NameCensus.

UK surname

Mulrooney

Irish surname derived from the Gaelic words "mul" meaning "hill" and "ruanaidh" meaning "reddish-brown."

In the 1881 census there were 176 people recorded with the Mulrooney surname, ranking it #13,930 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 491, ranked #10,116, up from #13,930 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Prestbury and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Burnley, Westburn and Newton and Harrogate.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mulrooney is 531 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 179.0%.

1881 census count

176

Ranked #13,930

Modern count

491

2016, ranked #10,116

Peak year

1998

531 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mulrooney had 176 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,930 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 491 in 2016, ranked #10,116.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 250 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Mulrooney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mulrooney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mulrooney 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 54 #27,127
1881 historical 176 #13,930
1891 historical 207 #14,546
1901 historical 250 #13,136
1911 historical 194 #15,250
1997 modern 505 #9,232
1998 modern 531 #9,164
1999 modern 520 #9,379
2000 modern 526 #9,272
2001 modern 504 #9,413
2002 modern 501 #9,611
2003 modern 508 #9,379
2004 modern 513 #9,338
2005 modern 531 #9,034
2006 modern 523 #9,170
2007 modern 520 #9,284
2008 modern 518 #9,388
2009 modern 526 #9,487
2010 modern 529 #9,640
2011 modern 502 #9,923
2012 modern 488 #10,049
2013 modern 500 #10,023
2014 modern 498 #10,102
2015 modern 491 #10,134
2016 modern 491 #10,116

Geography

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Where Mulrooneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Prestbury, Govan Combination, Liverpool and Leigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Burnley, Westburn and Newton, Harrogate, Trafford and Dalmarnock. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Prestbury Cheshire
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Leigh Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Burnley 006 Burnley
2 Westburn and Newton South Lanarkshire
3 Harrogate 017 Harrogate
4 Trafford 003 Trafford
5 Dalmarnock Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mulrooney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mulrooney

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mulrooney, 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 Mulrooney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Mulrooney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mulrooney is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Mulrooney 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mulrooney

The surname Mulrooney is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Ó Maolruanaidh, which means "descendant of the servant or devotee of Ruanaidh." Ruanaidh was an Irish personal name, itself derived from the Old Norse name Rögnvaldr, meaning "ruler's counselor." The name is believed to have originated in the 11th century among the O'Mulroney sept, a branch of the powerful O'Brien clan from County Clare.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions an Aedh O'Mulrooney in the year 1201. In the 16th century, the Mulrooneys were among the principal families of the Barony of Inchiquin in County Clare, owning lands in the parish of Kilmurry-Ibrickane.

The name is also found in various historical records, such as the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which mention a pardon granted to Teige Oge Mulrooney in 1583. The surname has several spelling variations, including Mulrooney, Mulroney, Mulroony, and Mulroony, reflecting the difficulties in transliterating Irish names into English orthography.

Notable individuals with the surname Mulrooney include:

1. Sir James Mulrooney (1836-1904), an Irish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Parliament of Victoria. 2. John Mulrooney (1833-1916), an Irish-American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of New York City from 1894 to 1897. 3. Michael Mulrooney (1836-1921), an Irish Jesuit priest and educator who co-founded Clongowes Wood College in County Kildare, Ireland. 4. William Mulrooney (1795-1870), an Irish-born Australian landowner and politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. 5. Patrick Mulrooney (1860-1942), an Irish-born American baseball player who played for the Cincinnati Red Stockings in the late 19th century.

While the surname Mulrooney is relatively uncommon outside of Ireland and areas with large Irish diasporas, it has a rich history and can be traced back to the medieval period in County Clare, where it was associated with influential families and landowners.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mulrooney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mulrooney 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 64 Mulrooneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.14x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 64 3.14x
Yorkshire 49 2.88x
Cheshire 18 4.75x
Lanarkshire 16 2.88x
Staffordshire 11 1.90x
Angus 4 2.52x
Denbighshire 4 6.17x
Renfrewshire 4 3.01x
Argyllshire 3 6.28x
Devon 1 0.28x
Hampshire 1 0.28x
Middlesex 1 0.06x

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 22 Mulrooneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.78x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 22 17.78x
Burnley 20 116.62x
Macclesfield 13 77.20x
Hamilton 11 71.06x
Pocklington 9 559.01x
Bramham Cum Oglethorpe 8 1176.47x
Selby 8 225.35x
York St Michael Le 8 1454.55x
Hulme 7 16.46x
Astley 6 382.17x
Rugeley 6 144.23x
Govan 5 3.64x
Knaresborough 5 187.27x
Northowram 5 41.91x
Ripon 5 126.58x
Abbey 4 19.70x
Dundee 4 6.74x
Hyde 4 35.78x
Newcastle Under Lyme 4 39.02x
Wrexham Abbot 4 245.40x
Campbeltown 3 52.08x
Little Bolton 2 7.64x
Alverstoke 1 7.85x
Bury 1 4.30x
Daresbury 1 1250.00x
Eccleston In Prescot 1 9.78x
Elton 1 14.20x
Exeter Heavitree 1 37.59x
Gate Fulford 1 25.19x
Leek Lowe 1 12.97x
Lower Booths 1 27.40x
Manchester 1 1.09x
Oswaldtwistle 1 13.89x
St Marylebone London 1 1.09x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 1 17.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Margaret 10
Bridget 7
Ann 5
Catherine 4
Ellen 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Helen 2
Margt. 2
Amy 1
Catharine 1
Elina 1
Elizabeth 1
Hannah 1
Hanora 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Kitty 1
Maggie 1
Maria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
James 11
Thomas 9
Michael 8
Patrick 5
Edward 4
William 4
Martin 3
Charles 2
Michl. 2
Richard 2
Bartly 1
David 1
Denis 1
Joseph 1
Owe 1
Owen 1
Patk. 1
Patricke 1
Peter 1
Sam. 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Mulrooney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mulrooney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 176 people were recorded with the Mulrooney surname. That placed it at #13,930 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mulrooney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 491 in 2016. That gives Mulrooney a modern rank of #10,116.

What does the Mulrooney surname mean?

Irish surname derived from the Gaelic words "mul" meaning "hill" and "ruanaidh" meaning "reddish-brown."

What does the Mulrooney map show?

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