NameCensus.

UK surname

Leahy

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Laochdha, meaning "descendant of Laochdha," a personal name meaning "heroic" or "warlike."

In the 1881 census there were 461 people recorded with the Leahy surname, ranking it #7,193 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,676, ranked #2,499, up from #7,193 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newham, West Devon and Warwick.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leahy is 2,785 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 480.5%.

1881 census count

461

Ranked #7,193

Modern count

2,676

2016, ranked #2,499

Peak year

2010

2,785 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leahy had 461 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,193 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,676 in 2016, ranked #2,499.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 619 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Leahy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leahy surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leahy 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 224 #9,534
1861 historical 200 #12,005
1881 historical 461 #7,193
1891 historical 423 #8,465
1901 historical 602 #7,062
1911 historical 619 #6,681
1997 modern 2,571 #2,469
1998 modern 2,630 #2,496
1999 modern 2,645 #2,498
2000 modern 2,681 #2,470
2001 modern 2,619 #2,473
2002 modern 2,681 #2,469
2003 modern 2,617 #2,472
2004 modern 2,644 #2,451
2005 modern 2,576 #2,475
2006 modern 2,570 #2,480
2007 modern 2,632 #2,456
2008 modern 2,618 #2,479
2009 modern 2,673 #2,486
2010 modern 2,785 #2,456
2011 modern 2,733 #2,468
2012 modern 2,662 #2,484
2013 modern 2,734 #2,471
2014 modern 2,718 #2,494
2015 modern 2,684 #2,503
2016 modern 2,676 #2,499

Geography

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Where Leahys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Portsmouth, Portsea and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newham, West Devon, Warwick and Blackpool. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newham 037 Newham
2 West Devon 002 West Devon
3 Warwick 010 Warwick
4 Blackpool 010 Blackpool
5 Warwick 006 Warwick

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leahy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leahy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Leahy, 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 Leahy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Leahy 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, Leahy 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

Leahy 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

Leahy falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Leahy

The surname Leahy originated in Ireland and is derived from the Irish Gaelic name "O'Liathain," which means "descendant of the grey-haired one." It is an anglicized version of the Irish name and is found primarily in the counties of Cork, Kerry, and Tipperary.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Leahy can be traced back to the 13th century in various Irish annals and manuscripts. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Donnchadh O'Liathain, who was mentioned in the Annals of Inisfallen in 1292.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns of Ireland, which were records of official acts and appointments. One notable figure from this period was Sir Piers Leahy, who was granted land in County Cork in 1588.

During the 17th century, the name was anglicized to its current spelling, and several Leahys were listed in the 1659 Census of Ireland. This census was conducted by the English government to assess the population and land ownership in Ireland after the Cromwellian conquest.

In the 18th century, the Leahy family played a significant role in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Patrick Leahy, a prominent leader in the rebellion, was born in 1766 and was later executed for his involvement in the uprising.

Another notable figure from this era was James Leahy (1755-1825), an Irish-born soldier who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War and later became a member of the United States Congress.

In the 19th century, several Leahys made their mark in various fields. John Leahy (1795-1868) was an Irish Catholic priest and author, while Michael Leahy (1831-1899) was an Irish-born sculptor who worked in England and received several commissions from Queen Victoria.

