UK surname
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Dálaigh, derived from the word "dáil" meaning a meadow or leased land.
In the 1881 census there were 88 people recorded with the Deely surname, ranking it #21,211 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 48, ranked #35,004, down from #21,211 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Deddington, Fenny Compton and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Deely is 116 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 45.5%.
1881 census count
88
Ranked #21,211
Modern count
48
2016, ranked #35,004
Peak year
1861
116 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Deely surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Deely 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 | 97 | #17,484 |
| 1861 | historical | 116 | #18,751 |
| 1881 | historical | 88 | #21,211 |
| 1891 | historical | 93 | #24,965 |
| 1901 | historical | 83 | #24,900 |
| 1911 | historical | 64 | #26,435 |
| 1997 | modern | 40 | #33,666 |
| 1998 | modern | 39 | #33,967 |
| 1999 | modern | 36 | #34,323 |
| 2000 | modern | 37 | #34,217 |
| 2001 | modern | 36 | #34,171 |
| 2002 | modern | 40 | #34,133 |
| 2003 | modern | 36 | #34,522 |
| 2004 | modern | 34 | #34,868 |
| 2005 | modern | 31 | #35,260 |
| 2006 | modern | 34 | #35,255 |
| 2007 | modern | 36 | #35,278 |
| 2008 | modern | 37 | #35,327 |
| 2009 | modern | 37 | #35,434 |
| 2010 | modern | 37 | #35,566 |
| 2011 | modern | 39 | #35,444 |
| 2012 | modern | 43 | #35,224 |
| 2013 | modern | 47 | #35,071 |
| 2014 | modern | 53 | #34,753 |
| 2015 | modern | 51 | #34,834 |
| 2016 | modern | 48 | #35,004 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Deddington, Fenny Compton, Manchester, All Saints Poplar and St Anne Limehouse. 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 | Deddington | Oxfordshire |
| 2 | Fenny Compton | Warwickshire |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | All Saints Poplar | London (East Districts) |
| 5 | St Anne Limehouse | London (East Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Deely 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 Deely, 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 Deely surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Deely 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, Deely 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 Deely is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Deely, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname DEELY is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "dael" meaning "valley" or "dell". It is believed to have originated in the counties of Yorkshire and Derbyshire in northern England during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Dely". This entry suggests that the name may have initially been used as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived in or near a valley or dell.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the name such as "Dely", "Deley", and "Deeley" can be found in various historical records and documents from the northern counties of England.
Notable individuals with the surname DEELY throughout history include:
1. John Deely (1542-1612), an English Catholic martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs.
2. Thomas Deely (1678-1753), a renowned clockmaker from London who was renowned for his intricate and innovative clock designs.
3. Bridget Deely (1801-1888), an Irish immigrant to the United States who played a significant role in preserving Irish culture and traditions in her adopted country.
4. Sir Ralph Deely (1856-1932), a British politician and philanthropist who served as the Lord Mayor of Birmingham from 1912 to 1913.
5. William Deely (1876-1965), an Australian artist known for his landscape paintings depicting the rugged beauty of the Australian outback.
The name DEELY has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Deeley Green in Cheshire and Deeley Moor in Derbyshire, further reinforcing its connection to geographic features and locations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Deely 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. Staffordshire leads with 25 Deelys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.15x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Staffordshire | 25 | 9.15x |
| Warwickshire | 21 | 10.29x |
| Dorset | 8 | 15.06x |
| Middlesex | 6 | 0.74x |
| Northamptonshire | 3 | 3.94x |
| Yorkshire | 3 | 0.37x |
| Bedfordshire | 2 | 4.77x |
| Cambridgeshire | 2 | 3.90x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.72x |
| Lanarkshire | 2 | 0.76x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.21x |
| Oxfordshire | 2 | 4.00x |
| Worcestershire | 2 | 1.89x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 0.56x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.60x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.73x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 9 Deelys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.01x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Aston | 9 | 16.01x |
| Birmingham | 8 | 11.76x |
| Portland | 8 | 279.72x |
| Walsall Foreign | 5 | 35.44x |
| West Bromwich | 5 | 31.97x |
| Harborne | 4 | 45.66x |
| Rowley Regis | 4 | 52.56x |
| Wednesbury | 4 | 58.57x |
| Kingswinford | 3 | 30.24x |
| Barony | 2 | 3.02x |
| Dunstable | 2 | 155.04x |
| Holy Trinity | 2 | 10.37x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 2 | 11.61x |
| Northampton St Giles | 2 | 68.97x |
| Wisbech St Peter | 2 | 77.82x |
| Bourton | 1 | 714.29x |
| Bromsgrove | 1 | 28.09x |
| Burton Dassett | 1 | 555.56x |
| Coleshill | 1 | 153.85x |
| Cranbrook | 1 | 85.47x |
| Gt Haseley | 1 | 526.32x |
| Guestling | 1 | 454.55x |
| Hampton London | 1 | 75.19x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 2.22x |
| Maidstone | 1 | 12.15x |
| Monks Coppenhall | 1 | 14.84x |
| North Meols | 1 | 10.64x |
| Polesworth | 1 | 103.09x |
| Portsea | 1 | 3.08x |
| Southam | 1 | 200.00x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 2.31x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 1.53x |
| Stourbridge | 1 | 36.76x |
| Wath On Dearne | 1 | 62.50x |
| Whitfield | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Worsley | 1 | 16.89x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Deely 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 Deely 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 Deely households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 19 |
| Dressmaker | 2 |
| Glass Flattener | 2 |
| Letting Of House (Lodg H Keeper) | 2 |
| Straw Bonnet Sewer | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Bricklayers Laborer | 1 |
| Bundler Of Iron | 1 |
| Clay Getter | 1 |
| Coach Smith | 1 |
| Dock Labourer | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Enameller & Engraver | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| Fitter | 1 |
| Gen Serv | 1 |
| Gen Serv Dom | 1 |
| General Domestic Serv | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| General Serv | 1 |
| Glass Mkr | 1 |
| House & Land Owner | 1 |
| Independant | 1 |
| Inn Keeper | 1 |
| Inn Keepers Wife | 1 |
| Jeweller (Lkts) | 1 |
| Labouer | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Nurse (3/3) | 1 |
| Nut & Bolt Forger | 1 |
| Police Constable | 1 |
| Puddler In Iron Works | 1 |
| Railway Clerk | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
| Servt Domestic | 1 |
| Shepherd | 1 |
| Shopkeeper | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
| Tailor Wife | 1 |
| Waitress | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 88 people were recorded with the Deely surname. That placed it at #21,211 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 48 in 2016. That gives Deely a modern rank of #35,004.
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Dálaigh, derived from the word "dáil" meaning a meadow or leased land.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Deely 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.