NameCensus.

UK surname

Lally

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Leallaigh, meaning "descendant of Leallach," a personal name of uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 477 people recorded with the Lally surname, ranking it #7,014 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,609, ranked #2,549, up from #7,014 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wirral, Wigan and High Peak.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lally is 2,648 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 447.0%.

1881 census count

477

Ranked #7,014

Modern count

2,609

2016, ranked #2,549

Peak year

2010

2,648 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lally had 477 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,014 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,609 in 2016, ranked #2,549.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 700 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Lally surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lally surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lally 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 202 #10,323
1861 historical 302 #8,393
1881 historical 477 #7,014
1891 historical 546 #6,925
1901 historical 680 #6,417
1911 historical 700 #6,083
1997 modern 2,093 #2,943
1998 modern 2,253 #2,860
1999 modern 2,297 #2,830
2000 modern 2,295 #2,812
2001 modern 2,231 #2,831
2002 modern 2,349 #2,759
2003 modern 2,302 #2,751
2004 modern 2,259 #2,788
2005 modern 2,284 #2,737
2006 modern 2,327 #2,701
2007 modern 2,382 #2,670
2008 modern 2,422 #2,651
2009 modern 2,547 #2,603
2010 modern 2,648 #2,571
2011 modern 2,585 #2,593
2012 modern 2,486 #2,635
2013 modern 2,575 #2,599
2014 modern 2,619 #2,573
2015 modern 2,594 #2,566
2016 modern 2,609 #2,549

Geography

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Where Lallys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, London parishes, Gateshead, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wirral, Wigan, High Peak, Newcastle upon Tyne and Staffordshire Moorlands. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wirral 011 Wirral
2 Wigan 027 Wigan
3 High Peak 006 High Peak
4 Newcastle upon Tyne 016 Newcastle upon Tyne
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 003 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lally

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lally

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Lally surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Lally household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Lally is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lally is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lally 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 Lally 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Lally

The surname Lally is believed to have originated in Ireland. It is thought to be an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Mulláilí, which means "descendant of Mulláile". The name Mulláile is a diminutive form of the personal name Muál, derived from the Old Irish word "mul" meaning "chief" or "leader".

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Lally can be traced back to County Sligo, Ireland in the 16th century. Historical records show that the Lallys were a prominent family in the area, holding lands and positions of authority. One notable member of the family was Turlough Lally, who served as a colonel in the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s.

During the 17th century, many members of the Lally family were forced to leave Ireland due to the Cromwellian conquest and the subsequent Penal Laws against Catholics. Some Lallys settled in France, where they found employment in the French military. One of the most famous Lallys was Thomas Arthur, Count Lally (1702-1766), who served as a French general and was the commander-in-chief of the French forces in India during the Seven Years' War.

Another notable Lally was Patrick Lally (1738-1789), an Irish Jacobite who fought for the French in the American Revolutionary War. He was captured by the British and later executed for his role in the conflict.

In the 19th century, the Lally surname began to spread beyond Ireland and France as members of the family immigrated to other parts of the world. One prominent figure was James Lally (1828-1897), an Irish-born Australian politician and businessman who served as the Mayor of Melbourne from 1889 to 1891.

Other notable individuals with the surname Lally include John Lally (1929-2018), an American actor best known for his role in the television series "The Untouchables", and Evelyn Lally (1909-1998), an English writer and artist who was a member of the Bloomsbury Group.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lally families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lally 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 210 Lallys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.83x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 210 3.83x
Yorkshire 47 1.03x
Durham 35 2.54x
Middlesex 35 0.76x
Cheshire 33 3.23x
Northumberland 25 3.63x
Staffordshire 20 1.28x
Derbyshire 15 2.07x
Surrey 10 0.44x
Lanarkshire 8 0.54x
Dunbartonshire 6 4.83x
Hampshire 6 0.63x
East Lothian 4 6.53x
Norfolk 4 0.56x
Essex 3 0.33x
Warwickshire 3 0.26x
Flintshire 2 1.61x
Perthshire 2 0.96x
Stirlingshire 2 1.17x
Devon 1 0.10x
Midlothian 1 0.16x
Oxfordshire 1 0.35x
Somerset 1 0.13x

