NameCensus.

UK surname

Limerick

A surname of Irish origin referring to a person from the city of Limerick.

In the 1881 census there were 97 people recorded with the Limerick surname, ranking it #20,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 149, ranked #23,844, down from #20,127 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leslie and Newcastle, Mid Sussex and Gwynedd.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Limerick is 158 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.6%.

1881 census count

97

Ranked #20,127

Modern count

149

2016, ranked #23,844

Peak year

2010

158 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Limerick had 97 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,127 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016, ranked #23,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 99 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Limerick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Limerick surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Limerick 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 50 #27,636
1881 historical 97 #20,127
1891 historical 82 #26,494
1901 historical 82 #25,019
1911 historical 99 #22,850
1997 modern 129 #23,143
1998 modern 132 #23,394
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 143 #22,457
2001 modern 137 #22,740
2002 modern 137 #23,198
2003 modern 128 #23,890
2004 modern 133 #23,528
2005 modern 131 #23,737
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 142 #23,025
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 155 #22,438
2010 modern 158 #22,692
2011 modern 148 #23,520
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 148 #23,934
2016 modern 149 #23,844

Geography

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Where Limericks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leslie and Newcastle, Mid Sussex, Gwynedd, Ipswich and Hertsmere. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leslie and Newcastle Fife
2 Mid Sussex 006 Mid Sussex
3 Gwynedd 006 Gwynedd
4 Ipswich 015 Ipswich
5 Hertsmere 008 Hertsmere

Forenames

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First names often paired with Limerick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Limerick

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Limerick, 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 Limerick surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Limerick 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Limerick 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

Limerick is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Limerick falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Limerick 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Limerick

The surname Limerick originated in Ireland, deriving from the Irish county of the same name. The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 12th century, when it was spelled as "Luimneach" in Irish Gaelic.

The name Limerick is believed to be derived from the Irish word "loim", meaning "bare or barren", and "neach", meaning "place". This is thought to refer to the exposed and treeless condition of the area around the city of Limerick, which is situated on the River Shannon.

In the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, there are references to the "Luimnigh" people living in the Limerick area as early as the 7th century. The Annals also mention a battle fought in 968 between the "men of Luimnech" and the Vikings.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Limerick was Donnchadh Ua Briain (1009-1064), who was the King of Munster and effectively ruled the Kingdom of Limerick from 1038 until his death. He was known for his military campaigns against the Norse-Gaels and for his patronage of the arts and literature.

Another notable figure was Muiris Óg Limerick (c. 1370-1460), a renowned Irish poet and scholar who composed works in both Irish and Latin. He is believed to have been born in the city of Limerick and served as the chief poet to several Irish kings and lords.

In the 16th century, Edmund Limerick (c. 1530-1601) was a prominent Catholic lawyer and judge in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Despite facing persecution for his faith, he held several important legal positions and was appointed as Chief Baron of the Exchequer in 1594.

During the 17th century, James Limerick (1641-1709) was an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of calculus. He worked closely with Isaac Newton and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1675.

In more recent history, Harry Limerick (1824-1892) was a Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and played a key role in the development of the city of Toronto.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Limerick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Limerick 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 23 Limericks recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.52x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 23 7.52x
Worcestershire 17 13.76x
Northumberland 13 9.24x
Nottinghamshire 11 8.63x
Durham 8 2.84x
Lancashire 8 0.71x
Yorkshire 5 0.53x
Gloucestershire 4 2.16x
Middlesex 4 0.42x
Wiltshire 2 2.39x
Sussex 1 0.63x
Warwickshire 1 0.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 10 Limericks recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.32x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 10 30.32x
Bishopwearmouth 8 33.11x
Great Malvern 8 310.08x
Hamilton 7 82.06x
North Shields 7 249.11x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 57.27x
Barony 5 6.46x
Chirton 5 156.74x
Glasgow 4 7.36x
Liverpool 4 5.87x
Ormskirk 4 186.05x
Carluke 3 107.91x
Kidderminster Foreign 3 171.43x
Leigh 3 200.00x
Draycot Cerne 2 4000.00x
Govan 2 2.64x
Lesmahagow 2 61.73x
Ripple 2 869.57x
St Pancras London 2 2.63x
Birmingham 1 1.26x
Bristol St Paul In 1 20.24x
Chelsea London 1 3.51x
Cheltenham 1 6.99x
Evesham St Lawrence 1 151.52x
Gloucester Barton St 1 91.74x
Hackney London 1 1.89x
Hove 1 14.29x
Jesmond 1 50.51x
Newark Upon Trent 1 21.83x
Tredington 1 2500.00x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Francis 3
George 3
Thomas 3
Frank 2
James 2
Joseph 2
William 2
Albert 1
Aurthur 1
Byerley 1
Frederick 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Oliver 1
Philip 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Limerick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Limerick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 97 people were recorded with the Limerick surname. That placed it at #20,127 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Limerick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016. That gives Limerick a modern rank of #23,844.

What does the Limerick surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin referring to a person from the city of Limerick.

What does the Limerick map show?

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