NameCensus.

UK surname

Maher

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Meachair," meaning "descendant of Meachar," a personal name meaning "kindly" or "generous."

In the 1881 census there were 1,086 people recorded with the Maher surname, ranking it #3,663 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,000, ranked #966, up from #3,663 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sefton, Liverpool and Tameside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maher is 7,171 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 544.6%.

1881 census count

1,086

Ranked #3,663

Modern count

7,000

2016, ranked #966

Peak year

2010

7,171 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maher had 1,086 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,663 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,000 in 2016, ranked #966.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,622 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Maher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maher surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Maher 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 397 #6,070
1861 historical 472 #5,507
1881 historical 1,086 #3,663
1891 historical 930 #4,450
1901 historical 1,622 #3,182
1911 historical 825 #5,349
1997 modern 6,489 #1,001
1998 modern 6,749 #1,001
1999 modern 6,773 #1,008
2000 modern 6,764 #1,000
2001 modern 6,624 #997
2002 modern 6,823 #990
2003 modern 6,759 #978
2004 modern 6,802 #974
2005 modern 6,708 #976
2006 modern 6,707 #975
2007 modern 6,758 #974
2008 modern 6,866 #968
2009 modern 7,002 #971
2010 modern 7,171 #968
2011 modern 7,041 #969
2012 modern 6,867 #969
2013 modern 7,017 #965
2014 modern 7,087 #964
2015 modern 7,025 #963
2016 modern 7,000 #966

Geography

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Where Mahers are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Sefton, Liverpool and Tameside. 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 3
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sefton 035 Sefton
2 Sefton 036 Sefton
3 Liverpool 004 Liverpool
4 Sefton 033 Sefton
5 Tameside 027 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Maher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Maher

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Maher is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Maher 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

Maher 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 Maher 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 Maher, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Maher

The surname Maher has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "maor," which means steward, bailiff, or officer. The name was commonly given to those who held positions of authority or worked as overseers or administrators.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maher can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a prominent figure named Maher O'Doherty, who was chief of the Cenél Conaill in the 12th century.

The Maher surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Leinster and Munster, where it was anglicized from the Irish "Ó Maodhóir." The Mahers were a prominent family in the region and played a significant role in various historical events.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Maher was recorded as the Archbishop of Cashel, an important ecclesiastical position in Ireland at the time. Another early reference to the name can be found in the Register of the Priory of St. John the Baptist, which mentions a Thomas Maher in the 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Maher surname gained prominence in Ireland, and several individuals with this name made notable contributions. One such figure was William Maher (1572-1636), an Irish Jesuit priest and author who was known for his work in philosophy and theology.

Another prominent Maher was Cornelius Maher (1623-1678), an Irish Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Cloyne and Vicar Apostolic of Munster during the turbulent period of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.

In the 18th century, John Maher (1701-1783) was a notable Irish politician and member of the Irish House of Commons, representing the borough of Swords.

The 19th century saw the rise of several prominent Mahers, including Michael Maher (1825-1892), an Irish nationalist and Member of Parliament, and John Maher (1837-1915), an Irish-American Catholic priest and author.

Throughout history, the Maher surname has been associated with various place names and localities in Ireland, such as Mahermor in County Louth, Mahernagh in County Carlow, and Maherabeg in County Cork, among others.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Maher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maher 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 653 Mahers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.12x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 653 5.12x
Yorkshire 106 1.00x
Middlesex 97 0.90x
Kent 32 0.87x
Cheshire 24 1.01x
Essex 17 0.80x
Gloucestershire 17 0.81x
Surrey 17 0.32x
Hampshire 16 0.73x
Warwickshire 15 0.55x
Staffordshire 11 0.30x
Lanarkshire 10 0.29x
Monmouthshire 10 1.29x
Northumberland 10 0.63x
Royal Navy 9 7.03x
Angus 7 0.70x
Channel Islands 7 2.20x
Cumberland 7 0.76x
Durham 6 0.19x
Devon 5 0.22x
Glamorgan 4 0.21x
Norfolk 4 0.24x
Somerset 4 0.23x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.46x
Midlothian 2 0.14x
Sussex 2 0.11x
Wiltshire 2 0.21x
Cornwall 1 0.08x
Flintshire 1 0.35x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.07x
Renfrewshire 1 0.12x

