NameCensus.

UK surname

Lavery

An Irish occupational surname referring to a descendant of a laundry washer or servant.

In the 1881 census there were 821 people recorded with the Lavery surname, ranking it #4,571 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,018, ranked #2,229, up from #4,571 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lochside and Lincluden, Liverpool and Garthamlock, Auchinlea and Gartloch.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lavery is 3,077 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 267.6%.

1881 census count

821

Ranked #4,571

Modern count

3,018

2016, ranked #2,229

Peak year

2010

3,077 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lavery had 821 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,571 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,018 in 2016, ranked #2,229.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,059 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lavery surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lavery surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lavery 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 292 #7,807
1861 historical 394 #6,504
1881 historical 821 #4,571
1891 historical 876 #4,696
1901 historical 1,059 #4,542
1911 historical 694 #6,121
1997 modern 2,674 #2,386
1998 modern 2,769 #2,397
1999 modern 2,756 #2,420
2000 modern 2,758 #2,411
2001 modern 2,693 #2,413
2002 modern 2,782 #2,395
2003 modern 2,734 #2,389
2004 modern 2,729 #2,390
2005 modern 2,767 #2,349
2006 modern 2,803 #2,323
2007 modern 2,901 #2,259
2008 modern 2,892 #2,282
2009 modern 2,973 #2,273
2010 modern 3,077 #2,239
2011 modern 3,000 #2,278
2012 modern 2,972 #2,249
2013 modern 3,022 #2,254
2014 modern 3,062 #2,231
2015 modern 3,057 #2,212
2016 modern 3,018 #2,229

Geography

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Where Laverys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Govan Combination, Gateshead, Middlesborough and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lochside and Lincluden, Liverpool, Garthamlock, Auchinlea and Gartloch, Riddrie and Hogganfield and Drumchapel North. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Middlesborough Durham
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lochside and Lincluden Dumfries and Galloway
2 Liverpool 044 Liverpool
3 Garthamlock, Auchinlea and Gartloch Glasgow City
4 Riddrie and Hogganfield Glasgow City
5 Drumchapel North Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lavery

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lavery

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Lavery surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lavery household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lavery 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

Lavery 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

Lavery 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 Lavery is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Lavery

The surname Lavery has its origins in Ireland and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "labhair," which means "to speak" or "to utter." This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive one, referring to someone with a distinct manner of speaking or a profession that involved public speaking or oratory.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Lavery can be found in ancient Irish manuscripts and records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the Annals of Ulster, which mentions a "Malachias Lauery" in 1303. The name also appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, another important historical source from medieval Ireland.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Lavery was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of Ireland, such as Antrim and Down. During this period, variations in spelling emerged, including Laverey, Laverie, and Lavry. These variations likely arose due to the influence of local dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Lavery was Sir John Lavery (1856-1941), an acclaimed Irish painter who was best known for his portraits of influential figures in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Another notable individual was Michael Lavery (1842-1904), an Irish Catholic priest and author who wrote extensively on Irish history and folklore.

In the realm of literature, the name Lavery is associated with writer and poet Maude Lavery (1868-1953), who was a member of the Irish literary revival movement and a close friend of W.B. Yeats. Additionally, Maurice Lavery (1894-1962) was a prominent Irish playwright and novelist known for his works that explored the complexities of Irish identity and culture.

The Lavery surname has also been carried by notable figures in other fields, such as Michael Lavery (born 1961), a former professional footballer who played for various clubs in England and Northern Ireland. Furthermore, Emmett Lavery (1907-1956) was an American baseball player who played in the Major Leagues for several teams, including the New York Giants and the Boston Braves.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lavery families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lavery 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 265 Laverys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.21x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 265 10.21x
Lancashire 156 1.64x
Durham 91 3.81x
Cumberland 44 6.37x
Middlesex 34 0.42x
Ayrshire 27 4.49x
Wigtownshire 25 23.45x
Renfrewshire 24 3.86x
Dunbartonshire 17 7.88x
Yorkshire 17 0.21x
Northumberland 16 1.34x
Angus 13 1.75x
Midlothian 10 0.93x
Staffordshire 10 0.37x
Cheshire 9 0.51x
Dorset 9 1.71x
Isle of Man 8 5.37x
Argyllshire 6 2.68x
Devon 6 0.36x
Surrey 5 0.13x
Warwickshire 5 0.25x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 3.44x
Shropshire 4 0.58x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.40x
Fife 3 0.63x
Monmouthshire 3 0.52x
Royal Navy 2 2.09x
Stirlingshire 2 0.68x
Anglesey 1 0.70x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.56x
Hampshire 1 0.06x
Kent 1 0.04x
Ross-shire 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 81 Laverys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.33x.

