NameCensus.

UK surname

Mullany

An Irish surname derived from Ó Muileannaigh, meaning "descendant of the muileannach" or "miller."

In the 1881 census there were 243 people recorded with the Mullany surname, ranking it #11,294 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 242, ranked #17,177, down from #11,294 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Rochdale and Glossop. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Watford, Oldham and Neath Port Talbot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mullany is 257 in 2005. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.4%.

1881 census count

243

Ranked #11,294

Modern count

242

2016, ranked #17,177

Peak year

2005

257 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mullany had 243 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,294 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 242 in 2016, ranked #17,177.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 253 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Mullany surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mullany surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mullany 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 131 #14,243
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 243 #11,294
1891 historical 179 #16,198
1901 historical 235 #13,662
1911 historical 253 #12,776
1997 modern 222 #16,508
1998 modern 233 #16,459
1999 modern 238 #16,308
2000 modern 239 #16,239
2001 modern 236 #16,094
2002 modern 251 #15,770
2003 modern 245 #15,822
2004 modern 255 #15,504
2005 modern 257 #15,365
2006 modern 255 #15,521
2007 modern 249 #15,943
2008 modern 240 #16,535
2009 modern 249 #16,466
2010 modern 254 #16,604
2011 modern 245 #16,874
2012 modern 231 #17,448
2013 modern 244 #17,072
2014 modern 251 #16,865
2015 modern 253 #16,669
2016 modern 242 #17,177

Geography

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Where Mullanys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Rochdale, Glossop, Manchester and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Watford, Oldham, Neath Port Talbot, Sandwell and Kirklees. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Rochdale Lancashire
3 Glossop Derbyshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Watford 008 Watford
2 Oldham 011 Oldham
3 Neath Port Talbot 020 Neath Port Talbot
4 Sandwell 013 Sandwell
5 Kirklees 053 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mullany

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mullany

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

Mullany 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

Mullany 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 Mullany is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mullany

The surname Mullany originated in Ireland, likely emerging during the medieval period. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Ó Muilleanáin," which translates to "descendant of the muileann," or "miller." This suggests that the name's earliest bearers may have been involved in the milling trade or resided near a mill.

In its earliest forms, the name was spelled various ways, including Mullan, Mullane, Mullaney, and Mullanny. These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings before they became standardized in modern times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In 1436, a Fergal Mullaney is mentioned as taking part in a battle near Cavan.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name appears in various records, such as the 1659 Census of Ireland, where several Mullanys are listed in County Mayo.

Notable individuals with the surname Mullany include:

1. Michael Mullany (1835-1900), an Irish-born Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Calcutta from 1887 until his death.

2. John Mullany (1786-1867), an Irish-born American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from New York in the 1830s.

3. Anne Mullany (1779-1846), an Irish-born American educator and philanthropist who founded several schools for girls in Philadelphia.

4. Patrick Mullany (1847-1893), an Irish-born Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Dromore from 1887 until his death.

5. Thomas Mullany (1728-1801), an Irish-born soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Kentucky.

The surname Mullany has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Mullaney in County Mayo and Mullany in County Galway, further reinforcing its Irish roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mullany families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mullany 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 70 Mullanys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.47x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 70 2.47x
Yorkshire 33 1.39x
Staffordshire 24 2.98x
Middlesex 22 0.92x
Cheshire 18 3.41x
Durham 13 1.83x
Gloucestershire 12 2.56x
Derbyshire 11 2.94x
Warwickshire 9 1.49x
Northumberland 6 1.69x
Angus 5 2.26x
Lanarkshire 5 0.65x
Midlothian 5 1.56x
Ayrshire 3 1.68x
West Lothian 3 8.34x
Channel Islands 2 2.82x
Kent 2 0.25x
Devon 1 0.20x
Shropshire 1 0.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 20 Mullanys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.68x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 20 15.68x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 11 447.15x
Gloucester Barton St 11 400.00x
Blackburn 10 13.26x
Runcorn 10 82.24x
West Bromwich 9 19.49x
Burslem 7 30.29x
Leeds 7 5.23x
Lichfield St Mary 7 300.43x
Manningham 7 24.00x
Birmingham 6 2.99x
Newcastle On Tyne St 6 32.56x
Newton 6 27.45x
Sheffield 6 7.96x
Ardwick 5 19.55x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 8.07x
Benfieldside 5 106.84x
Castleton 5 17.66x
Dundee 5 6.05x
Macclesfield 5 21.32x
Mile End New Town 5 153.37x
St Pancras London 5 2.60x
Edinburgh Old Church 4 155.64x
Garston 4 47.79x
Govan 4 2.09x
Shoreditch London 4 3.86x
Wingate 4 82.14x
Aston 3 1.81x
Ayr 3 35.55x
Barnsley 3 12.28x
Liverpool 3 1.74x
Mirfield 3 23.08x
Nether Hallam 3 9.36x
Oldham 3 3.28x
Paddington London 3 3.41x
Uphall 3 75.76x
Bishopwearmouth 2 3.28x
Burtonwood 2 192.31x
Pilkington 2 18.57x
Preston 2 2.64x
St Peter Port 2 15.27x
Stockport 2 7.37x
Bradford 1 1.74x
Canterbury St Mary 1 18.28x
Durham St Nicholas 1 57.14x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 12.27x
Enfield 1 6.38x
Fulham London 1 2.89x
Gloucester St Mary Crypt 1 138.89x
Great Sankey 1 192.31x
Great Stanmore 1 93.46x
Hammersmith London 1 1.70x
Haslingden 1 8.52x
Houghton Le Spring 1 20.37x
Huddersfield 1 2.90x
Hulme 1 1.69x
Middlesbrough 1 3.24x
Nantwich 1 16.31x
Newsham 1 454.55x
Norwood 1 18.32x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 2.61x
Saredon 1 454.55x
Shotts 1 10.81x
Whitchurch 1 24.94x
Woolwich 1 3.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Catherine 9
Ann 8
Alice 5
Bridget 5
Elizabeth 5
Margaret 5
Emma 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Jane 3
Anne 2
Eliza 2
Margret 2
Agness 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
An 1
Anna 1
Caroline 1
Christana 1
Clara 1
Elisth. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellaner 1
Emily 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Katharine 1
Louise 1
Margeret 1
Margt. 1
May 1
Norah 1
Rose 1
Sabina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
Thomas 14
James 9
Patrick 8
Michael 6
Joseph 5
Peter 4
Bernard 3
Henry 3
William 3
Andrew 2
Frank 2
Martin 2
Owen 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Bathomlew 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Jas.V. 1
Laurence 1
Lawrence 1
Lewis 1
Louisa 1
Mark 1
Matt 1
Pat. 1
Saml. 1
Stephen 1
Thaddeus 1
Thomes 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Mullany surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mullany surname in 1881?

In 1881, 243 people were recorded with the Mullany surname. That placed it at #11,294 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mullany surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 242 in 2016. That gives Mullany a modern rank of #17,177.

What does the Mullany surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from Ó Muileannaigh, meaning "descendant of the muileannach" or "miller."

What does the Mullany map show?

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