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 203 Mahers recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.23x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 203 26.23x
Manchester 72 12.56x
Everton 34 8.37x
Leeds 33 5.49x
Toxteth Park 27 6.26x
West Derby 26 6.97x
Gorton 23 19.20x
Droylsden 19 45.70x
Barton Upon Irwell 17 17.72x
Bradford 17 6.60x
Hulme 17 6.39x
Islington London 16 1.54x
Little Bolton 16 9.76x
St Pancras London 16 1.85x
West Ham 14 2.99x
Ashton Under Lyne 13 4.67x
Birmingham 13 1.44x
Garston 13 34.57x
Kirkdale 13 6.06x
Great Bolton 12 7.11x
Parr 12 26.32x
Preston 12 3.52x
Salford 12 3.20x
Widnes 12 13.05x
Sheffield 10 2.95x
Bristol St James In 9 29.05x
Chorley 9 12.59x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 4.45x
Minster In Sheppey 9 14.82x
Royal Navy 9 8.23x
Blackburn 8 2.36x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 7.90x
Chester St Oswald 8 18.64x
St Woollos 8 9.23x
Tonbridge 8 6.05x
Wardleworth 8 10.98x
Barony 7 0.80x
Dundee 7 1.88x
Edmonton 7 8.09x
Farnborough 7 30.28x
Heap 7 10.36x
Hunslet 7 4.22x
Newington 7 1.76x
St Helier 7 6.76x
Hammersmith London 6 2.27x
Rickergate 6 30.66x
Teddington London 6 24.66x
Westminster St James 6 5.43x
Ardwick 5 4.35x
Bradford 5 8.38x
Brightside Bierlow 5 2.40x
Hackney London 5 0.83x
Harborne 5 4.30x
Kensington London 5 0.84x
Poplar London 5 2.47x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 5 18.34x
Rastrick 5 16.91x
Shepley 5 85.18x
St Botolph Aldgate 5 34.11x
Whitechapel London 5 4.72x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 4 10.35x
Bermondsey 4 1.25x
Bowling 4 3.79x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 1.85x
Newton 4 4.07x
Oldham 4 0.97x
Stafford St Mary 4 7.79x
Woolwich 4 2.95x
York St Margaret 4 60.61x
Aldershot 3 4.07x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 4.27x
Burnley 3 2.80x
Cheltenham 3 1.85x
Church Coniston 3 84.03x
Darlington 3 2.43x
Dylais Higher 3 96.15x
Skelmersdale 3 14.12x
Stoke Poges 3 37.88x
Walton On Hill 3 4.35x
Weston Super Mare 3 6.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 141
Margaret 47
Catherine 37
Elizabeth 24
Ellen 20
Bridget 19
Ann 15
Annie 14
Sarah 14
Eliza 13
Jane 12
Alice 9
Kate 8
Louisa 8
Agnes 7
Emily 7
Maria 6
Martha 6
Catharine 5
Hannah 5
Anne 4
Florence 4
Julia 4
Cathrine 3
Clara 3
Fanny 3
Isabella 3
Marian 3
Susan 3
Winifred 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Anna 2
Arame 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Johanna 2
Maggie 2
Marcella 2
Margret 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Susey 2
Bridet 1
Dorothy 1
Eliz. 1
Elizb. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 117
James 63
Thomas 59
William 45
Patrick 35
Michael 25
Edward 19
Joseph 16
Daniel 15
Richard 12
Charles 10
Henry 8
Peter 7
Martin 6
Timothy 6
David 5
George 5
Stephen 5
Alfred 3
Andrew 3
Christopher 3
Dennis 3
Jeremiah 3
Philip 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Thos. 3
Albert 2
Cornelius 2
Denis 2
Edwd. 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Hugh 2
Jas. 2
Matthew 2
Pierce 2
Wm. 2
Arthur 1
Ch. 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Mathew 1
Michal 1
Nicholas 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Maher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,086 people were recorded with the Maher surname. That placed it at #3,663 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,000 in 2016. That gives Maher a modern rank of #966.

What does the Maher surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Meachair," meaning "descendant of Meachar," a personal name meaning "kindly" or "generous."

What does the Maher map show?

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