NameCensus.

UK surname

Mulheron

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Maolchairrín meaning "descendant of the devotee of Cairín" or "son of the little bald one".

In the 1881 census there were 119 people recorded with the Mulheron surname, ranking it #17,841 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 326, ranked #13,896, up from #17,841 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Govan and Linthouse, Castlemilk and Drumoyne and Shieldhall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mulheron is 326 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 173.9%.

1881 census count

119

Ranked #17,841

Modern count

326

2016, ranked #13,896

Peak year

2016

326 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mulheron had 119 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,841 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 326 in 2016, ranked #13,896.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 175 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Routine Occupations or Retirement.

Mulheron surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mulheron surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mulheron 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 50 #24,274
1861 historical 60 #26,313
1881 historical 119 #17,841
1891 historical 159 #17,636
1901 historical 175 #16,469
1911 historical 7 #33,083
1997 modern 270 #14,515
1998 modern 285 #14,351
1999 modern 295 #14,108
2000 modern 300 #13,904
2001 modern 282 #14,294
2002 modern 284 #14,524
2003 modern 295 #13,964
2004 modern 293 #14,082
2005 modern 298 #13,895
2006 modern 301 #13,886
2007 modern 308 #13,791
2008 modern 304 #14,000
2009 modern 301 #14,386
2010 modern 304 #14,591
2011 modern 300 #14,591
2012 modern 315 #14,031
2013 modern 319 #14,141
2014 modern 321 #14,150
2015 modern 324 #13,965
2016 modern 326 #13,896

Geography

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Where Mulherons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow, Dalry and Strathmiglo. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Govan and Linthouse, Castlemilk, Drumoyne and Shieldhall, Central Easterhouse and Gallowgate North and Bellgrove. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Dalry Ayr
5 Strathmiglo Fife

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Govan and Linthouse Glasgow City
2 Castlemilk Glasgow City
3 Drumoyne and Shieldhall Glasgow City
4 Central Easterhouse Glasgow City
5 Gallowgate North and Bellgrove Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mulheron

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mulheron

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Routine Occupations or Retirement

Nationally, the Mulheron surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Routine Occupations or Retirement, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mulheron household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are characterised by high proportions of single, often never-married adults of normal retirement age or older, including many that are in the most advanced age groups. Most adults are UK born and live at high residential densities, and many of the children living with parents are in adulthood. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are uncommon, but above average proportions of households include individuals that identify with different ethnic groups. Long-term disability is relatively common, and the dominant accommodation type is flats. Unemployment rates are high, with most of those employed working in routine occupations. Few individuals have high level qualifications. Car ownership is not high.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mulheron 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

Mulheron is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mulheron 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 Mulheron is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mulheron, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mulheron

The surname Mulheron has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Irish Gaelic words "muileann" meaning "mill" and "erann" meaning "descendant" or "progeny." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who worked at or lived near a mill.

The earliest recorded instances of the Mulheron name can be traced back to County Tyrone, located in the northern part of Ireland. Historic records from the 16th and 17th centuries document the presence of families bearing this surname in the parishes of Clogher and Clonfeacle.

One of the earliest known Mulherons was John Mulheron, a landowner in County Tyrone during the late 16th century. His descendants continued to reside in the region for several generations, as evidenced by various land records and parish registries.

In the 18th century, the Mulheron name appears in the Hearth Money Rolls, a tax record documenting households in Ireland. This includes entries for households headed by individuals such as Patrick Mulheron and Michael Mulheron in County Tyrone.

Notable individuals with the Mulheron surname throughout history include:

1. Reverend James Mulheron (1786-1858), a Catholic priest and educator who established several schools in County Tyrone. 2. Michael Mulheron (1832-1900), an Irish-born politician who served as a member of the New Zealand Parliament. 3. Theresa Mulheron (1843-1920), an Irish novelist and playwright known for her works depicting life in rural Ireland. 4. John Mulheron (1881-1954), an Irish-American labor leader and politician who served as a member of the New York State Assembly. 5. Patrick Mulheron (1904-1987), an Irish-born American actor who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout the mid-20th century.

The Mulheron surname has also been linked to various place names in Ireland, particularly in County Tyrone, such as Mulheron Townland and Mulheron Beg. These place names likely derived from the presence of Mulheron families in those areas over generations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mulheron families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mulheron 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. Lanarkshire leads with 73 Mulherons recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.45x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 73 19.45x
Ayrshire 21 24.18x
Fife 11 16.01x
Renfrewshire 8 8.89x
Midlothian 4 2.57x
Dunbartonshire 1 3.21x
Stirlingshire 1 2.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 24 Mulherons recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.85x.

Place Total Index
Govan 24 25.85x
Glasgow 20 30.01x
Strathmiglo 11 1341.46x
Dalry 9 220.05x
Kilbirnie 8 382.78x
Barony 7 7.37x
Cadder 7 252.71x
Old Monkland 7 46.98x
Paisley Middle Church 7 133.59x
Dalziel 6 148.51x
Dalkeith 3 97.72x
Girvan 3 137.61x
Maryhill 2 27.21x
Abbey 1 7.29x
Dundonald 1 31.25x
Kirkintilloch 1 23.58x
Stirling 1 18.52x
West Calder 1 32.68x

FAQ

Mulheron surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mulheron surname in 1881?

In 1881, 119 people were recorded with the Mulheron surname. That placed it at #17,841 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mulheron surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 326 in 2016. That gives Mulheron a modern rank of #13,896.

What does the Mulheron surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Maolchairrín meaning "descendant of the devotee of Cairín" or "son of the little bald one".

What does the Mulheron map show?

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