NameCensus.

UK surname

Neill

An Irish surname derived from Niall, meaning "champion" or "cloud," often indicating descent from an ancient king.

In the 1881 census there were 1,967 people recorded with the Neill surname, ranking it #2,229 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,330, ranked #1,576, up from #2,229 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, IZ12 and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Neill is 4,549 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 120.1%.

1881 census count

1,967

Ranked #2,229

Modern count

4,330

2016, ranked #1,576

Peak year

2010

4,549 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Neill had 1,967 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,229 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,330 in 2016, ranked #1,576.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,801 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Neill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Neill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Neill 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 983 #2,839
1861 historical 1,261 #2,262
1881 historical 1,967 #2,229
1891 historical 2,347 #2,000
1901 historical 2,801 #1,994
1911 historical 1,694 #2,897
1997 modern 3,949 #1,646
1998 modern 4,055 #1,668
1999 modern 4,031 #1,687
2000 modern 4,063 #1,663
2001 modern 3,963 #1,671
2002 modern 4,069 #1,658
2003 modern 3,980 #1,660
2004 modern 4,080 #1,608
2005 modern 3,997 #1,627
2006 modern 4,018 #1,616
2007 modern 4,066 #1,614
2008 modern 4,077 #1,625
2009 modern 4,378 #1,558
2010 modern 4,549 #1,530
2011 modern 4,333 #1,579
2012 modern 4,187 #1,603
2013 modern 4,264 #1,607
2014 modern 4,321 #1,596
2015 modern 4,283 #1,591
2016 modern 4,330 #1,576

Geography

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Where Neills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, IZ12, Liverpool, Glenfarg, Dunning and Rhynd and Manchester. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
2 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire
3 Liverpool 059 Liverpool
4 Glenfarg, Dunning and Rhynd Perth and Kinross
5 Manchester 012 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Neill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Neill

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Neill, 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 Neill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Neill 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Neill 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

Neill is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Neill falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Neill 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 Neill, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Neill

The surname Neill has its origins in Ireland, with the earliest records dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic name Niall, which means "champion" or "cloud." The name was particularly prevalent in Ulster and the northern regions of Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Neill name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history written in the 15th century. It mentions several individuals bearing the name, including Niall Caille Mac Áedha Neill, who lived in the 12th century.

The Neill surname can also be traced back to the ancient Irish kingdom of Ui Neill, which ruled parts of Ulster and Meath from the 5th to the 12th century. The kingdom was founded by Niall Noígiallach, a powerful Irish king who reigned in the late 4th and early 5th centuries.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Neill name was associated with the powerful O'Neill dynasty, a prominent Irish royal family that ruled parts of Ulster. The most notable member of this dynasty was Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone (c. 1550-1616), who led the Irish rebellion against English rule in the Nine Years' War.

Other notable figures with the Neill surname include:

1. Sir John Neill (1811-1857), a British army officer who served in the First Anglo-Afghan War. 2. Thomas Neill (1776-1851), an Irish naturalist and horticulturist who contributed to the development of botany in Ireland. 3. Reverend Richard Neill (1693-1769), an Irish Presbyterian minister and author. 4. James Neill (1810-1857), a Scottish-born American politician and judge who served as the seventh Governor of Arkansas. 5. John Neill (1877-1949), an Irish artist and illustrator best known for his illustrations in Andrew Lang's Fairy Book series.

