NameCensus.

UK surname

Hickey

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó hÍcidhe, meaning "descendant of Ícidhe" (the healer).

In the 1881 census there were 1,856 people recorded with the Hickey surname, ranking it #2,351 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,102, ranked #1,326, up from #2,351 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, Wychavon and Oldham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hickey is 5,340 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 174.9%.

1881 census count

1,856

Ranked #2,351

Modern count

5,102

2016, ranked #1,326

Peak year

2010

5,340 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hickey had 1,856 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,351 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,102 in 2016, ranked #1,326.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,001 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hickey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hickey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hickey 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 835 #3,246
1861 historical 1,075 #2,619
1881 historical 1,856 #2,351
1891 historical 1,597 #2,786
1901 historical 2,001 #2,666
1911 historical 1,945 #2,555
1997 modern 4,888 #1,340
1998 modern 5,022 #1,362
1999 modern 5,084 #1,353
2000 modern 5,087 #1,339
2001 modern 4,970 #1,338
2002 modern 5,113 #1,324
2003 modern 4,941 #1,337
2004 modern 4,942 #1,330
2005 modern 4,890 #1,326
2006 modern 4,973 #1,314
2007 modern 4,974 #1,326
2008 modern 5,006 #1,325
2009 modern 5,136 #1,326
2010 modern 5,340 #1,304
2011 modern 5,226 #1,314
2012 modern 5,110 #1,311
2013 modern 5,164 #1,326
2014 modern 5,195 #1,324
2015 modern 5,137 #1,324
2016 modern 5,102 #1,326

Geography

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Where Hickeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Manchester and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens, Wychavon, Oldham, Rotherham and Camden. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 015 St. Helens
2 Wychavon 010 Wychavon
3 Oldham 030 Oldham
4 Rotherham 009 Rotherham
5 Camden 008 Camden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hickey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hickey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hickey, 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 Hickey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Hickey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hickey 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

Hickey 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

Hickey 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 Hickey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Hickey

The surname Hickey is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó hIcí, which originated in County Cork, Ireland. This name derives from the word "iceach" meaning "hospitable" or "generous." The name first appeared in historical records in the 12th century.

In ancient Irish manuscripts, such as the Annals of Inisfallen, the name is spelled Ó hIcí or Ó hIcidh. The earliest recorded bearer of this surname was Donnchadh Ó hIcí, who lived in County Cork in the 13th century.

The Hickey surname is closely associated with the Duhallow region of County Cork, where it was particularly prominent among the ruling families. The name is also found in other parts of Ireland, including County Kerry and County Limerick.

One notable bearer of the Hickey name was Tadhg Ó hIcí, a 15th-century Irish poet and historian from County Cork. His works provide valuable insights into the culture and history of medieval Ireland.

In the 16th century, the Hickey surname appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Monarchs, a collection of official records from the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Mary I. This indicates that the name was well-established in Ireland during this period.

During the 17th century, the Hickey family played a significant role in the Irish Confederate Wars and the Williamite War in Ireland. John Hickey, a colonel in the Jacobite army, was renowned for his bravery and military leadership.

In more recent history, notable individuals with the Hickey surname include Thomas Hickey (1741-1776), a member of the Continental Army who was executed for mutiny and sedition during the American Revolutionary War, and Joseph Hickey (1830-1907), an Irish-American politician who served as the 33rd Mayor of Chicago from 1900 to 1904.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hickey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hickey 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 547 Hickeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.53x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 547 2.53x
Middlesex 391 2.15x
Surrey 125 1.41x
Yorkshire 107 0.59x
Glamorgan 94 2.97x
Cheshire 85 2.12x
Kent 69 1.11x
Northumberland 49 1.81x
Hampshire 37 0.99x
Lanarkshire 29 0.49x
Berkshire 27 1.98x
Cornwall 22 1.07x
Essex 22 0.61x
Durham 19 0.35x
Staffordshire 19 0.31x
Warwickshire 19 0.41x
Gloucestershire 17 0.48x
Devon 16 0.42x
Derbyshire 15 0.53x
Norfolk 12 0.43x
Channel Islands 11 2.04x
Herefordshire 10 1.34x
Midlothian 10 0.41x
Monmouthshire 10 0.76x
Somerset 10 0.34x
Oxfordshire 9 0.80x
Dorset 8 0.67x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.33x
Renfrewshire 7 0.50x
Cumberland 6 0.38x
Perthshire 6 0.73x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.68x
Kirkcudbrightshire 5 1.90x
Royal Navy 5 2.31x
Wiltshire 5 0.31x
Lincolnshire 4 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.52x
Sussex 3 0.10x
Worcestershire 3 0.13x
Ayrshire 2 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.18x
Denbighshire 2 0.29x
Isle of Man 2 0.59x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.13x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.20x
Kincardineshire 1 0.45x
Leicestershire 1 0.05x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.24x
Suffolk 1 0.05x

