NameCensus.

UK surname

Molony

A surname derived from a nickname for a person with bald or tonsured head.

In the 1881 census there were 120 people recorded with the Molony surname, ranking it #17,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 215, ranked #18,670, down from #17,756 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, West Dorset and South Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Molony is 240 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 79.2%.

1881 census count

120

Ranked #17,756

Modern count

215

2016, ranked #18,670

Peak year

1998

240 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Molony had 120 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,756 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 215 in 2016, ranked #18,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 201 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Molony surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Molony surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Molony 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 125 #14,700
1861 historical 108 #19,856
1881 historical 120 #17,756
1891 historical 148 #18,506
1901 historical 137 #19,032
1911 historical 201 #14,905
1997 modern 216 #16,802
1998 modern 240 #16,117
1999 modern 235 #16,458
2000 modern 226 #16,840
2001 modern 223 #16,765
2002 modern 222 #17,147
2003 modern 224 #16,859
2004 modern 215 #17,384
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 198 #18,425
2007 modern 202 #18,359
2008 modern 200 #18,640
2009 modern 203 #18,840
2010 modern 202 #19,322
2011 modern 200 #19,280
2012 modern 196 #19,463
2013 modern 212 #18,820
2014 modern 217 #18,645
2015 modern 218 #18,478
2016 modern 215 #18,670

Geography

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Where Molonys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, St Pancras, St John Hackney and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, West Dorset, South Staffordshire, Canterbury and Waverley. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 032 Cheshire West and Chester
2 West Dorset 003 West Dorset
3 South Staffordshire 014 South Staffordshire
4 Canterbury 013 Canterbury
5 Waverley 003 Waverley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Molony

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Molony

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Molony, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Molony surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Molony household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Molony is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Molony 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

Molony falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Molony

The surname Molony originates from Ireland, specifically from the Irish Gaelic Ó Maoldhomhnaigh, which translates to "descendant of the devoted servant of the Lord." The name can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 10th or 11th century.

The Molony family is believed to have originated in County Clare, where they were part of the Dalcassian clan, a powerful dynasty that ruled over the region for several centuries. The name is also found in other parts of Ireland, such as County Tipperary and County Limerick, due to migration and intermarriage with other Irish clans.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Molony can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of Irish history from the 5th to the 13th century, which mentions a Maoldhomhnaigh who was a prominent figure in the Dalcassian clan.

The Molony name appears in various documents and records throughout Irish history, including the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which were administrative records of the English Crown in Ireland during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Notable individuals with the surname Molony include Thomas Molony (1798-1885), an Irish-American Roman Catholic prelate who served as the first Bishop of Buffalo, New York, from 1847 to 1868. John Molony (1902-1993) was an Irish politician and writer who served as a member of the Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament, from 1948 to 1965.

Another Molony of significance was William Molony (1698-1775), an Irish Jacobite and soldier who fought in the Jacobite rising of 1745 in support of the Stuart claim to the British throne. He later emigrated to France and served in the Irish Brigade of the French Army.

In the realm of literature, Francis Molony (1859-1937) was an Irish-American writer and historian known for his works on Irish history and literature, including "The Fur Trade in Canada" and "The Life and Times of John Tyndall."

Lastly, Molony Street in Dublin, Ireland, is named after a prominent member of the Molony family, further highlighting the historical significance of this surname in Irish history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Molony families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Molony 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 37 Molonys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.16x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 37 3.16x
Hampshire 13 5.42x
Cheshire 11 4.26x
Devon 11 4.52x
Suffolk 10 7.02x
Kent 8 2.00x
Durham 7 2.01x
Surrey 7 1.23x
Lancashire 6 0.43x
Northumberland 2 1.15x
Wiltshire 2 1.93x
Yorkshire 2 0.17x
Angus 1 0.92x
Lanarkshire 1 0.26x
Somerset 1 0.53x
Sussex 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chester St John Baptist in Cheshire leads with 10 Molonys recorded in 1881 and an index of 215.52x.

Place Total Index
Chester St John Baptist 10 215.52x
Bury St Edmunds St James 9 236.22x
Westminster St James 8 66.50x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 46.42x
West Worlington 7 8750.00x
Hackney London 6 9.14x
St Clement Danes 6 317.46x
St Lawrence 6 218.18x
Aldershot 4 49.75x
Clapham 4 27.34x
St Giles In Fields 4 99.01x
Croydon 3 9.48x
Shanklin 3 422.54x
Shoreditch London 3 5.91x
Stoke Damerel 3 17.60x
West Derby 3 7.38x
Wickham 3 681.82x
Chirton 2 50.76x
Mile End Old Town 2 10.83x
Portsea 2 4.25x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 2 120.48x
St Pancras London 2 2.12x
Batley 1 9.07x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 4.53x
Glasgow 1 1.49x
Hampstead London 1 5.49x
Hastings St Leonards 1 34.48x
Holdenhurst 1 15.90x
Ipswich St Margaret 1 20.66x
Kensington London 1 1.54x
Liff Benvie 1 6.08x
Littleham 1 56.18x
Maidstone 1 8.41x
Marlborough 1 588.24x
Pendleton In Salford 1 6.05x
Poplar London 1 4.53x
Preshute 1 156.25x
Richmond 1 55.25x
St George In East 1 12.56x
Stockport 1 7.52x
Taunton St Mary 1 28.90x
Todmorden Walsden 1 26.88x
Woolwich 1 6.78x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Molony surname: questions and answers

How common was the Molony surname in 1881?

In 1881, 120 people were recorded with the Molony surname. That placed it at #17,756 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Molony surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 215 in 2016. That gives Molony a modern rank of #18,670.

What does the Molony surname mean?

A surname derived from a nickname for a person with bald or tonsured head.

What does the Molony map show?

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