NameCensus.

UK surname

Molloy

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Maolmhuaidh," meaning "descendant of the devotee of Saint Mhuadh."

In the 1881 census there were 1,623 people recorded with the Molloy surname, ranking it #2,631 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,012, ranked #960, up from #2,631 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Molloy is 7,164 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 332.0%.

1881 census count

1,623

Ranked #2,631

Modern count

7,012

2016, ranked #960

Peak year

2010

7,164 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Molloy had 1,623 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,631 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,012 in 2016, ranked #960.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,231 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Molloy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Molloy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Molloy 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 429 #5,706
1861 historical 442 #5,847
1881 historical 1,623 #2,631
1891 historical 1,758 #2,592
1901 historical 2,231 #2,421
1911 historical 2,182 #2,310
1997 modern 6,393 #1,023
1998 modern 6,681 #1,012
1999 modern 6,731 #1,015
2000 modern 6,671 #1,022
2001 modern 6,554 #1,007
2002 modern 6,802 #992
2003 modern 6,723 #983
2004 modern 6,684 #991
2005 modern 6,705 #978
2006 modern 6,684 #979
2007 modern 6,804 #968
2008 modern 6,827 #971
2009 modern 7,007 #968
2010 modern 7,164 #969
2011 modern 7,079 #968
2012 modern 6,909 #966
2013 modern 7,063 #962
2014 modern 7,140 #958
2015 modern 7,004 #967
2016 modern 7,012 #960

Geography

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Where Molloys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Sefton, Rossendale, Holytown and Preston. 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 Glasgow Lanark
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sefton 037 Sefton
2 Sefton 036 Sefton
3 Rossendale 002 Rossendale
4 Holytown North Lanarkshire
5 Preston 012 Preston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Molloy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Molloy

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

Molloy 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

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

Meaning and origin of Molloy

The surname Molloy originated in Ireland, likely emerging sometime in the Middle Ages. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "O'Maolmhuaidh," which means "descendant of a devotee of St. Maolmhuaidh." The prefix "O'" indicates a male descendant, while "Maolmhuaidh" refers to a saint who lived during the 6th century.

The Molloy clan was historically based in County Offaly, a region in central Ireland. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Irish annals and records, such as the Annals of the Four Masters, which mention several prominent members of the Molloy family during the 14th and 15th centuries.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Molloy surname was Tadhg O'Maolmhuaidh, a renowned Irish poet and scholar who lived in the late 14th century. He was a member of the esteemed bardic family of Clann O'Maolmhuaidh, who were renowned for their literary contributions.

Another notable figure was Terence Molloy, a Franciscan friar who lived in the 17th century. He was a prominent theologian and philosopher, and his works were widely circulated throughout Europe during the Renaissance period.

In the 18th century, Charles Molloy, an Irish lawyer and judge, gained recognition for his legal writings and contributions to the development of Irish law. His treatise "De Jure Maritimo et Navali" (On Maritime and Naval Law) was highly regarded in its time.

During the 19th century, Joseph Molloy, an Irish-born artist and illustrator, made a significant impact in the world of art. He was known for his detailed depictions of rural life in Ireland and contributed illustrations to several notable publications.

Another notable individual was William Molloy, an Irish-born American politician who served as the 37th Governor of Connecticut from 1907 to 1909. He was a prominent figure in the Democratic Party and played a role in shaping the state's political landscape during his tenure.

While the surname Molloy has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly due to Irish emigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Gaelic name O'Maolmhuaidh and the historical clan that bore this name in County Offaly.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Molloy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Molloy 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 779 Molloys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.12x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 779 4.12x
Yorkshire 164 1.04x
Middlesex 95 0.60x
Cheshire 92 2.61x
Staffordshire 68 1.26x
Durham 66 1.39x
Lanarkshire 62 1.20x
Kent 34 0.62x
Surrey 30 0.39x
Northumberland 27 1.14x
Midlothian 26 1.22x
Worcestershire 20 0.96x
Angus 15 1.02x
Monmouthshire 15 1.30x
Dunbartonshire 14 3.27x
Channel Islands 13 2.75x
Derbyshire 12 0.48x
Ayrshire 11 0.92x
Hampshire 11 0.34x
Cumberland 10 0.73x
Renfrewshire 9 0.73x
Stirlingshire 8 1.36x
Warwickshire 7 0.17x
Lincolnshire 6 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.23x
Perthshire 4 0.56x
Royal Navy 4 2.10x
Anglesey 3 1.06x
Sussex 3 0.11x
Argyllshire 2 0.45x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.31x
Devon 2 0.06x
Dorset 2 0.19x
Essex 2 0.06x
Gloucestershire 2 0.06x
Shropshire 2 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.07x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.10x
Glamorgan 1 0.04x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.32x
Northamptonshire 1 0.07x
Roxburghshire 1 0.35x
Suffolk 1 0.05x
Wiltshire 1 0.07x

