NameCensus.

UK surname

Herrity

A locational surname originating from a place called Herrity, likely in Ireland.

In the 1881 census there were 76 people recorded with the Herrity surname, ranking it #22,745 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 231, ranked #17,764, up from #22,745 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Prescot and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Castlemilk, Crookston South and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Herrity is 236 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 203.9%.

1881 census count

76

Ranked #22,745

Modern count

231

2016, ranked #17,764

Peak year

2013

236 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Herrity had 76 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,745 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 231 in 2016, ranked #17,764.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 143 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Herrity surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Herrity surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Herrity 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 16 #31,832
1881 historical 76 #22,745
1891 historical 99 #24,200
1901 historical 143 #18,570
1911 historical 70 #25,853
1997 modern 222 #16,508
1998 modern 228 #16,706
1999 modern 234 #16,506
2000 modern 226 #16,840
2001 modern 221 #16,848
2002 modern 222 #17,147
2003 modern 225 #16,808
2004 modern 216 #17,331
2005 modern 213 #17,435
2006 modern 212 #17,612
2007 modern 217 #17,520
2008 modern 219 #17,597
2009 modern 226 #17,587
2010 modern 225 #18,000
2011 modern 234 #17,383
2012 modern 235 #17,242
2013 modern 236 #17,472
2014 modern 233 #17,707
2015 modern 228 #17,899
2016 modern 231 #17,764

Geography

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Where Herritys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Prescot, Liverpool, West Derby and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Castlemilk, Crookston South, Liverpool, Stockton-on-Tees and Condorrat. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 Prescot Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Castlemilk Glasgow City
2 Crookston South Glasgow City
3 Liverpool 017 Liverpool
4 Stockton-on-Tees 009 Stockton-on-Tees
5 Condorrat North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Herrity

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Herrity

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

Challenged Communities

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

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Herrity 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

Herrity 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

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

Meaning and origin of Herrity

The surname Herrity is believed to have originated in Ireland, likely emerging sometime during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be a variant of the more common Irish name Harrity, which itself is derived from the Gaelic personal name O'hAraghty or O'hArachty.

This Gaelic name is rooted in the word "arachtach," meaning "obedient" or "submissive." Over time, as the name passed through generations and migrated across different regions of Ireland, it underwent various spelling changes, resulting in the modern form of Herrity.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Herrity surname can be found in the Fiants of the Reign of Elizabeth I, a collection of administrative records from the late 16th century. The document mentions a person named Owene O'Harytie, suggesting the name's presence in Ireland during that era.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Herrity surname appeared in various historical records, such as parish registers and land deeds, particularly in counties like Cork, Kerry, and Limerick. One notable example is John Herrity, a landowner from County Cork who was mentioned in the Irish Genealogies published in 1723.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure bearing the Herrity name was James Herrity, born in 1812 in County Kerry. He was a successful merchant and philanthropist who contributed to the establishment of schools and churches in his local community.

Another notable individual with this surname was Margaret Herrity, a poet and writer from County Limerick, born in 1832. Her collection of poems, titled "Echoes from the Emerald Isle," gained significant recognition during her lifetime.

The Herrity surname also found its way to other parts of the world, particularly through Irish immigration. One such example is Michael Herrity, born in 1845 in County Cork, who immigrated to the United States in the late 19th century and became a successful businessman in New York City.

While the Herrity name may not be as widespread as some other Irish surnames, it has a rich history rooted in the Gaelic language and culture of Ireland. The name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, poets, and entrepreneurs, contributing to the tapestry of Ireland's cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Herrity families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Herrity 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 45 Herritys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.05x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 45 5.05x
Staffordshire 20 7.89x
Cheshire 7 4.22x
Lanarkshire 4 1.65x
Channel Islands 1 4.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newcastle Under Lyme in Staffordshire leads with 20 Herritys recorded in 1881 and an index of 445.43x.

Place Total Index
Newcastle Under Lyme 20 445.43x
Liverpool 17 31.41x
Ormskirk 13 760.23x
Eccleston In Prescot 12 268.46x
Stockport 7 82.06x
Barony 2 3.25x
Gorton 2 23.87x
Govan 2 3.33x
Spotland 1 10.09x
St Helier 1 13.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Margaret 5
Bridget 2
Ellen 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Agnes 1
Agness 1
Ann 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Cisley 1
Elizabeth 1
Ester 1
Hannah 1
Hanoria 1
Jane 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Herrity surname: questions and answers

How common was the Herrity surname in 1881?

In 1881, 76 people were recorded with the Herrity surname. That placed it at #22,745 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Herrity surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 231 in 2016. That gives Herrity a modern rank of #17,764.

What does the Herrity surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a place called Herrity, likely in Ireland.

What does the Herrity map show?

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