Place Total Index
Barony 81 12.33x
Glasgow 59 12.80x
Govan 51 7.94x
Liverpool 40 6.91x
Old Monkland 29 28.15x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 19 18.37x
Manchester 19 4.44x
Arlecdon 18 97.93x
Heworth 16 34.00x
Shotts 16 51.50x
Everton 15 4.94x
Dumbarton 13 43.29x
Toxteth Park 13 4.03x
Abbey 12 12.64x
Gateshead 12 6.71x
Dundee 11 3.96x
New Monkland 11 14.33x
Colmonell 10 165.56x
Longbenton 9 17.79x
Newton 9 12.26x
Salford 9 3.21x
Barrow In Furness 8 6.17x
Child Okeford 8 344.83x
Fulham London 8 6.87x
Lanchester 8 182.23x
Leswalt 8 109.59x
Newchurch 8 10.27x
Shettleston 8 34.41x
Sorbie 8 171.67x
Usworth 8 63.09x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 1.62x
Kilbarchan 7 37.04x
Middlesbrough 7 6.76x
Preston Quarter 7 36.14x
Stoneykirk 7 91.86x
Wolverhampton 7 3.36x
Alston 6 47.10x
Girvan 6 39.79x
Hammersmith London 6 3.03x
Kirkdale 6 3.74x
Maughold 6 52.17x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 6 29.44x
Stewarton 6 50.46x
Cadder 5 26.07x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 14.38x
Waldridge 5 125.00x
Westminster St Margaret 5 12.91x
Whitehaven 5 13.57x
Bishopwearmouth 4 1.95x
Blackburn 4 1.58x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 5.29x
Cardross 4 15.44x
Dalziel 4 14.32x
Darlington 4 4.34x
East Greenock 4 6.81x
Elswick 4 4.20x
Great Lumley 4 97.80x
Harton 4 42.37x
Hulme 4 2.01x
Islington London 4 0.51x
Minnigaff 4 91.53x
Nether Hallam 4 3.72x
Shrewsbury St Alkmond 4 103.90x
Aberdeen Old Machar 3 1.93x
Amblecote 3 38.86x
Aston 3 0.54x
Cleckheaton 3 10.24x
Framwellgate 3 21.20x
Inverkeithing 3 41.90x
Kilcalmonell 3 59.29x
St Woollos 3 4.63x
Stoke Damerel 3 2.57x
Westminster St James 3 3.64x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 1.32x
Edgbaston 2 3.19x
Harrington 2 23.98x
Lambeth 2 0.29x
Modbury 2 46.84x
Oldham 2 0.65x
Thornaby 2 6.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 50
Elizabeth 16
Margaret 15
Sarah 14
Catherine 12
Ann 9
Ellen 9
Alice 5
Annie 5
Jane 5
Bridget 4
Hannah 4
Emma 3
Frances 3
Kate 3
Margt. 3
Agnes 2
Emily 2
Isabella 2
Rose 2
Ada 1
Angeline 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Carrie 1
Cath. 1
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Christy 1
E.H.C. 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
F. 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Florrie 1
Helena 1
Janetta 1
Jemima 1
Julia 1
M.A.E. 1
Martha 1
Mrs. 1
Nellie 1
Olivia 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1
Susanah 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 39
James 25
William 20
Joseph 14
Henry 10
Patrick 10
Thomas 10
Arthur 8
Daniel 8
Robert 8
George 6
Edward 5
Hugh 5
David 4
Peter 3
Andrew 2
Bernard 2
Cornelius 2
Edwd. 2
Michael 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Anthony 1
Arther 1
Chas. 1
Denis 1
Dennis 1
Edwin 1
Felix 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
G.T. 1
H.J. 1
Harry 1
M.H.B. 1
Paterick 1
Patk. 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Richd. 1
Robt. 1
Robt.Thos. 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
T.W. 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Lavery surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lavery surname in 1881?

In 1881, 821 people were recorded with the Lavery surname. That placed it at #4,571 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lavery surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,018 in 2016. That gives Lavery a modern rank of #2,229.

What does the Lavery surname mean?

An Irish occupational surname referring to a descendant of a laundry washer or servant.

What does the Lavery map show?

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