NameCensus.

UK surname

Markey

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Marcaigh, meaning "descendant of Marcach," a personal name derived from marc, meaning "horse."

In the 1881 census there were 532 people recorded with the Markey surname, ranking it #6,457 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,477, ranked #4,169, up from #6,457 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Silkstone and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stonehouse, Forest of Dean and Sutherland South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Markey is 1,484 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 177.6%.

1881 census count

532

Ranked #6,457

Modern count

1,477

2016, ranked #4,169

Peak year

2010

1,484 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Markey had 532 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,457 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,477 in 2016, ranked #4,169.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 675 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Markey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Markey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Markey 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 308 #7,478
1861 historical 412 #6,237
1881 historical 532 #6,457
1891 historical 584 #6,539
1901 historical 675 #6,456
1911 historical 663 #6,337
1997 modern 1,390 #4,161
1998 modern 1,413 #4,242
1999 modern 1,408 #4,281
2000 modern 1,427 #4,228
2001 modern 1,395 #4,233
2002 modern 1,422 #4,240
2003 modern 1,377 #4,274
2004 modern 1,398 #4,229
2005 modern 1,411 #4,168
2006 modern 1,397 #4,198
2007 modern 1,418 #4,189
2008 modern 1,424 #4,208
2009 modern 1,444 #4,235
2010 modern 1,484 #4,220
2011 modern 1,457 #4,234
2012 modern 1,416 #4,266
2013 modern 1,454 #4,240
2014 modern 1,478 #4,217
2015 modern 1,471 #4,207
2016 modern 1,477 #4,169

Geography

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Where Markeys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Stonehouse, Forest of Dean, Sutherland South, IZ14 and Blaenau Gwent. 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 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Mere Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stonehouse South Lanarkshire
2 Forest of Dean 009 Forest of Dean
3 Sutherland South Highland
4 IZ14 West Dunbartonshire
5 Blaenau Gwent 001 Blaenau Gwent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Markey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Markey

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Markey is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Markey 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

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

Meaning and origin of Markey

The surname Markey is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Muireadhach," which means "lord" or "sovereign." The name is believed to have originated in the 9th or 10th century, and was initially associated with the ancient kingdom of Bréifne, located in what is now County Cavan and County Leitrim in Ireland.

The Markey surname has a long and rich history, with references dating back to the 12th century. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where a "Muireadhach Ua Maelsechlainn" is mentioned in the year 1146.

During the Middle Ages, the Markeys were a prominent family in the Irish midlands, and their name was often found in legal documents and land records. In the Annals of the Four Masters, a compilation of ancient Irish manuscripts, there are several references to notable individuals bearing the Markey surname, including Muireadhach Markey, a chieftain who died in 1168.

As the surname spread throughout Ireland, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Marky, Morky, and Murcky. Some of these variations were influenced by the anglicization of Irish names during the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Markey surname in its modern spelling can be found in the 1659 Census of Ireland, where a "John Markey" is listed as a resident of County Cavan.

Notable individuals with the surname Markey throughout history include:

1. Patrick Markey (1804-1884), an Irish-American politician who served as the 11th Governor of Florida. 2. Anne Markey (1891-1936), an Irish author and playwright known for her works depicting rural life in Ireland. 3. John Markey (1932-2020), an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senator from Massachusetts. 4. Roger Markey (born 1958), a British actor and director best known for his roles in television series such as "Downton Abbey" and "Game of Thrones." 5. Kathleen Markey (born 1972), an American artist and photographer whose work has been exhibited in galleries across the United States and Europe.

While the Markey surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through Irish emigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, the name's origins can be traced back to the ancient kingdom of Bréifne and the Gaelic personal name "Muireadhach," reflecting its deep connection to Irish history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Markey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Markey 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 108 Markeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.74x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 108 1.74x
Durham 66 4.25x
Yorkshire 62 1.20x
Lanarkshire 40 2.37x
Somerset 38 4.52x
Northumberland 37 4.77x
Middlesex 35 0.67x
Gloucestershire 31 3.03x
Wiltshire 26 5.63x
Midlothian 14 2.00x
Cumberland 11 2.45x
Shropshire 8 1.77x
Essex 7 0.68x
Surrey 6 0.24x
Worcestershire 6 0.88x
Channel Islands 5 3.23x
Renfrewshire 5 1.24x
Angus 4 0.83x
Cheshire 4 0.35x
Dorset 4 1.17x
Herefordshire 3 1.40x
Lincolnshire 3 0.36x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.21x
Roxburghshire 2 2.12x
Argyllshire 1 0.69x
Devon 1 0.09x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Monmouthshire 1 0.27x
Norfolk 1 0.12x
Northamptonshire 1 0.20x
Sussex 1 0.11x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x