One of the most famous Leahys in modern times was William Daniel Leahy (1875-1959), an American naval officer who served as the Chief of Naval Operations during World War II and later as the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leahy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leahy 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. Middlesex leads with 109 Leahys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.40x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 109 2.40x
Glamorgan 72 9.10x
Lancashire 70 1.30x
Gloucestershire 35 3.93x
Surrey 27 1.22x
Yorkshire 27 0.60x
Kent 24 1.55x
Monmouthshire 23 7.00x
Hampshire 18 1.93x
Essex 10 1.11x
Pembrokeshire 7 4.85x
Devon 6 0.63x
Royal Navy 6 11.08x
Berkshire 5 1.47x
Suffolk 5 0.90x
Midlothian 4 0.66x
Brecknockshire 3 3.30x
Dorset 3 1.01x
Durham 2 0.15x
Roxburghshire 2 2.43x
Sussex 2 0.26x
Hertfordshire 1 0.32x
Lanarkshire 1 0.07x
Northamptonshire 1 0.23x
Somerset 1 0.14x
Staffordshire 1 0.07x
Warwickshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 29 Leahys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.93x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 29 7.93x
Roath 16 44.51x
Bermondsey 14 10.35x
Llantrisant 14 70.18x
Islington London 13 2.95x
Liverpool 13 3.97x
Shoreditch London 13 6.60x
Swansea Town 12 18.49x
St Woollos 11 30.00x
Bristol St Augustine 9 62.54x
Hulme 9 7.99x
Bristol St James In 8 61.02x
Halifax 8 12.10x
Oldham 8 4.60x
Westminster St John 8 14.45x
Kensington London 7 2.77x
Parr 7 36.27x
Pembroke St Mary 7 37.63x
Portsea 7 3.83x
St George In East London 7 16.37x
Trevethin 7 22.56x
Whitechapel London 7 15.62x
Bingley 6 20.91x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 7.15x
Deptford St Nicholas 6 48.74x
Everton 6 3.49x
Gillingham 6 18.76x
Lambeth 6 1.51x
Royal Navy 6 12.96x
Scotforth 6 170.94x
West Ham 6 3.03x
Bedwellty 5 8.62x
Blackburn 5 3.48x
Clifton 5 11.09x
Hammersmith London 5 4.47x
Ipswich St Mathew 5 32.22x
Leckwith 5 268.82x
Neath 5 31.06x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 6.86x
St George Hanover Square 5 6.24x
Westbury On Trym 5 16.56x
Aldershot 4 12.82x
Barking 4 15.24x
Cardiff St John 4 15.47x
Cardiff St Mary 4 9.17x
Castleton 4 7.43x
Clewer 4 28.61x
Normanby In 4 33.22x
Poplar London 4 4.66x
Tanshelf 4 111.11x
Wigan 4 5.31x
Clase 3 10.19x
Farnborough 3 30.64x
Idle 3 14.36x
Llanelly 3 27.57x
Mortlake 3 30.40x
Newcastle Lower 3 181.82x
Pendleton In Salford 3 4.67x
Portland 3 18.70x
South Leith 3 4.38x
St Marylebone London 3 1.24x
Westminster St James 3 6.42x
Arundel 2 46.62x
Bexley 2 14.59x
Charlton 2 19.42x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.67x
Gelligaer 2 11.06x
Melrose 2 28.09x
Merthyr Tydfil 2 2.63x
Portsmouth 2 9.32x
St Anne Soho London 2 7.70x
Stranton 2 4.39x
Wandsworth 2 4.57x
Woolwich 2 3.49x
Gloucester St Nicholas 1 24.21x
Hertford St John 1 21.41x
Hound 1 15.82x
Kirkdale 1 1.10x
Northampton Priory St 1 3.90x
Reading St Mary 1 3.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 44
Margaret 26
Ellen 20
Catherine 17
Elizabeth 12
Bridget 8
Annie 7
Emily 5
Ann 4
Sarah 4
Honora 3
Johannah 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Alice 2
Amy 2
Catharine 2
Charlotte 2
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Francis 2
Gertrude 2
Jeanette 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Maud 2
Nellie 2
Rose 2
Angelina 1
Anne 1
Bessy 1
Bright 1
E.Ann 1
Elisa 1
Elise 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Hester 1
Honoria 1
J. 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Johanna 1
Lucy 1
Maggie 1
Marean 1
Ursula 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 52
James 23
William 20
Thomas 16
Patrick 15
Michael 13
Daniel 12
David 6
Dennis 6
Henry 6
Cornelius 5
Jeremiah 5
Charles 4
Edward 4
Frank 3
George 3
Richard 3
Alfred 2
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Denis 2
Edwin 2
J. 2
Joseph 2
Maurice 2
Willie 2
A. 1
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alexandra 1
Chas. 1
Daglin 1
Dan 1
E. 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Jno. 1
Michl.J. 1
O. 1
Owen 1
Patr. 1
Peter 1
Timothy 1
Vincent 1
W.P. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Leahy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leahy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 461 people were recorded with the Leahy surname. That placed it at #7,193 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leahy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,676 in 2016. That gives Leahy a modern rank of #2,499.

What does the Leahy surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Laochdha, meaning "descendant of Laochdha," a personal name meaning "heroic" or "warlike."

What does the Leahy map show?

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