NameCensus.

UK surname

Gilhooley

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Giollachúille meaning "descendant of the servant of St. Cúille."

In the 1881 census there were 39 people recorded with the Gilhooley surname, ranking it #28,137 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 479, ranked #10,308, up from #28,137 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Calverley and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Halton, Copeland and Trinity.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gilhooley is 510 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1128.2%.

1881 census count

39

Ranked #28,137

Modern count

479

2016, ranked #10,308

Peak year

2010

510 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gilhooley had 39 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,137 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 479 in 2016, ranked #10,308.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 152 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gilhooley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gilhooley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Gilhooley 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 21 #29,550
1861 historical 25 #30,804
1881 historical 39 #28,137
1891 historical 78 #27,035
1901 historical 152 #17,916
1911 historical 61 #26,724
1997 modern 481 #9,584
1998 modern 493 #9,702
1999 modern 492 #9,784
2000 modern 503 #9,589
2001 modern 478 #9,783
2002 modern 488 #9,802
2003 modern 486 #9,688
2004 modern 484 #9,729
2005 modern 480 #9,718
2006 modern 486 #9,675
2007 modern 473 #9,965
2008 modern 470 #10,102
2009 modern 485 #10,090
2010 modern 510 #9,899
2011 modern 493 #10,056
2012 modern 464 #10,439
2013 modern 478 #10,362
2014 modern 488 #10,271
2015 modern 481 #10,296
2016 modern 479 #10,308

Geography

Back to top

Where Gilhooleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Calverley, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Halton, Copeland, Trinity and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Halton 003 Halton
2 Halton 006 Halton
3 Copeland 004 Copeland
4 Trinity City of Edinburgh
5 Stockton-on-Tees 006 Stockton-on-Tees

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Gilhooley

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Gilhooley

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Gilhooley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gilhooley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gilhooley is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gilhooley 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

Gilhooley falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gilhooley 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Gilhooley

The surname Gilhooley has its origins in Ireland, emerging in the early 16th century. It is believed to be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Ó Giollachóglaidh," which means "descendant of the servant of St. Chógán." St. Chógán was an Irish saint who lived in the 7th century.

The name is thought to have originated in County Mayo, particularly in the baronies of Clanmorris and Carra. Early records from the region showcase various spellings of the name, such as Gillooley, Gilhooly, and Gilhuly. These variations are attributed to the challenges of transliterating Irish names into English.

One of 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 annals mention a Gilhooley who fought in the Battle of Craoibhe in 1591.

In the 18th century, the surname Gilhooley appeared in various land and property records in County Mayo. One notable figure was Patrick Gilhooley, born in 1732, who was a prominent landowner in the Carra region.

Another individual of note was John Gilhooley, born in 1786, who was a celebrated poet and songwriter from County Mayo. His works celebrated Irish culture and tradition, and he is remembered as one of the prominent literary figures of his time.

In the 19th century, the Gilhooley family played a significant role in the Irish struggle for independence. Michael Gilhooley, born in 1823, was a prominent member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and actively participated in the Fenian Uprising of 1867.

During the great Irish famine of the 1840s, many Gilhooleys emigrated to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. One such emigrant was Thomas Gilhooley, born in 1810, who settled in Boston and became a successful businessman.

As the Gilhooley surname spread across the globe, it continued to be associated with various fields and professions. For instance, Edward Gilhooley, born in 1876 in New York, was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in the city.

Overall, the surname Gilhooley has a rich history deeply rooted in Irish culture and tradition. Its origins can be traced back to County Mayo, and the name has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various spheres of life over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Gilhooley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gilhooley 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 11 Gilhooleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.44x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 11 2.44x
Angus 6 17.03x
Dunbartonshire 6 58.71x
Cheshire 4 4.76x
Lanarkshire 4 3.25x
Essex 3 4.00x
Cumberland 2 6.11x
East Lothian 2 39.68x
Kent 1 0.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkdale in Lancashire leads with 6 Gilhooleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.05x.

Place Total Index
Kirkdale 6 79.05x
Liff Benvie 6 112.15x
New Kilpatrick 6 618.56x
Dukinfield 4 103.09x
Hamilton 4 116.62x
Cheetham 3 89.02x
West Ham 3 18.09x
Dunbar 2 281.69x
Cleator 1 73.53x
Gillingham 1 37.31x
Liverpool 1 3.65x
Preston Quarter 1 108.70x
West Derby 1 7.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Rose 2
Anne 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Norah 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 3
John 2
Edward 1
Michael 1
Roderick 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 Gilhooley households.

FAQ

Gilhooley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gilhooley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 39 people were recorded with the Gilhooley surname. That placed it at #28,137 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gilhooley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 479 in 2016. That gives Gilhooley a modern rank of #10,308.

What does the Gilhooley surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Giollachúille meaning "descendant of the servant of St. Cúille."

What does the Gilhooley map show?

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