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 35 Markeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.31x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 35 9.31x
Mere 22 419.85x
Barnsley 19 35.62x
Glasgow 15 5.01x
Batley 14 28.48x
Everton 12 6.08x
Wallsend 12 48.72x
Wigan 12 13.87x
Bishop Auckland 11 52.81x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 16.36x
Penselwood 11 1466.67x
Kearsley 10 76.75x
Seghill 10 262.47x
Oldham 9 4.50x
Cheltenham 8 10.13x
Govan 8 1.92x
Seaton 8 152.67x
Thornton In Bradford 8 46.46x
Worsbrough 8 52.81x
Bedlington 7 27.00x
Conside Knitsley 7 58.00x
Keighley 7 12.70x
Little Ilford 7 393.26x
Newbottle 7 82.55x
Oswestry Town 7 48.48x
Cambuslang 6 35.25x
Escomb 6 84.15x
Frome 6 29.87x
Fulham London 6 7.93x
Old Monkland 6 8.96x
South Leith 6 7.63x
West Calder 6 43.54x
Weston 6 92.88x
Beswick 5 31.57x
Bethnal Green London 5 2.21x
Chelsea London 5 3.18x
Kilmington 5 581.40x
Lochwinnoch 5 82.92x
Newington 5 2.59x
St Luke London 5 5.97x
St Peter Port 5 17.48x
Bristol St James In 4 26.58x
Cheetham 4 8.66x
Dawdon 4 20.94x
Great Malvern 4 28.13x
Hartlepool 4 18.12x
Leeds 4 1.37x
Mells 4 229.89x
Moreton Valence 4 655.74x
Pendleton In Salford 4 5.42x
St George Hanover 4 5.87x
Stockton On Tees 4 5.34x
Taynton 4 388.35x
Accrington 3 5.33x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 6.10x
Coundon 3 47.69x
Dundee 3 1.66x
Hackney London 3 1.03x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 6.47x
Rutherglen 3 12.12x
South Hamlet 3 47.39x
Stourton 3 303.03x
Sunderland 3 10.94x
Westbury On Severn East 3 12.96x
Westgate 3 6.24x
Willington 3 33.44x
Workington 3 11.66x
Bath St James 2 22.83x
Clifton 2 3.87x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 0.71x
Gateshead 2 1.72x
Hawick 2 9.45x
Islington London 2 0.40x
Lanark 2 14.73x
Milford Haven 2 148.15x
Newton In Makerfield 2 10.55x
Paddington London 2 1.04x
Shaftesbury St Peter 2 125.00x
Toxteth Park 2 0.95x
Walford 2 93.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 47
Elizabeth 16
Ellen 16
Catherine 13
Ann 11
Margaret 11
Jane 9
Sarah 9
Harriet 8
Bridget 5
Eliza 5
Emma 5
Alice 4
Charlotte 3
Isabella 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Rose 3
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Lizzie 2
Maria 2
Susan 2
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Bora 1
Charlott 1
Christine 1
Edith 1
Emilie 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Hartie 1
Helena 1
Jeannie 1
Leantine 1
Lillie 1
Lilly 1
Lousia 1
Luvinina 1
Margret 1
Masey 1
Matilda 1
Merrish 1
Myra 1
Violittica 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 34
John 26
Thomas 16
Peter 14
Patrick 12
William 11
Charles 10
George 8
Michael 8
Francis 7
Henry 6
Alfred 5
Edward 5
Joseph 5
Lawrence 4
Laurence 3
Philip 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Fredrick 2
Jas. 2
Matthew 2
Pat 2
Phillip 2
Samuel 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Barnard 1
Bertram 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Edgar 1
Fred 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Jas.Chas. 1
Lees 1
Micheal 1
Miles 1
Nicholas 1
Owen 1
Raymond 1

FAQ

Markey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Markey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 532 people were recorded with the Markey surname. That placed it at #6,457 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Markey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,477 in 2016. That gives Markey a modern rank of #4,169.

What does the Markey surname mean?

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Marcaigh, meaning "descendant of Marcach," a personal name derived from marc, meaning "horse."

What does the Markey map show?

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