NameCensus.

UK surname

Guiney

A surname of Irish origin derived from a place name or a variant spelling of "MacGuinness."

In the 1881 census there were 10 people recorded with the Guiney surname, ranking it #32,243 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 300, ranked #14,738, up from #32,243 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stevenston Hayocks, Northumberland and IZ09.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Guiney is 303 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2900.0%.

1881 census count

10

Ranked #32,243

Modern count

300

2016, ranked #14,738

Peak year

2015

303 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Guiney had 10 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,243 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 300 in 2016, ranked #14,738.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 54 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Guiney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Guiney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Guiney 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 27 #30,543
1881 historical 10 #32,243
1891 historical 37 #31,398
1901 historical 54 #28,178
1911 historical 45 #28,332
1997 modern 262 #14,814
1998 modern 259 #15,320
1999 modern 270 #14,992
2000 modern 263 #15,228
2001 modern 261 #15,066
2002 modern 265 #15,197
2003 modern 243 #15,911
2004 modern 242 #16,050
2005 modern 242 #15,987
2006 modern 255 #15,521
2007 modern 266 #15,261
2008 modern 267 #15,349
2009 modern 278 #15,230
2010 modern 290 #15,096
2011 modern 289 #14,974
2012 modern 295 #14,670
2013 modern 301 #14,718
2014 modern 299 #14,880
2015 modern 303 #14,646
2016 modern 300 #14,738

Geography

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Where Guineys 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 Stevenston Hayocks, Northumberland, IZ09, Brent and Oldham. 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 Stevenston Hayocks North Ayrshire
2 Northumberland 032 Northumberland
3 IZ09 East Lothian
4 Brent 031 Brent
5 Oldham 007 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Guiney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Guiney

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Guiney, 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 Guiney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Guiney 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Guiney is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Guiney 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

Guiney falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Guiney 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 Guiney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Guiney

The surname Guiney originated in Ireland, and its roots can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Gríobhtha," meaning "descendant of Gríobhtha," an ancient personal name. This name was likely associated with a prominent family or clan in the region.

In its early days, the name was often spelled as "Grimey" or "Grymey" in various historical records and documents. One of the earliest documented instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of County Meath, dating back to the late 12th century, where a certain "William Grimey" is mentioned.

During the Middle Ages, the Guiney family established roots in County Tipperary, particularly in the area around the town of Cashel. Several members of the family were involved in local governance and held positions of importance within the community.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Guiney surname was John Guiney, a Catholic priest and scholar who lived from 1556 to 1628. He was known for his expertise in canon law and served as the Dean of Cashel Cathedral.

Another prominent individual with the Guiney surname was Sir Patrick Guiney, a military officer who fought in the Irish Confederate Wars during the 17th century. He was born in County Tipperary in 1598 and played a significant role in the defense of Cashel during the siege of 1647.

Moving into the 18th century, Michael Guiney (1720-1788) was a renowned Irish poet and songwriter from County Tipperary. His works were widely celebrated and helped preserve the rich cultural heritage of the region.

In the 19th century, the Guiney family continued to make their mark, with Thomas Guiney (1835-1910) being a notable figure. He was a prominent Irish nationalist and member of the Irish Parliamentary Party, representing County Tipperary in the British House of Commons.

Over the centuries, variations of the surname emerged, such as "Guiney," "Guinney," and "Guyney," reflecting the fluidity of spelling practices in those times. Additionally, the Guiney name has been linked to various place names in Ireland, including Guiney's Cross and Guiney's Bridge, further solidifying its historical roots in the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Guiney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Guiney 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. Middlesex leads with 4 Guineys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.11x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 4 4.11x
Surrey 3 6.33x
Lancashire 2 1.73x
Somerset 1 6.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Battersea in Surrey leads with 2 Guineys recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.87x.

Place Total Index
Battersea 2 55.87x
Habergham Eaves 2 188.68x
Paddington London 2 55.87x
Bathwick 1 588.24x
Fulham London 1 70.92x
Kingston On Thames 1 87.72x
Stoke Newington London 1 131.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Clara 1
M. 1
M.A. 1
Maria 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Edward 1
Jerry 1
John 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 Guiney households.

FAQ

Guiney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Guiney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 10 people were recorded with the Guiney surname. That placed it at #32,243 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Guiney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 300 in 2016. That gives Guiney a modern rank of #14,738.

What does the Guiney surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin derived from a place name or a variant spelling of "MacGuinness."

What does the Guiney map show?

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