NameCensus.

UK surname

Heraghty

A surname of Irish origin meaning "descendant of the wanderer or traveller".

In the 1881 census there were 23 people recorded with the Heraghty surname, ranking it #30,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 138, ranked #25,127, up from #30,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Toryglen and Oatlands, Kilmarnock South Central and Caprington and Broxburn South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heraghty is 151 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 500.0%.

1881 census count

23

Ranked #30,339

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

1998

151 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heraghty had 23 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016, ranked #25,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 23 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Routine Occupations or Retirement.

Heraghty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heraghty surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heraghty 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 7 #32,070
1861 historical 22 #31,140
1881 historical 23 #30,339
1891 historical 3 #34,257
1901 historical 13 #32,633
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 134 #22,608
1998 modern 151 #21,578
1999 modern 148 #22,020
2000 modern 143 #22,457
2001 modern 140 #22,441
2002 modern 145 #22,392
2003 modern 137 #22,939
2004 modern 135 #23,326
2005 modern 138 #22,999
2006 modern 135 #23,486
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 133 #24,350
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 140 #24,569
2011 modern 136 #24,819
2012 modern 131 #25,439
2013 modern 141 #24,670
2014 modern 142 #24,734
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Heraghtys 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 Toryglen and Oatlands, Kilmarnock South Central and Caprington, Broxburn South, Piersland and Govanhill East and Aikenhead. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Toryglen and Oatlands Glasgow City
2 Kilmarnock South Central and Caprington East Ayrshire
3 Broxburn South West Lothian
4 Piersland East Ayrshire
5 Govanhill East and Aikenhead Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heraghty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heraghty

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

Routine Occupations or Retirement

Nationally, the Heraghty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Routine Occupations or Retirement, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Heraghty household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are characterised by high proportions of single, often never-married adults of normal retirement age or older, including many that are in the most advanced age groups. Most adults are UK born and live at high residential densities, and many of the children living with parents are in adulthood. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are uncommon, but above average proportions of households include individuals that identify with different ethnic groups. Long-term disability is relatively common, and the dominant accommodation type is flats. Unemployment rates are high, with most of those employed working in routine occupations. Few individuals have high level qualifications. Car ownership is not high.

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Heraghty is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Heraghty 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

Heraghty falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Heraghty

The surname Heraghty originates from Ireland and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is believed to have originated in County Meath and is an anglicized version of the Gaelic surname Ó hEaragáin, meaning "descendant of Earagán." Earagán is derived from the Irish word "earag," meaning "jealous" or "vigilant."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name is found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which refers to a man named Máel Muire Ua hEaragáin (Mulvey O'Herraghty) who was slain in 1156. The name also appears in the Irish Annals of the Four Masters, a 17th-century chronicle of Irish history, where it is recorded that a Domhnall Ó hEaragáin (Donald O'Herraghty) was a member of the clergy in the 14th century.

The name Heraghty is closely associated with County Meath, particularly in the baronies of Slane and Duleek. Many Heraghtys were landowners and prominent figures in these areas during the Middle Ages. The surname has also been found in various spellings, such as Herraghty, Harrighty, and Herreghty, reflecting the phonetic variations and regional dialects of Ireland.

Notable individuals with the surname Heraghty include:

1. Thomas Heraghty (1861-1914), an Irish-American businessman and politician who served as the 18th Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. 2. Eugene Heraghty (1893-1975), an Irish civil servant and diplomat who served as the first Secretary-General of the Department of External Affairs (now the Department of Foreign Affairs) in Ireland. 3. Bridget Heraghty (fl. 1785-1810), an Irish noblewoman and landowner who was involved in a legal dispute over the inheritance of her family's estates in County Meath. 4. James Francis Heraghty (1895-1957), an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the Bishop of Grand Island, Nebraska from 1951 until his death. 5. John Heraghty (1852-1923), an Irish-American journalist and writer who served as the editor of the San Francisco Chronicle from 1894 to 1913.

The surname Heraghty has a rich history rooted in medieval Ireland, with a strong connection to County Meath and a legacy of prominent individuals across various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Heraghty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heraghty 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. Lanarkshire leads with 20 Heraghtys recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.56x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 20 27.56x
Middlesex 2 0.89x
Cheshire 1 2.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 7 Heraghtys recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.35x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 7 54.35x
Old Monkland 7 243.06x
Govan 6 33.43x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 103.09x
St George Hanover Square 1 25.32x
Stockport 1 39.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 1
Ann 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Peter 1

FAQ

Heraghty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heraghty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 23 people were recorded with the Heraghty surname. That placed it at #30,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heraghty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016. That gives Heraghty a modern rank of #25,127.

What does the Heraghty surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin meaning "descendant of the wanderer or traveller".

What does the Heraghty map show?

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