UK surname
Irish surname transferred from a place name meaning "wanderer."
In the 1881 census there were 27 people recorded with the Failey surname, ranking it #29,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 46, ranked #35,126, down from #29,793 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Wymondley, Great and Ticehurst. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Failey is 103 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.4%.
1881 census count
27
Ranked #29,793
Modern count
46
2016, ranked #35,126
Peak year
1891
103 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Failey surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Failey surname density by area, 1891 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 | 55 | #23,413 |
| 1861 | historical | 102 | #20,797 |
| 1881 | historical | 27 | #29,793 |
| 1891 | historical | 103 | #23,558 |
| 1901 | historical | 26 | #31,152 |
| 1911 | historical | 59 | #26,914 |
| 1997 | modern | 69 | #30,712 |
| 1998 | modern | 81 | #29,849 |
| 1999 | modern | 68 | #31,311 |
| 2000 | modern | 63 | #31,829 |
| 2001 | modern | 61 | #31,891 |
| 2002 | modern | 61 | #32,286 |
| 2003 | modern | 58 | #32,619 |
| 2004 | modern | 61 | #32,581 |
| 2005 | modern | 58 | #33,094 |
| 2006 | modern | 55 | #33,688 |
| 2007 | modern | 59 | #33,634 |
| 2008 | modern | 65 | #33,303 |
| 2009 | modern | 65 | #33,611 |
| 2010 | modern | 65 | #33,863 |
| 2011 | modern | 56 | #34,450 |
| 2012 | modern | 47 | #34,992 |
| 2013 | modern | 48 | #35,012 |
| 2014 | modern | 46 | #35,155 |
| 2015 | modern | 44 | #35,212 |
| 2016 | modern | 46 | #35,126 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Wymondley, Great, Ticehurst, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and St Lawrence in Thanet. 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 | New Monkland | Lanark |
| 2 | Wymondley, Great | Hertfordshire |
| 3 | Ticehurst | Sussex |
| 4 | Birmingham Town: Birmingham | Warwickshire |
| 5 | St Lawrence in Thanet | Kent |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Failey 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 Failey, 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 Failey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Failey 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, Failey 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 Failey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Failey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Failey is believed to have originated in Ireland. It is considered an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name O'Faili or O'Failigh, which means "descendant of Failghe." The name Failghe itself is derived from the Gaelic word "fail," meaning "leader" or "chief."
The earliest recorded instances of the Failey surname can be traced back to the 12th century in County Longford, Ireland. The O'Failighs were a prominent family in the region and were among the leading septs or clans of the Ui Briuin people.
In the 16th century, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, the Failey surname began to appear in various historical records. The Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, mentions a notable figure named Failghe O'Failghe, who was the Chief of Muintir Failghe in the year 1540.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Failey surname was Conall Failey, a landowner in County Longford who was recorded in the Fiants of the Tudor period, which were records of official letters and grants issued by the English Crown in Ireland.
In the 17th century, during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, many Irish families, including the Faileys, were displaced from their ancestral lands. Some Faileys sought refuge in other parts of Ireland, while others emigrated to other countries, such as England, Scotland, and the Americas.
Notable individuals with the Failey surname include:
1. Hugh Failey (c. 1585-1660), an Irish Catholic priest and author who wrote a treatise on the Sacrament of Penance. 2. Thomas Failey (1720-1799), an Irish-born soldier who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. 3. Michael Failey (1805-1879), an Irish-born American politician who served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. 4. William Failey (1853-1928), an Irish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. 5. John Failey (1879-1961), an American baseball player who played in the Major Leagues for the Boston Beaneaters and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Failey 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. Yorkshire leads with 11 Faileys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.22x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 11 | 4.22x |
| Durham | 4 | 5.11x |
| Lanarkshire | 4 | 4.70x |
| Derbyshire | 3 | 7.28x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 1.72x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 1.94x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.38x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 5.25x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 3.12x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. New Monkland in Lanarkshire leads with 4 Faileys recorded in 1881 and an index of 158.73x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| New Monkland | 4 | 158.73x |
| Beverley St Martin | 3 | 681.82x |
| Chapel En Le Frith | 3 | 789.47x |
| Leven | 3 | 3750.00x |
| Monkwearmouth | 3 | 400.00x |
| Beverley St Mary | 2 | 526.32x |
| Bristol St Philip Jacob | 1 | 20.58x |
| Chevington | 1 | 2000.00x |
| Dawdon | 1 | 104.17x |
| Fraisthorpe | 1 | 10000.00x |
| Holy Trinity | 1 | 15.95x |
| Mynyddyslwyn | 1 | 133.33x |
| Shoreditch London | 1 | 8.76x |
| Upton By Birkenhead | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Willerby In Scarborough | 1 | 2500.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Failey 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 Failey 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 Failey households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Farm Labourer | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Coker Coke Bnr | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Gen Laborer | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| General Serv Domestic | 1 |
| General Servant (Dom) | 1 |
| House Maid | 1 |
| Licensed Victualler | 1 |
| Medical Nurse | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
| Seamstress | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 27 people were recorded with the Failey surname. That placed it at #29,793 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 46 in 2016. That gives Failey a modern rank of #35,126.
Irish surname transferred from a place name meaning "wanderer."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Failey 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.