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 29 Lallys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.70x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 29 8.70x
Manchester 20 8.11x
Bradford 18 16.23x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 16 26.85x
Warrington 15 23.06x
Stockport 14 26.65x
Salford 13 8.06x
Oldham 11 6.21x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 11 69.66x
Chester St John Baptist 10 54.50x
St George Hanover Square 10 12.28x
Toxteth Park 10 5.38x
Wolverhampton 10 8.33x
Brightside Bierlow 9 10.02x
Hulme 9 7.86x
Leek Lowe 8 38.52x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 19.47x
Bedford 7 60.98x
Govan 7 1.89x
Macclesfield 7 15.43x
Westoe 7 8.98x
Halliwell 6 30.05x
Mellor 6 304.57x
Spotland 6 9.84x
Wallsend 6 27.50x
Widnes 6 15.16x
Windle 6 19.44x
Wolsingham 6 47.85x
Clitheroe 5 30.96x
Garston 5 30.88x
Golborne 5 69.93x
Hammersmith London 5 4.39x
Kirkintilloch 5 29.62x
Leeds 5 1.93x
North Shields 5 36.42x
Wooler 5 206.61x
Bury 4 6.38x
Clapham 4 6.92x
Dunbar 4 46.57x
Hackney London 4 1.54x
Kensington London 4 1.56x
Middlesbrough 4 6.70x
Mundford 4 888.89x
Reddish 4 52.91x
West Derby 4 2.49x
Acton 3 11.07x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 2.50x
Haydock 3 31.75x
Ilkeston 3 14.79x
Islington London 3 0.67x
Kimblesworth 3 163.04x
Ludworth 3 87.98x
Portsea 3 1.62x
Sheffield 3 2.06x
St Bride London 3 111.52x
Stretford 3 9.94x
Birmingham 2 0.51x
Burslem 2 4.47x
Glossop Dale 2 5.90x
Gorton 2 3.88x
Little Dunkeld 2 56.82x
Newton 2 4.73x
Parr 2 10.19x
Pennington In Leigh 2 18.99x
Preston 2 1.36x
Richmond 2 6.34x
Southampton St Mary 2 3.36x
Stirling 2 9.30x
Sutton 2 10.87x
Whitford 2 31.06x
Battersea 1 0.59x
Birkenhead 1 1.23x
Burradon In Rothbury 1 526.32x
Coleshill 1 26.74x
Dewsbury 1 2.13x
Gate Fulford 1 9.35x
Halifax 1 1.49x
Ingatestone 1 68.03x
Lambeth 1 0.25x
St Anne Soho London 1 3.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 47
Catherine 22
Bridget 17
Margaret 17
Ellen 14
Elizabeth 10
Sarah 10
Annie 6
Jane 6
Kate 6
Agnes 4
Alice 4
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Catharine 3
Hannah 3
Julia 3
Maria 3
Rose 3
Anne 2
Isabella 2
Martha 2
Susan 2
A.M. 1
Ada 1
Ammoy 1
Amy 1
Bridgett 1
Celia 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Harriet 1
Honora 1
Honour 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Margt. 1
Marion 1
Nancy 1
Polly 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 53
James 25
Michael 25
Thomas 25
Patrick 22
William 13
Anthony 5
Thos. 5
Edward 4
Francis 4
Matthew 4
Peter 4
Daniel 3
George 3
Martin 3
David 2
Michail 2
Walter 2
Ambrose 1
Augustine 1
Austin 1
Bartholomew 1
Bartholomw. 1
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
Dennis 1
F.L. 1
Frank 1
G.B. 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Jos. 1
Joseph 1
Laurence 1
Lawrence 1
Luke 1
M. 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Mills 1
Patric 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lally surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lally surname in 1881?

In 1881, 477 people were recorded with the Lally surname. That placed it at #7,014 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lally surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,609 in 2016. That gives Lally a modern rank of #2,549.

What does the Lally surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Leallaigh, meaning "descendant of Leallach," a personal name of uncertain origin.

What does the Lally map show?

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