NameCensus.

UK surname

Obrian

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Briain, meaning "descendant of Brian," a name derived from an Old Celtic word for "high" or "noble."

In the 1881 census there were 1,869 people recorded with the Obrian surname, ranking it #2,332 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 482, ranked #10,255, down from #2,332 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Greenock East, Newport and Gourock Central, Upper East and IRH.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Obrian is 1,869 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 74.2%.

1881 census count

1,869

Ranked #2,332

Modern count

482

2016, ranked #10,255

Peak year

1881

1,869 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Obrian had 1,869 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,332 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 482 in 2016, ranked #10,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,869 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Obrian surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Obrian surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Obrian 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 906 #3,038
1861 historical 1,261 #2,262
1881 historical 1,869 #2,332
1891 historical 1,151 #3,707
1901 historical 942 #4,966
1911 historical 434 #8,740
1997 modern 467 #9,788
1998 modern 455 #10,315
1999 modern 466 #10,189
2000 modern 458 #10,281
2001 modern 441 #10,412
2002 modern 442 #10,605
2003 modern 413 #11,006
2004 modern 434 #10,619
2005 modern 442 #10,346
2006 modern 462 #10,037
2007 modern 461 #10,153
2008 modern 465 #10,178
2009 modern 478 #10,189
2010 modern 531 #9,615
2011 modern 502 #9,923
2012 modern 505 #9,787
2013 modern 495 #10,093
2014 modern 488 #10,271
2015 modern 474 #10,418
2016 modern 482 #10,255

Geography

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Where Obrians are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Manchester, Liverpool, Bradford and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Greenock East, Newport, Gourock Central, Upper East and IRH, Bridgend and Braidfauld. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Greenock East Inverclyde
2 Newport 007 Newport
3 Gourock Central, Upper East and IRH Inverclyde
4 Bridgend 018 Bridgend
5 Braidfauld Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Obrian

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Obrian

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Obrian is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Obrian 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

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

Meaning and origin of Obrian

The surname OBRIAN has its origins in Ireland and is derived from the Gaelic personal name Ó Briain, meaning 'descendant of Brian'. The name Brian is a Celtic name meaning 'high' or 'noble'. The surname was originally found primarily in counties Clare and Tipperary.

The name can be traced back to the 10th century and the notable Brian Boru, an Irish king who reigned as High King of Ireland from 1002 until his death in 1014. Brian Boru is regarded as one of the most influential Irish monarchs and was known for his efforts to unite the Irish clans against the Vikings.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname OBRIAN appears in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history dating back to the 11th century. The name is also found in the Annals of Ulster, another important historical source from the same period.

In the 13th century, the OBRIAN surname is recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Cloyne, which were records of taxation and land ownership in the diocese of Cloyne in County Cork. During this time, the surname was also associated with the Barony of Inchiquin in County Clare.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname OBRIAN. One of the most famous was Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Thomond (1614-1674), an Irish nobleman and military leader who fought for the Royalists during the English Civil War.

Another was William Smith O'Brien (1803-1864), an Irish nationalist and revolutionary who led the Young Ireland movement and participated in the Irish Rebellion of 1848. He was convicted of sedition and transported to Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) before being pardoned in 1856.

In the realm of literature, Edna O'Brien (born 1930) is a renowned Irish novelist and memoirist, known for works such as "The Country Girls" and "The Little Red Chairs".