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 108 Hickeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.24x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 108 8.24x
Manchester 46 4.74x
Kensington London 35 3.46x
Leeds 35 3.44x
Wigan 35 11.60x
Portsea 26 3.56x
Lambeth 25 1.58x
St George In East London 25 14.61x
St Marylebone London 25 2.57x
St Pancras London 24 1.64x
Bermondsey 23 4.25x
Hulme 23 5.10x
Kirkdale 23 6.33x
Mile End Old Town London 21 5.42x
St George Hanover Square 21 6.55x
West Derby 21 3.33x
West Ham 20 2.52x
Whitechapel London 19 10.60x
St Andrew Holborn London 18 22.85x
Wardleworth 18 14.59x
Battersea 17 2.54x
Chelsea London 17 3.10x
Birmingham 16 1.05x
Cardiff St Mary 16 9.17x
Merthyr Tydfil 16 5.26x
Reading St Giles 16 11.94x
Brightside Bierlow 15 4.24x
Swansea Town 15 5.78x
Birkenhead 14 4.37x
Chorlton On Medlock 14 4.08x
Dukinfield 14 7.54x
Glasgow 14 1.34x
Great Bolton 14 4.90x
Fulham London 13 4.93x
West Looe 13 239.85x
Accrington 12 6.11x
Bowling 12 6.72x
Croydon 12 2.44x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 12 25.98x
Toxteth Park 12 1.64x
Warrington 12 4.69x
Barton Upon Irwell 11 6.77x
Bethnal Green London 11 1.39x
Deptford St Paul 11 2.30x
Elswick 11 5.09x
Greenwich 11 3.80x
Stretford 11 9.26x
Westminster St Margaret 11 12.53x
Winterton 11 223.58x
Barony 10 0.67x
Clifton 10 5.54x
Longbenton 10 8.72x
Middlesbrough 10 4.26x
Newcastle Under Lyme 10 9.20x
St Luke London 10 3.43x
St Peter Port 10 10.03x
Windle 10 8.23x
Blackburn 9 1.57x
Camberwell 9 0.77x
Cowpen 9 14.44x
Hackney London 9 0.88x
Hollingworth 9 54.35x
Shoreditch London 9 1.14x
Westminster St John 9 4.06x
Woolwich 9 3.92x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 4.67x
Church 8 26.25x
Gelligaer 8 11.06x
Islington London 8 0.45x
Lancaster 8 6.23x
Llantrisant 8 10.02x
Macclesfield 8 4.48x
Padstow 8 58.44x
Preston 8 1.39x
Roath 8 5.56x
Wallsend 8 9.32x
Barrow In Furness 7 2.38x
East Greenock 7 5.26x
Manningham 7 3.15x
Poplar London 7 2.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 189
Ellen 72
Margaret 54
Elizabeth 49
Catherine 48
Ann 28
Sarah 28
Bridget 27
Jane 27
Annie 25
Eliza 24
Martha 16
Emily 13
Agnes 12
Alice 12
Anne 12
Hannah 12
Julia 12
Kate 11
Louisa 11
Emma 10
Johanna 10
Susan 9
Maria 7
Florence 6
Caroline 5
Elizth. 5
Esther 5
Harriet 5
Frances 4
Gertrude 4
Maggie 4
Margt. 4
Minnie 4
Nellie 4
Norah 4
Rose 4
Anna 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Helen 3
Honora 3
Lizzie 3
May 3
Theresa 3
Amelia 2
Cecilia 2
Clara 2
Lucy 2
Margrat 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 172
James 104
William 80
Thomas 64
Patrick 44
Daniel 34
Michael 34
Joseph 28
Edward 23
Charles 16
George 14
Robert 13
David 12
Dennis 12
Henry 10
Timothy 9
Martin 8
Andrew 7
Christopher 7
Cornelius 7
Frederick 7
Richard 7
Alfred 6
Arthur 6
Jeremiah 6
Owen 6
Edwin 5
Francis 5
Matthew 5
Maurice 5
Peter 5
Albert 4
Jno. 4
Thos. 4
Denis 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Laurence 3
Lawrence 3
Moses 3
Simon 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Bartholemew 2
Ernest 2
Eugene 2
Evan 2
Hugh 2
Philip 2
Sidney 2

FAQ

Hickey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hickey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,856 people were recorded with the Hickey surname. That placed it at #2,351 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hickey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,102 in 2016. That gives Hickey a modern rank of #1,326.

What does the Hickey surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó hÍcidhe, meaning "descendant of Ícidhe" (the healer).

What does the Hickey map show?

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