NameCensus.

UK surname

Heary

An Anglo-Irish surname derived from the name Henry or Harry.

In the 1881 census there were 33 people recorded with the Heary surname, ranking it #28,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 126, ranked #26,686, up from #28,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hedingham, Castle, St Leonard Shoreditch and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charleston, Western Edge and Wokingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heary is 171 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 281.8%.

1881 census count

33

Ranked #28,965

Modern count

126

2016, ranked #26,686

Peak year

1861

171 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heary had 33 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 126 in 2016, ranked #26,686.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 171 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Heary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heary surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heary 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 68 #21,302
1861 historical 171 #13,692
1881 historical 33 #28,965
1891 historical 120 #21,292
1901 historical 51 #28,492
1911 historical 58 #27,001
1997 modern 90 #28,360
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 92 #28,832
2001 modern 88 #29,056
2002 modern 102 #27,596
2003 modern 109 #26,361
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 100 #28,025
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 103 #28,187
2008 modern 105 #28,180
2009 modern 106 #28,666
2010 modern 112 #28,336
2011 modern 112 #28,117
2012 modern 116 #27,550
2013 modern 120 #27,406
2014 modern 127 #26,634
2015 modern 127 #26,494
2016 modern 126 #26,686

Geography

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Where Hearys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hedingham, Castle, St Leonard Shoreditch, Manchester, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Charleston, Western Edge, Wokingham, Barking and Dagenham and Caird Park. 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 Hedingham, Castle Essex
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charleston Dundee City
2 Western Edge Dundee City
3 Wokingham 002 Wokingham
4 Barking and Dagenham 021 Barking and Dagenham
5 Caird Park Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heary

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heary

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Heary is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Heary is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Heary 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 Heary 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 Heary, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Heary

The surname HEARY originated in Ireland during the Middle Ages. It is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name O'hIarthuaidh, which means "descendant of Iarthuaidh." The name Iarthuaidh itself is derived from the old Irish words "iar" meaning "west" and "tuath" meaning "territory" or "people."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name HEARY can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a chieftain named Domhnall O'hIarthuaidh, who ruled over the territory of Iartar-Chonnacht (West Connacht) in the 13th century.

Over time, the name O'hIarthuaidh evolved into various anglicized forms, including O'Herry, Herry, and eventually HEARY. In the 16th and 17th centuries, as English rule expanded in Ireland, many Irish families adopted more anglicized versions of their surnames to avoid persecution.

One notable individual with the surname HEARY was Michael Heary (c. 1590-1660), an Irish Franciscan friar and historian who wrote extensively about the history and affairs of his order in Ireland. Another was John Heary (1786-1850), an Irish politician and judge who served as the Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer.

In the 18th century, the name HEARY was associated with several prominent landowners and gentry families in counties such as Galway, Mayo, and Sligo. For example, Patrick Heary (1728-1806) was a wealthy landowner and magistrate in County Mayo, while James Heary (1760-1842) was a prominent member of the landed gentry in County Sligo.

Other notable individuals with the surname HEARY include William Heary (1819-1892), an Irish-born Australian politician and businessman, and John Heary (1841-1903), an Irish-American banker and philanthropist who founded the Heary Trust in Chicago.

Overall, the surname HEARY has a rich history rooted in medieval Ireland, with a lineage that can be traced back to the ancient Irish chieftains and nobility. While the name has evolved over time, it remains a proud symbol of Irish heritage and identity.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Heary families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heary 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 9 Hearys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.36x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 9 2.36x
Angus 5 16.78x
Middlesex 4 1.24x
Sussex 4 7.38x
Midlothian 3 6.96x
Warwickshire 2 2.47x
Yorkshire 2 0.63x
Berkshire 1 4.14x
Essex 1 1.58x
Monmouthshire 1 4.30x
Surrey 1 0.64x

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 9 Hearys recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.83x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 9 38.83x
Ditchling 4 2666.67x
Edinburgh Old 3 1153.85x
Liff Benvie 3 66.37x
Edgbaston 2 79.37x
St Marylebone London 2 11.65x
Abingdon St Helen 1 140.85x
Arbirlot 1 1111.11x
Bedwellty 1 24.33x
Islington London 1 3.21x
Kirriemuir 1 135.14x
Linthorpe 1 52.63x
Middlesbrough 1 24.10x
Newington 1 8.42x
St Pancras London 1 3.86x
Woodford 1 138.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Ellen 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Bridget 1
Harriett 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
John 2
Charles 1
Hugh 1
Matthew 1
Patrick 1
Paul 1
Richard 1
Sydney 1
Thomas 1
William 1

FAQ

Heary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 33 people were recorded with the Heary surname. That placed it at #28,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 126 in 2016. That gives Heary a modern rank of #26,686.

What does the Heary surname mean?

An Anglo-Irish surname derived from the name Henry or Harry.

What does the Heary map show?

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