NameCensus.

UK surname

Neary

Derived from the Gaelic "Ó Néarí," meaning "descendant of Néarí," a personal name of uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 649 people recorded with the Neary surname, ranking it #5,499 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,291, ranked #2,834, up from #5,499 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Southampton and Walsall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Neary is 2,352 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 253.0%.

1881 census count

649

Ranked #5,499

Modern count

2,291

2016, ranked #2,834

Peak year

2010

2,352 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Neary had 649 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,499 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,291 in 2016, ranked #2,834.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 971 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Neary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Neary surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Neary 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 212 #9,965
1861 historical 263 #9,423
1881 historical 649 #5,499
1891 historical 645 #6,016
1901 historical 870 #5,262
1911 historical 971 #4,657
1997 modern 2,245 #2,763
1998 modern 2,306 #2,800
1999 modern 2,248 #2,880
2000 modern 2,234 #2,884
2001 modern 2,192 #2,877
2002 modern 2,269 #2,844
2003 modern 2,225 #2,835
2004 modern 2,246 #2,811
2005 modern 2,199 #2,841
2006 modern 2,184 #2,858
2007 modern 2,222 #2,837
2008 modern 2,232 #2,846
2009 modern 2,304 #2,833
2010 modern 2,352 #2,835
2011 modern 2,309 #2,849
2012 modern 2,265 #2,847
2013 modern 2,302 #2,852
2014 modern 2,313 #2,853
2015 modern 2,276 #2,864
2016 modern 2,291 #2,834

Geography

Back to top

Where Nearys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Southampton, Walsall and Bolton. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 010 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 013 Northumberland
3 Southampton 027 Southampton
4 Walsall 018 Walsall
5 Bolton 034 Bolton

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Neary

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Neary

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Neary surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Neary household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Neary 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

Neary 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

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

Meaning and origin of Neary

The surname Neary is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "nearacht" which means "strength" or "vigor." This name is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century in Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Neary can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where it is mentioned in the year 1260. The name was primarily concentrated in the counties of Galway, Mayo, and Sligo in the western part of Ireland.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Neary surname appeared in various Irish records, including the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns and the Petty Census of Ireland from 1659. These records often spelled the name as "Neary," "Neray," or "Nerey."

In the 19th century, some notable individuals with the Neary surname included Patrick Neary (1837-1910), an Irish politician and Member of Parliament, and John Neary (1851-1922), an Irish-born American businessman and philanthropist.

Other prominent individuals with the Neary surname throughout history include:

1. Michael Neary (1770-1856), an Irish priest and educator who founded several schools in Ireland. 2. Jeremiah Neary (1825-1898), an Irish-born American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. 3. Mary Neary (1890-1975), an Irish poet and author known for her works in the Irish language. 4. Patrick Neary (1917-1998), an Irish politician and member of the European Parliament. 5. Brendan Neary (born 1940), an Irish actor and television presenter.

