NameCensus.

UK surname

Grealy

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Gréalaigh" meaning "descendant of the grealy or daring one".

In the 1881 census there were 73 people recorded with the Grealy surname, ranking it #23,220 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114, ranked #28,515, down from #23,220 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Hertfordshire, Herefordshire and Vale of White Horse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Grealy is 134 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.2%.

1881 census count

73

Ranked #23,220

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

1998

134 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Grealy had 73 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,220 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 75 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Grealy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Grealy surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Grealy 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 28 #28,274
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 73 #23,220
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 58 #27,724
1911 historical 75 #25,322
1997 modern 132 #22,821
1998 modern 134 #23,202
1999 modern 131 #23,709
2000 modern 119 #25,072
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 125 #24,492
2003 modern 119 #25,026
2004 modern 114 #25,870
2005 modern 113 #25,974
2006 modern 110 #26,717
2007 modern 112 #26,800
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 111 #28,509
2011 modern 107 #28,979
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 117 #27,982
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Grealys 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 East Hertfordshire, Herefordshire, Vale of White Horse, Wyre Forest and Rugby. 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 East Hertfordshire 017 East Hertfordshire
2 Herefordshire 004 Herefordshire, County of
3 Vale of White Horse 004 Vale of White Horse
4 Wyre Forest 007 Wyre Forest
5 Rugby 006 Rugby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Grealy

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Grealy

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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Grealy is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Grealy is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Grealy falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Grealy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Grealy

The surname GREALY originated in Ireland, with the earliest records dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Irish Gaelic word "grádhalach," meaning "affectionate" or "loving." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone with an affectionate or loving nature.

The GREALY surname is most commonly found in County Galway, particularly in the areas around Loughrea and Gort. It is also prevalent in County Mayo, where it is believed to have roots in the parish of Kilcommon. The name has several variations in spelling, including Greally, Grealish, and Grealy.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GREALY surname appears in the Fiants of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, where a Thomas Greally is mentioned in 1586. The name is also found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century.

Notable individuals with the GREALY surname include John Grealy (1798-1857), an Irish Catholic priest and writer who served as the Bishop of Kullu in India. Another prominent figure was Patrick Grealy (1804-1890), an Irish politician and member of the British House of Commons, representing County Galway from 1857 to 1865.

In the literary world, John Grealy (1924-2014) was an acclaimed Irish author and playwright, best known for his works such as "The White Plague" and "The Birth Machine." His plays often explored themes of Irish identity and social issues.

Moving to the realm of sports, Seán Grealy (1930-2008) was an Irish hurler who played for the Galway senior hurling team in the 1950s. He was part of the team that won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in 1956.

Lastly, Michael Grealy (born 1959) is a contemporary Irish artist and sculptor, known for his large-scale public artworks and installations. His works can be found in various locations throughout Ireland and internationally.

These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals bearing the GREALY surname, which has its roots deeply intertwined with Irish history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Grealy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Grealy 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 31 Grealys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.67x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 31 3.67x
Worcestershire 17 18.29x
Yorkshire 6 0.85x
Staffordshire 5 2.08x
Middlesex 4 0.56x
Angus 2 3.03x
Cheshire 2 1.27x
Sussex 2 1.67x
Caithness 1 10.26x
Lanarkshire 1 0.43x
Northumberland 1 0.94x
Warwickshire 1 0.56x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kidderminster Borough in Worcestershire leads with 17 Grealys recorded in 1881 and an index of 312.50x.

Place Total Index
Kidderminster Borough 17 312.50x
Everton 7 26.00x
Oldham 7 25.67x
Huddersfield 6 58.37x
Blackburn 5 22.24x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 19.62x
Manchester 4 10.53x
St Pancras London 4 6.98x
West Derby 4 16.18x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 10.83x
Dukinfield 2 27.55x
Liff Benvie 2 19.98x
Newhaven 2 204.08x
Barony 1 1.72x
Birmingham 1 1.67x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 14.90x
Bury 1 10.36x
Thurso 1 65.79x
Wallsend 1 29.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Bridget 4
Catherine 3
Annie 2
Briget 2
Eliza 2
Margaret 2
Rose 2
Alace 1
Ann 1
Emelia 1
Gertrude 1
Jane 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Patrick 9
Thomas 5
James 4
Michael 4
George 2
John 2
Andrew 1
Edwin 1
Griffithe 1
Henry 1
Joseph 1
Justin 1
Michel 1
Peater 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Simon 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Grealy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Grealy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 73 people were recorded with the Grealy surname. That placed it at #23,220 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Grealy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Grealy a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Grealy surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Gréalaigh" meaning "descendant of the grealy or daring one".

What does the Grealy map show?

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