NameCensus.

UK surname

Gaffey

Originally a nickname for someone with disheveled hair.

In the 1881 census there were 81 people recorded with the Gaffey surname, ranking it #22,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 305, ranked #14,576, up from #22,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Tipton otherwise Tibington and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gwynedd, Rossendale and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gaffey is 305 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 276.5%.

1881 census count

81

Ranked #22,082

Modern count

305

2016, ranked #14,576

Peak year

2014

305 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gaffey had 81 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 305 in 2016, ranked #14,576.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 114 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Gaffey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gaffey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gaffey 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 60 #22,584
1861 historical 70 #24,911
1881 historical 81 #22,082
1891 historical 76 #27,290
1901 historical 114 #21,166
1911 historical 110 #21,519
1997 modern 282 #14,072
1998 modern 293 #14,094
1999 modern 285 #14,438
2000 modern 286 #14,385
2001 modern 279 #14,408
2002 modern 282 #14,585
2003 modern 287 #14,219
2004 modern 298 #13,937
2005 modern 284 #14,306
2006 modern 294 #14,092
2007 modern 287 #14,464
2008 modern 289 #14,502
2009 modern 291 #14,742
2010 modern 291 #15,050
2011 modern 288 #15,009
2012 modern 293 #14,742
2013 modern 304 #14,614
2014 modern 305 #14,678
2015 modern 299 #14,796
2016 modern 305 #14,576

Geography

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Where Gaffeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Liverpool, Leigh and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gwynedd, Rossendale, Salford and Stockport. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gwynedd 010 Gwynedd
2 Rossendale 007 Rossendale
3 Gwynedd 004 Gwynedd
4 Salford 021 Salford
5 Stockport 004 Stockport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gaffey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gaffey

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

Challenged Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger 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, Gaffey 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.

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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

Gaffey is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gaffey 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 Gaffey 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Gaffey

The surname Gaffey originated in Ireland and is believed to be an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name "O'Goillí," which means "descendent of the Goill or foreigner." The name can be traced back to the 11th century, and it is believed to have originated in the counties of Galway and Mayo.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Gaffey can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history written in the 17th century. The name is mentioned in the annals as "O'Goillí," and it is associated with various events and individuals from the 11th to the 17th centuries.

In the 12th century, the name Gaffey was also recorded in the Book of Leinster, a medieval Irish manuscript that contains numerous genealogies and historical accounts. The name is listed as "O'Goillí" in the manuscript, and it is associated with the Uí Briúin Bréifne, a powerful Irish clan based in what is now County Cavan.

The earliest recorded example of the anglicized spelling "Gaffey" dates back to the 16th century. One notable individual with this surname was John Gaffey, who was born in County Mayo in the late 16th century and served as a captain in the Irish Confederate Wars during the 1640s.

Another notable figure with the surname Gaffey was Patrick Gaffey (1787-1865), an Irish-born Anglican priest who served as the Dean of Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. He was a prominent figure in the Church of Ireland and was known for his scholarly writings on religion and theology.

In the 19th century, the name Gaffey was also associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Gaffey's Cross in County Mayo and Gaffey's Bridge in County Galway. These place names likely derived from individuals with the Gaffey surname who lived or owned land in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gaffey include James Gaffey (1806-1888), an Irish-born politician who served as a member of the Canadian Parliament, and Michael Gaffey (born 1944), an American geologist and planetary scientist who has made significant contributions to the study of asteroids and meteorites.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gaffey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gaffey 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 19 Gaffeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.03x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 19 2.03x
Staffordshire 16 6.00x
Yorkshire 14 1.79x
Warwickshire 8 4.02x
Cheshire 7 4.01x
Cumberland 7 10.29x
Kent 4 1.48x
Northumberland 4 3.40x
Hampshire 1 0.62x
Lincolnshire 1 0.79x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 8 Gaffeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.05x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 8 12.05x
Dewsbury 7 87.17x
Walsall Borough 7 338.16x
Heaton Norris 6 112.36x
Liverpool 6 10.54x
St Mary Within 6 705.88x
Stockport 6 66.89x
Wolverhampton 5 24.39x
Bedlington 4 102.04x
Wheatley 4 1481.48x
Woolwich 4 40.16x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 20.15x
Manchester 3 7.12x
Sheffield 3 12.04x
Tipton 3 36.76x
Aikton 1 476.19x
Aldershot 1 18.45x
Macclesfield 1 12.90x
New Sealford 1 384.62x
Toxteth Park 1 3.15x
Willenhall 1 20.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Ellen 3
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Liniter 1
Lizzie 1
Maggie 1
Maria 1
Nellie 1
Nelly 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Gaffey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gaffey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 81 people were recorded with the Gaffey surname. That placed it at #22,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gaffey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 305 in 2016. That gives Gaffey a modern rank of #14,576.

What does the Gaffey surname mean?

Originally a nickname for someone with disheveled hair.

What does the Gaffey map show?

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