The name Neary has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Neary's Point in County Mayo and Nearyville in County Galway.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Neary families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Neary 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 235 Nearys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.12x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 235 3.12x
Middlesex 71 1.12x
Warwickshire 61 3.81x
Yorkshire 53 0.84x
Buckinghamshire 37 9.65x
Cheshire 34 2.43x
Lanarkshire 21 1.02x
Durham 20 1.06x
Kent 19 0.88x
Northumberland 13 1.38x
Surrey 13 0.42x
Staffordshire 12 0.56x
Nottinghamshire 9 1.05x
Sussex 6 0.56x
Essex 5 0.40x
Hampshire 5 0.38x
Hertfordshire 4 0.92x
Renfrewshire 4 0.81x
Stirlingshire 4 1.71x
Suffolk 3 0.39x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.78x
Derbyshire 2 0.20x
Devon 2 0.15x
Fife 2 0.53x
Glamorgan 2 0.18x
Perthshire 2 0.70x
Wiltshire 2 0.36x
Angus 1 0.17x
Berkshire 1 0.21x
Cumberland 1 0.18x
Herefordshire 1 0.38x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 1.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.26x
Worcestershire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 42 Nearys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.88x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 42 7.88x
Liverpool 32 7.00x
Hulme 18 11.46x
Chearsley 17 3333.33x
Aston 15 3.41x
Great Bolton 15 15.05x
Bethnal Green London 13 4.72x
Leeds 13 3.66x
Bootle Cum Linacre 12 20.08x
Kensington London 11 3.12x
Stockport 11 15.27x
Oldham 10 4.12x
Woolwich 10 12.51x
Barrow In Furness 9 8.80x
Burnley 9 14.20x
Chorley 9 21.32x
Edmonton 9 17.62x
Little Bolton 9 9.30x
Upper Winchendon 9 2195.12x
Warrington 9 10.09x
Bishopwearmouth 8 4.94x
Dukinfield 8 12.37x
Eccleston In Prescot 8 21.18x
Govan 8 1.58x
Hoghton 8 421.05x
Linthorpe 8 21.33x
Macclesfield 8 12.86x
Nottingham St Mary 8 3.62x
Barnsley 7 10.80x
Hornsey 7 8.73x
Toxteth Park 7 2.75x
Wolstanton Oldcott 7 90.32x
Bothwell 6 10.79x
Bury 6 6.98x
Ditchling 6 206.19x
Droylsden 6 24.44x
Enfield 6 14.42x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 10.65x
Birkdale 5 26.26x
Everton 5 2.09x
Farnworth 5 11.09x
Hindley 5 15.59x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 13.58x
Otley 5 32.77x
Parr 5 18.57x
Windle 5 11.81x
Barony 4 0.77x
Chesham 4 28.31x
Crossgate 4 48.48x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.40x
Didsbury 4 40.04x
Lambeth 4 0.72x
Longbenton 4 10.01x
Manchester 4 1.18x
Sheffield 4 2.00x
Stirling 4 13.57x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 1.76x
Sutton Coldfield 4 23.80x
Waddesdon 4 218.58x
Wardleworth 4 9.30x
Wigan 4 3.80x
Birkenhead 3 2.69x
Bovingdon 3 131.00x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 3 20.70x
Camberwell 3 0.74x
East Greenock 3 6.47x
Glasgow 3 0.82x
Harrow On The Hill 3 23.68x
Islington London 3 0.49x
Newchurch 3 4.87x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 3 13.37x
Plumstead 3 4.16x
Rotherhithe 3 3.83x
Shoreditch London 3 1.09x
Skircoat 3 12.11x
Southwark St Saviour 3 9.21x
St George Hanover 3 3.62x
West Ham 3 1.09x
Willesden 3 5.02x
Worsley 3 6.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 61
Elizabeth 21
Catherine 19
Ann 17
Ellen 17
Sarah 16
Margaret 14
Bridget 13
Jane 10
Annie 8
Emma 8
Julia 7
Maria 5
Rose 5
Emily 4
Kate 4
Susan 4
Winifred 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Eliza 3
Esther 3
Hannah 3
Cecilia 2
Elizth. 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Louisa 2
Rebecca 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Caty 1
Cecelia 1
Ceclia 1
Ella 1
Florence 1
Gemey 1
Georgina 1
Helen 1
Honora 1
Josephine 1
Kenegh 1
Kezia 1
Lecilia 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Margt. 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 47
Thomas 34
James 29
Michael 23
William 20
Patrick 15
George 13
Joseph 10
Martin 10
Edward 8
Henry 7
Andrew 5
Edwin 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Daniel 4
Lawrence 4
Peter 4
Owen 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Christopher 2
David 2
Herbert 2
Hy. 2
Laurence 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Nicholas 2
Wm. 2
Bernard 1
Bryan 1
Cormac 1
Dan 1
Denis 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geog. 1
Jacob 1
Kevin 1
Luke 1
Matyn 1
Mavin 1
Michail 1
Micheal 1

FAQ

Neary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Neary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 649 people were recorded with the Neary surname. That placed it at #5,499 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Neary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,291 in 2016. That gives Neary a modern rank of #2,834.

What does the Neary surname mean?

Derived from the Gaelic "Ó Néarí," meaning "descendant of Néarí," a personal name of uncertain origin.

What does the Neary map show?

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