NameCensus.

UK surname

Mulryan

An anglicized rendering of Irish Gaelic "Ó Maolruaidh" meaning descendant of the servant or devotee of the reddish or ruddy-complexioned one.

In the 1881 census there were 43 people recorded with the Mulryan surname, ranking it #27,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 174, ranked #21,466, up from #27,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include High Peak, Sheffield and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mulryan is 183 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 304.7%.

1881 census count

43

Ranked #27,575

Modern count

174

2016, ranked #21,466

Peak year

2010

183 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mulryan had 43 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016, ranked #21,466.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 55 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Mulryan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mulryan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mulryan 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
1861 historical 5 #33,418
1881 historical 43 #27,575
1891 historical 8 #33,550
1901 historical 55 #28,064
1911 historical 48 #28,006
1997 modern 178 #18,958
1998 modern 181 #19,229
1999 modern 174 #19,870
2000 modern 165 #20,501
2001 modern 165 #20,199
2002 modern 155 #21,431
2003 modern 168 #20,171
2004 modern 170 #20,146
2005 modern 170 #20,066
2006 modern 167 #20,447
2007 modern 170 #20,471
2008 modern 162 #21,350
2009 modern 173 #20,869
2010 modern 183 #20,586
2011 modern 180 #20,649
2012 modern 177 #20,836
2013 modern 177 #21,170
2014 modern 183 #20,880
2015 modern 180 #20,997
2016 modern 174 #21,466

Geography

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Where Mulryans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to High Peak, Sheffield, Birmingham and Wolverhampton. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 High Peak 010 High Peak
2 Sheffield 069 Sheffield
3 Birmingham 118 Birmingham
4 High Peak 012 High Peak
5 Wolverhampton 001 Wolverhampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mulryan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mulryan

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Mulryan 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

Mulryan is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mulryan

The surname Mulryan originated in Ireland, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Irish Gaelic "Ó Maolriain," which means "descendant of the tonsured one" or "descendant of the servant/devotee of St. Riain." This suggests that the name may have been originally borne by someone who served in a monastic order dedicated to St. Riain.

The name is closely associated with County Mayo in the west of Ireland, where it was particularly prominent in the baronies of Carra and Erris. Historical records show that the Mulryans were part of the powerful Hy Fiachrach clan, which ruled over large parts of Connacht in the early medieval period.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the entry for the year 1586, a certain Edmond Mulryan is mentioned as being involved in a conflict between the Burkes and the MacWilliam Iochtar, two prominent families in Connacht.

In the 17th century, during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, a Mulryan is listed among the Irish landowners who were dispossessed of their estates by the English forces. This suggests that the family held a position of prominence and influence in the region at the time.

Notable individuals with the surname Mulryan include:

1. Patrick Mulryan (1795-1878), an Irish Catholic priest and mathematician who taught at St. Patrick's College in Maynooth.

2. John Mulryan (1844-1923), an Irish-American businessman and real estate developer who founded the Mulryan Building Company in Chicago.

3. Mary Mulryan (1868-1944), an Irish-American labor activist and trade unionist who played a significant role in the women's labor movement in New York City.

4. Thomas Mulryan (1886-1962), an Irish politician and member of the Fianna Fáil party, who served as a member of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Irish parliament) for the Mayo North constituency.

5. Michael Mulryan (1922-2005), an Irish hurler who played for the Tipperary senior hurling team and won two All-Ireland medals in 1949 and 1958.

While the name Mulryan is not among the most common Irish surnames today, it has a long and rich history that can be traced back to the medieval era and the powerful clans of Connacht.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mulryan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mulryan 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 41 Mulryans recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.24x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 41 8.24x
Staffordshire 2 1.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gorton in Lancashire leads with 31 Mulryans recorded in 1881 and an index of 662.39x.

Place Total Index
Gorton 31 662.39x
Manchester 10 44.70x
Newcastle Under Lyme 2 80.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Micheal 5
Patrick 4
John 3
Thomas 3
Daniel 2
Patt 2
Andrew 1
Burnett 1
James 1
Michael 1
Michl. 1
Nicholas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Mulryan households.

FAQ

Mulryan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mulryan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 43 people were recorded with the Mulryan surname. That placed it at #27,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mulryan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016. That gives Mulryan a modern rank of #21,466.

What does the Mulryan surname mean?

An anglicized rendering of Irish Gaelic "Ó Maolruaidh" meaning descendant of the servant or devotee of the reddish or ruddy-complexioned one.

What does the Mulryan map show?

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