #14,732 |
| 1881 | historical | 83 | #21,808 |
| 1891 | historical | 53 | #29,946 |
| 1901 | historical | 32 | #30,501 |
| 1911 | historical | 44 | #28,454 |
| 1997 | modern | 35 | #34,174 |
| 1998 | modern | 31 | #34,740 |
| 1999 | modern | 32 | #34,717 |
| 2000 | modern | 35 | #34,420 |
| 2001 | modern | 33 | #34,436 |
| 2002 | modern | 40 | #34,133 |
| 2003 | modern | 31 | #34,957 |
| 2004 | modern | 29 | #35,270 |
| 2005 | modern | 28 | #35,510 |
| 2006 | modern | 26 | #35,822 |
| 2007 | modern | 26 | #35,932 |
| 2008 | modern | 26 | #36,012 |
| 2009 | modern | 25 | #36,191 |
| 2010 | modern | 23 | #36,400 |
| 2011 | modern | 26 | #36,193 |
| 2012 | modern | 16 | #36,897 |
| 2013 | modern | 16 | #36,955 |
| 2014 | modern | 11 | #37,462 |
| 2015 | modern | 12 | #37,371 |
| 2016 | modern | 13 | #37,278 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Northfield, St Mary Whitechapel, Manchester, Merthyr Tydfil and Glasgow. 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 | Northfield | Worcestershire |
| 2 | St Mary Whitechapel | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Merthyr Tydfil | Glamorganshire |
| 5 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Dealy 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 Dealy, 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 Dealy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Dealy 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, Dealy 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 Dealy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Dealy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Dealy is of English origin and dates back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be a variant of the name Daly, which itself derives from the Irish Gaelic surname "Ó Dálaigh" meaning "descendant of the skilled one". The Daly name was initially anglicized from the Irish, with the spelling variant Dealy emerging later on.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Dealy surname appears in the parish records of Peterborough, Northamptonshire in 1585, referring to one John Dealy. Records from the same county show a Thomas Dealy being mentioned in 1622. These early instances suggest the name was present in the East Midlands region of England during the 16th and 17th centuries.
In 1662, the Hearth Tax Rolls for Cambridgeshire list a William Dealy as a resident of Longstanton. This provides evidence that the name had spread to other parts of eastern England by that time. The Dealy surname also appears in records from Yorkshire in the late 17th century, indicating its gradual dispersal across the country.
One notable bearer of the Dealy name was Sir Thomas Dealy (1617-1687), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Westbury in Wiltshire from 1661 to 1679. He was appointed Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1672. Another early figure was John Dealy (1688-1761), a prominent merchant and ship owner from Bristol who played a role in the city's maritime trade during the 18th century.
Moving forward, the Dealy surname continued to be found across various regions of England and Wales. Notable bearers include William Dealy (1795-1861), a renowned landscape painter from London whose works were exhibited at the Royal Academy. Elizabeth Dealy (1822-1901) was a respected educator and headmistress who founded several schools for girls in Lancashire.
In more recent times, one of the most famous individuals with the Dealy surname was Patrick Dealy (1909-1988), an Irish-American actor and comedian who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout the 20th century. He was known for his comedic roles and impersonations, particularly of famous figures like Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dealy 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. Middlesex leads with 19 Dealys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.35x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 19 | 2.35x |
| Worcestershire | 19 | 17.97x |
| Yorkshire | 11 | 1.37x |
| Lancashire | 10 | 1.04x |
| Durham | 6 | 2.49x |
| Lanarkshire | 4 | 1.53x |
| Monmouthshire | 4 | 6.84x |
| Staffordshire | 3 | 1.10x |
| Glamorgan | 2 | 1.42x |
| Hertfordshire | 2 | 3.58x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 0.79x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.60x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 0.77x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Northfield in Worcestershire leads with 18 Dealys recorded in 1881 and an index of 895.52x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Northfield | 18 | 895.52x |
| Liverpool | 7 | 12.00x |
| Ecclesall Bierlow | 6 | 36.76x |
| Fulham London | 5 | 42.59x |
| Shoreditch London | 5 | 14.25x |
| Crossgate | 4 | 380.95x |
| Normanby In | 4 | 186.92x |
| Willesden | 4 | 52.42x |
| Bedwellty | 3 | 29.04x |
| Harborne | 3 | 34.25x |
| Bow London | 2 | 19.40x |
| Cardiff St Mary | 2 | 25.77x |
| Glasgow | 2 | 4.30x |
| Govan | 2 | 3.09x |
| Hedworth Monkton Jarrow | 2 | 19.18x |
| Tring | 2 | 134.23x |
| Aspull | 1 | 44.25x |
| Burghclere | 1 | 476.19x |
| Derby St Werburgh | 1 | 13.66x |
| Hammersmith London | 1 | 5.02x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 2.22x |
| Kirkdale | 1 | 6.19x |
| Orby | 1 | 909.09x |
| Pershore Holy Cross | 1 | 147.06x |
| Scriven Cum Tentergate | 1 | 333.33x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 2.31x |
| St Woollos | 1 | 15.31x |
| Widnes | 1 | 14.43x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Dealy 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 Dealy 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 Dealy households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 10 |
| Labourer | 3 |
| Porter | 2 |
| Bricklayers Labourer | 1 |
| Builder | 1 |
| Cabinet Maker | 1 |
| Chemical Laborer (Man Chem) | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Coal Miner Wife | 1 |
| Dock Labourer | 1 |
| Dock Labourers Wife | 1 |
| Domestic Manager | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Gass Fitter | 1 |
| Gen Serv (Dom) | 1 |
| Groom (Dom) | 1 |
| Joiner | 1 |
| Labouer In Iron Wks | 1 |
| Labour At Colliery | 1 |
| Labourer (Agr) | 1 |
| Labourer (Farm) | 1 |
| Labourer In Brass | 1 |
| Labourer In Iron Works | 1 |
| Law Clerk | 1 |
| Messenger | 1 |
| Nail Maker | 1 |
| Nailmaker | 1 |
| Nurse (S M S) | 1 |
| Postman | 1 |
| Pupil (School Teacher) | 1 |
| Sisters Helpers Of The Holy Souls Nuns | 1 |
| Teacher | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 83 people were recorded with the Dealy surname. That placed it at #21,808 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 13 in 2016. That gives Dealy a modern rank of #37,278.
Derived from the Old French word "delé" meaning "beyond" or "across".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dealy 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.