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 167 Molloys recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.53x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 167 14.53x
Manchester 107 12.57x
Salford 49 8.80x
Sheffield 38 7.55x
Glasgow 30 3.28x
Hulme 25 6.33x
Barton Upon Irwell 24 16.85x
Stockport 24 13.25x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 22 2.56x
Bowling 19 12.14x
West Derby 19 3.43x
Haslingden 18 22.97x
Stoke Upon Trent 18 3.15x
Birkenhead 17 6.06x
Bootle Cum Linacre 17 11.31x
Doncaster 17 14.72x
Everton 17 2.82x
Kirkdale 17 5.34x
Leeds 17 1.90x
Shoreditch London 17 2.46x
Oldham 16 2.62x
Barony 14 1.07x
Macclesfield 14 8.95x
Oldbury 14 13.66x
Ashton Under Lyne 13 3.14x
Kensington London 13 1.47x
Preston 13 2.57x
Widnes 13 9.52x
Wigan 13 4.92x
Dumbarton 12 20.11x
Gateshead 12 3.38x
Horton In Bradford 12 4.86x
Birtley 11 56.82x
Chorlton On Medlock 11 3.66x
Great Bolton 11 4.39x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 5.35x
Prescot 11 32.14x
Wolverhampton 11 2.66x
Ardwick 10 5.86x
Over Darwen 10 6.62x
Saddleworth 10 8.20x
Spotland 10 4.75x
St Marylebone London 10 1.17x
Walsall Borough 10 23.93x
Bradfield 9 14.77x
Bradford 9 2.35x
Cheadle 9 34.80x
Elton 9 13.76x
Middlesbrough 9 4.37x
Plumstead 9 4.96x
St Woollos 9 6.99x
Toxteth Park 9 1.40x
Arlecdon 8 21.91x
Cheetham 8 5.67x
Dundee 8 1.45x
Greenwich 8 3.15x
Hyde 8 7.70x
Liscard 8 12.61x
Stockton On Tees 8 3.50x
Wavertree 8 13.21x
Westminster St John 8 4.12x
Balfron 7 96.42x
Bermondsey 7 1.47x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.01x
Birmingham 7 0.52x
Chesterfield 7 7.48x
Clitheroe 7 12.57x
Eccleston In Prescot 7 7.37x
Kilmarnock 7 4.93x
Leek Lowe 7 9.77x
Liff Benvie 7 3.12x
Middle Greenock 7 20.75x
North Shields 7 14.78x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 2.18x
Spitalfields London 7 5.84x
Walsall Foreign 7 2.52x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 4.08x
Charlton 6 16.60x
Heap 6 5.98x
St Peter Port 6 6.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 167
Elizabeth 54
Ann 50
Margaret 49
Catherine 45
Bridget 41
Sarah 40
Ellen 35
Jane 24
Annie 22
Eliza 13
Kate 13
Alice 11
Agnes 10
Charlotte 9
Julia 9
Maria 9
Emma 6
Hannah 4
Louisa 4
Margret 4
Margt. 4
Martha 4
Winifred 4
Anne 3
Edith 3
Helena 3
Lucy 3
Rose 3
Winefred 3
Ada 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Esther 2
Eve 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Jessie 2
Johanna 2
Lydia 2
Marian 2
Marie 2
Rebecca 2
Susanna 2
Sussanah 2
Bessie 1
Betty 1
Dinah 1
Dora 1
E. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 146
James 81
Thomas 72
William 51
Patrick 50
Michael 36
Joseph 29
Edward 27
Martin 20
Charles 17
Henry 16
Robert 11
Richard 10
Alfred 9
Dennis 8
George 8
Peter 7
Andrew 6
Arthur 6
Francis 6
Frank 6
Hugh 6
Anthony 5
Bernard 5
Daniel 4
Frederick 4
Wm. 4
Christopher 3
David 3
Dominic 3
Geo. 3
Luke 3
Matthew 3
Timothy 3
Austin 2
Dominick 2
Mark 2
Micheal 2
Owen 2
Philip 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Darby 1
Farry 1
Fredck.C. 1
Fredk. 1
Geo.F. 1
Laurance 1
Lionel 1
M. 1

FAQ

Molloy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Molloy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,623 people were recorded with the Molloy surname. That placed it at #2,631 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Molloy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,012 in 2016. That gives Molloy a modern rank of #960.

What does the Molloy surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Maolmhuaidh," meaning "descendant of the devotee of Saint Mhuadh."

What does the Molloy map show?

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