NameCensus.

UK surname

Fealey

A variant spelling of the Irish surname Feeley, derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "ruler" or "sovereign".

In the 1881 census there were 20 people recorded with the Fealey surname, ranking it #30,738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 100, ranked #31,123, down from #30,738 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Merthyr Tydfil, Waverley and Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fealey is 119 in 2004. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 400.0%.

1881 census count

20

Ranked #30,738

Modern count

100

2016, ranked #31,123

Peak year

2004

119 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fealey had 20 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,738 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016, ranked #31,123.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 53 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Fealey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fealey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fealey 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 29 #28,082
1861 historical 37 #29,339
1881 historical 20 #30,738
1891 historical 27 #32,115
1901 historical 42 #29,487
1911 historical 53 #27,508
1997 modern 109 #25,650
1998 modern 112 #25,856
1999 modern 113 #25,913
2000 modern 118 #25,197
2001 modern 113 #25,489
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 117 #25,282
2004 modern 119 #25,200
2005 modern 114 #25,837
2006 modern 110 #26,717
2007 modern 112 #26,800
2008 modern 106 #28,016
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 103 #29,780
2011 modern 104 #29,424
2012 modern 96 #30,949
2013 modern 97 #31,239
2014 modern 101 #30,855
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 100 #31,123

Geography

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Where Fealeys 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 Merthyr Tydfil, Waverley and Sefton. 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 Merthyr Tydfil 002 Merthyr Tydfil
2 Merthyr Tydfil 004 Merthyr Tydfil
3 Merthyr Tydfil 005 Merthyr Tydfil
4 Waverley 002 Waverley
5 Sefton 021 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fealey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fealey

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Fealey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fealey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Fealey is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fealey is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fealey 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 Fealey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Fealey

The surname FEALEY is of Irish origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient Gaelic territory of Uí Failghe, located in present-day County Offaly. The name is derived from the Old Irish word "failghe," meaning "ring" or "hoop," possibly a reference to an occupation or a topographical feature.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The name appears as "Ua Failghe" and "O'Failghe," referring to members of the ruling clan in Uí Failghe.

One notable bearer of the name was Muircheartach Ua Failghe, a powerful chieftain who ruled over Uí Failghe in the 11th century. He is mentioned in the Annals of Ulster and played a significant role in the political affairs of Ireland at the time.

In the 16th century, the name evolved into its modern spelling of FEALEY, as evidenced in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of documents from the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Elizabeth I.

Another prominent figure bearing the surname was John Fealey (1580-1645), a Catholic priest and author who served as a chaplain in the Spanish Army. He wrote several works on theology and philosophy during the Counter-Reformation period.

A notable literary figure with the surname was Patrick Fealey (1810-1888), an Irish poet and journalist who published a collection of poems titled "The Emerald Isle" in 1856. His works celebrated Irish culture and nationalism.

The FEALEY name also has a connection to the American Civil War. Michael Fealey (1838-1914) was an Irish-American soldier who fought for the Union Army and received the Medal of Honor for his bravery in the Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862.

In the 20th century, Margaret Fealey (1905-1982) was a renowned American opera singer and educator. She performed with major opera companies and taught at prestigious institutions like the Juilliard School and the Metropolitan Opera.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fealey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fealey 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 6 Fealeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.59x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 6 2.59x
Angus 5 27.70x
Glamorgan 5 14.74x
Dorset 1 7.82x
Monmouthshire 1 7.10x
Renfrewshire 1 6.62x
Yorkshire 1 0.52x

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 6 Fealeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.74x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 6 42.74x
Dundee 5 74.18x
Merthyr Tydfil 5 153.37x
Brightside Bierlow 1 26.39x
Paisley High Church 1 83.33x
Portland 1 144.93x
St Woollos 1 63.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 4
John 3
Charles 1
David 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
Thomas 1

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 Fealey households.

FAQ

Fealey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fealey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 20 people were recorded with the Fealey surname. That placed it at #30,738 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fealey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016. That gives Fealey a modern rank of #31,123.

What does the Fealey surname mean?

A variant spelling of the Irish surname Feeley, derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "ruler" or "sovereign".

What does the Fealey map show?

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