The Neill surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Neillstown and Neillsbrook, reflecting the historical influence and presence of the name in certain regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Neill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Neill 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 285 Neills recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.24x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 285 1.24x
Lanarkshire 226 3.61x
Middlesex 226 1.17x
Midlothian 170 6.56x
Yorkshire 150 0.78x
Renfrewshire 115 7.67x
Ayrshire 108 7.46x
Angus 106 5.91x
East Lothian 75 29.27x
Kent 52 0.79x
Surrey 49 0.52x
Fife 38 3.32x
Northumberland 38 1.32x
Wigtownshire 38 14.79x
Hampshire 34 0.86x
Devon 33 0.82x
Durham 26 0.45x
Perthshire 16 1.84x
Stirlingshire 14 1.96x
Warwickshire 14 0.29x
Dunbartonshire 13 2.50x
Channel Islands 12 2.09x
Royal Navy 12 5.21x
Glamorgan 9 0.27x
Cumberland 8 0.48x
Ross-shire 8 1.51x
West Lothian 8 2.75x
Bedfordshire 7 0.70x
Berwickshire 7 2.99x
Gloucestershire 7 0.18x
Northamptonshire 7 0.38x
Sutherland 7 4.71x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.23x
Staffordshire 6 0.09x
Cheshire 5 0.12x
Dumfriesshire 5 1.17x
Essex 5 0.13x
Monmouthshire 5 0.36x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.34x
Oxfordshire 4 0.33x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.17x
Kincardineshire 3 1.27x
Leicestershire 3 0.14x
Roxburghshire 3 0.86x
Denbighshire 2 0.27x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.71x
Selkirkshire 2 1.14x
Cornwall 1 0.05x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Hertfordshire 1 0.08x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.16x
Sussex 1 0.03x
Westmorland 1 0.24x
Wiltshire 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. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 87 Neills recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.34x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 87 8.34x
Govan 77 4.98x
Barony 64 4.04x
West Greenock 64 23.78x
St Pancras London 53 3.40x
Glasgow 52 4.68x
Tranent 38 109.76x
Everton 34 4.65x
Salford 34 5.04x
Liverpool 32 2.30x
Dundee 30 4.48x
Manchester 29 2.81x
Haddington 28 74.03x
South Leith 24 8.23x
East Greenock 22 15.54x
Ayr 19 27.81x
Chorlton On Medlock 17 4.66x
North Leith 16 13.34x
Halifax 15 5.33x
Newcastle On Tyne St 15 10.05x
Poplar London 15 4.11x
Heaton Norris 14 10.72x
Westminster St 14 19.63x
Dalkeith 13 25.43x
Gillingham 13 9.55x
Hackney London 13 1.20x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 12 6.72x
Balmerino 12 272.73x
Broughton In Salford 12 5.72x
Kirriemuir 12 27.14x
Brightside Bierlow 11 2.93x
Crail 11 94.10x
Forfar 11 11.34x
Islington London 11 0.59x
Shotts 11 14.69x
St Helier 11 5.89x
West Derby 11 1.64x
Bentham 10 68.45x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.96x
Maybole 10 22.69x
Mochrum 10 65.19x
Port Glasgow 10 13.80x
Rotherham 10 9.25x
Aston 9 0.67x
Dartmouth Townstall 9 54.88x
Ecclesall Bierlow 9 2.31x
Edinburgh St Stephens 9 17.64x
Hammersmith London 9 1.89x
Heworth 9 7.94x
Kensington London 9 0.84x
Kilmarnock 9 5.22x
Lochlee 9 376.57x
Montrose 9 8.29x
St Marylebone London 9 0.87x
St Quivox 9 18.39x
Tottenham 9 2.92x
Beswick 8 13.63x
Cambusnethan 8 5.76x
Cheetham 8 4.67x
Cromarty 8 56.26x
Edinburgh St Marys 8 15.88x
Falkirk 8 4.79x
Lambeth 8 0.47x
Logie Pert 8 121.03x
Monkton Prestwick 8 56.78x
Norwood 8 18.09x
Paisley High Church 8 6.70x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 2.58x
Shoreditch London 8 0.95x
Tarbolton 8 33.59x
Wapping London 8 54.16x
Battersea 7 0.98x
Beverley St Martin 7 21.88x
Dornoch 7 41.77x
Haslingden 7 7.36x
Lochee 7 43.80x
Luton 7 4.04x
North Meols 7 3.12x
Royal Navy 7 3.55x
Yester 7 113.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 82
Elizabeth 43
Margaret 22
Ann 19
Alice 18
Sarah 18
Jane 17
Emma 15
Kate 15
Annie 14
Ellen 13
Eliza 12
Agnes 8
Catherine 7
Maria 7
Ada 6
Amelia 6
Charlotte 6
Emily 6
Jessie 6
Martha 6
Florence 5
Helen 5
Isabella 5
Louisa 5
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Harriet 4
Lucy 4
Susan 4
Susannah 4
Beatrice 3
Caroline 3
Ethel 3
Janet 3
Nellie 3
Rebecca 3
Ruth 3
Catharine 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Frances 2
Johanna 2
Julia 2
Margret 2
Margt. 2
Minnie 2
Rosannah 2
Rosina 2
Sophia 2

Top male names

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

FAQ

Neill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Neill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,967 people were recorded with the Neill surname. That placed it at #2,229 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Neill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,330 in 2016. That gives Neill a modern rank of #1,576.

What does the Neill surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from Niall, meaning "champion" or "cloud," often indicating descent from an ancient king.

What does the Neill map show?

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