NameCensus.

UK surname

Mulhall

An Irish surname meaning "summit of the hill" or "summit dweller".

In the 1881 census there were 143 people recorded with the Mulhall surname, ranking it #15,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 937, ranked #6,112, up from #15,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Brancepeth and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lincoln, Salford and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mulhall is 959 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 555.2%.

1881 census count

143

Ranked #15,955

Modern count

937

2016, ranked #6,112

Peak year

2010

959 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mulhall had 143 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 937 in 2016, ranked #6,112.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 269 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Mulhall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mulhall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mulhall 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 85 #18,940
1861 historical 78 #23,836
1881 historical 143 #15,955
1891 historical 230 #13,494
1901 historical 252 #13,068
1911 historical 269 #12,300
1997 modern 891 #6,008
1998 modern 900 #6,159
1999 modern 918 #6,109
2000 modern 890 #6,228
2001 modern 880 #6,175
2002 modern 908 #6,159
2003 modern 900 #6,086
2004 modern 873 #6,236
2005 modern 870 #6,186
2006 modern 873 #6,183
2007 modern 877 #6,216
2008 modern 902 #6,124
2009 modern 934 #6,069
2010 modern 959 #6,080
2011 modern 951 #6,070
2012 modern 933 #6,078
2013 modern 942 #6,125
2014 modern 955 #6,100
2015 modern 932 #6,164
2016 modern 937 #6,112

Geography

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Where Mulhalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Brancepeth, Liverpool, Whalley and Walton-on-the-Hill. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lincoln, Salford, County Durham, Hyndburn and Govanhill West. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 Brancepeth Durham
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Whalley Lancashire
5 Walton-on-the-Hill Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lincoln 004 Lincoln
2 Salford 008 Salford
3 County Durham 033 County Durham
4 Hyndburn 008 Hyndburn
5 Govanhill West Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mulhall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mulhall

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mulhall 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

Mulhall 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mulhall

The surname Mulhall originated in Ireland during medieval times. It is an Anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Maolchallann, meaning "descendant of Maolchallann," a personal name composed of the Gaelic elements "maol" meaning "bald" and "callann" meaning "chalice" or "vessel."

The Ó Maolchallann family was primarily located in County Kildare, where they were part of the ancient Irish dynasty known as the Uí Faelain. This clan held significant power and influence in the region during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, an ancient Gaelic manuscript compiled in the 17th century. The annals reference several members of the Ó Maolchallann family, including Aongus Ó Maolchallann, who is mentioned in an entry for the year 1140.

As the name evolved over time, various spellings emerged, including Mullholland, Mulholland, and Mulhallen, before eventually settling on the modern form, Mulhall. The name's transition to its Anglicized form likely occurred during the 16th and 17th centuries, when English influence and administration increased in Ireland.

Notable individuals with the surname Mulhall throughout history include:

1. Thomas Mulhall (c. 1775-1846), an Irish-born merchant and landowner in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 2. Michael G. Mulhall (1836-1900), an Irish-Argentine statistician and author of several works on South American economics and demographics. 3. John Mulhall (1880-1954), an Irish-American actor and playwright known for his work on Broadway and in Hollywood films. 4. Sister Michael Mulhall (1910-1998), an Irish nun and educator who served as the President of Trinity College in Washington, D.C. 5. Brendan Mulhall (1947-2022), an Irish hurler and Gaelic footballer who played for the Kilkenny senior teams in both sports.

The surname Mulhall has a rich history rooted in medieval Ireland, reflecting the cultural significance of the Uí Faelain clan and the linguistic evolution of Irish names during the era of English colonization.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mulhall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mulhall 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 78 Mulhalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.78x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 78 4.78x
Yorkshire 19 1.39x
Durham 10 2.44x
Devon 7 2.45x
Hampshire 6 2.13x
Lanarkshire 6 1.35x
Northumberland 6 2.93x
Sussex 3 1.29x
Cheshire 2 0.66x
Renfrewshire 2 1.88x
Essex 1 0.37x
Middlesex 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 21 Mulhalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.19x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 21 21.19x
Manchester 9 12.26x
Newton 9 71.54x
Accrington 7 47.17x
Oldham 7 13.29x
Plympton St Mary 7 424.24x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 46.30x
Gateshead 6 19.58x
Bowling 5 37.04x
Earsdon 5 301.20x
Farlington 5 862.07x
Beswick 4 95.92x
Crook Billy Row 4 76.34x
Govan 4 3.64x
Halifax 4 19.99x
Leeds 4 5.20x
Over Darwen 3 23.01x
Rixton With Glazebrook 3 714.29x
Abbey 2 12.30x
Barnsley 2 14.22x
Bradford 2 6.06x
Crumpsall 2 51.95x
Cuckfield 2 85.47x
North Meols 2 12.52x
Old Monkland 2 11.33x
Toxteth Park 2 3.62x
Barrow In Furness 1 4.50x
Bold 1 250.00x
Broughton In Salford 1 6.70x
Eastbourne 1 9.37x
Fulham London 1 5.01x
Hartford 1 144.93x
Little Warley 1 263.16x
Nether Hallam 1 5.42x
Northen Etchells 1 277.78x
Portsea 1 1.81x
Selby 1 35.09x
Tynemouth 1 9.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Catherine 4
Margaret 4
Ann 3
Bridget 3
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Julia 3
Sarah 3
Anne 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Martha 2
Amy 1
Annie 1
Christina 1
Edward 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Honorah 1
Jemima 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Susanah 1
William 1
Winefred 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Mulhall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mulhall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 143 people were recorded with the Mulhall surname. That placed it at #15,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mulhall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 937 in 2016. That gives Mulhall a modern rank of #6,112.

What does the Mulhall surname mean?

An Irish surname meaning "summit of the hill" or "summit dweller".

What does the Mulhall map show?

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