Other notable individuals with the surname include Lucius O'Brien (1800-1867), an Irish-American politician and lawyer who served as the 14th Mayor of New York City, and Conor Cruise O'Brien (1917-2008), an Irish diplomat, writer, and political theorist.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Obrian families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Obrian 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 261 Obrians recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.29x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 261 2.29x
Middlesex 109 1.14x
Yorkshire 87 0.92x
Durham 52 1.82x
Lanarkshire 49 1.58x
Glamorgan 43 2.58x
Northumberland 36 2.52x
Staffordshire 32 0.99x
Surrey 29 0.62x
Warwickshire 28 1.16x
Kent 24 0.73x
Renfrewshire 22 2.96x
Cheshire 19 0.90x
Gloucestershire 18 0.96x
Devon 14 0.70x
Essex 13 0.69x
Morayshire 11 7.38x
Derbyshire 10 0.67x
Monmouthshire 10 1.44x
Carmarthenshire 9 2.23x
Leicestershire 9 0.85x
Midlothian 9 0.70x
Cumberland 8 0.97x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.54x
Oxfordshire 7 1.18x
Channel Islands 6 2.11x
Ayrshire 5 0.70x
Clackmannanshire 4 5.05x
Isle of Man 4 2.25x
Lincolnshire 4 0.26x
Wigtownshire 4 3.14x
Hampshire 3 0.15x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 2.16x
Shropshire 3 0.36x
Sussex 3 0.19x
Worcestershire 3 0.24x
Angus 2 0.23x
Bedfordshire 2 0.40x
Brecknockshire 2 1.04x
Perthshire 2 0.46x
Westmorland 2 0.95x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.11x
Berkshire 1 0.14x
Cardiganshire 1 0.43x
Denbighshire 1 0.28x
East Lothian 1 0.79x
Fife 1 0.18x
Inverness-shire 1 0.35x
Norfolk 1 0.07x
Northamptonshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 0.88x
Somerset 1 0.06x
Wiltshire 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. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 35 Obrians recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.06x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 35 5.06x
Birmingham 26 3.23x
Chorlton On Medlock 21 11.62x
Glasgow 20 3.63x
Manchester 19 3.71x
Gateshead 16 7.49x
Oldham 16 4.36x
St Marylebone London 16 3.13x
Govan 14 1.83x
Salford 14 4.18x
Shitlington 14 142.42x
Swansea Town 13 9.50x
Bethnal Green London 12 2.88x
Everton 12 3.31x
Duffus 11 83.78x
North Shields 11 38.64x
West Ham 11 2.63x
Camberwell 10 1.63x
Cardiff St Mary 10 10.87x
Merthyr Tydfil 10 6.23x
Wolverhampton 10 4.02x
Blantyre 9 27.88x
Kilbarchan 9 39.88x
Llanelly 9 9.89x
Merrington 9 163.93x
Stockton On Tees 9 6.55x
Warrington 9 6.67x
Elswick 8 7.03x
Lambeth 8 0.96x
Smallthorne 8 66.61x
Stoke Damerel 8 5.73x
Barton Upon Irwell 7 8.17x
Birkenhead 7 4.15x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 7.75x
Bromley London 7 3.32x
Chatham 7 7.78x
Halifax 7 5.02x
Neilston 7 18.77x
Nottingham St Mary 7 2.09x
Pendleton In Salford 7 5.16x
Rainhill 7 96.02x
Shoreditch London 7 1.68x
St Martin In Fields 7 12.19x
Walton Le Dale 7 22.90x
Battersea 6 1.70x
Blackburn 6 1.98x
Brightside Bierlow 6 3.22x
Bristol St James In 6 21.69x
Broom 6 254.24x
Burnley 6 6.26x
Kensington London 6 1.13x
Morley 6 12.15x
Newton 6 6.84x
Oxford St Giles 6 21.24x
Penarth 6 36.76x
Prescot 6 29.15x
St George In East London 6 6.65x
St Helier 6 6.49x
Wigan 6 3.77x
Batley 5 5.54x
Church Gresley 5 20.93x
Cowpen 5 15.22x
Egremont 5 25.41x
Hipperholme Cum 5 11.98x
Hulme 5 2.10x
Kirkleatham 5 38.97x
Nantwich 5 20.33x
Newport 5 15.12x
Openshaw 5 9.38x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 5 36.85x
West Derby 5 1.50x
Windle 5 7.81x
Aberavon 4 26.04x
Chesterfield 4 7.11x
Clerkenwell London 4 1.77x
Horton In Bradford 4 2.70x
Lamesley 4 26.06x
Middlesbrough 4 3.23x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 2.60x
Tottenham 4 2.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 107
Margaret 35
Catherine 29
Ann 28
Ellen 24
Bridget 22
Elizabeth 21
Sarah 14
Kate 13
Julia 11
Annie 8
Alice 6
Eliza 6
Emma 6
Jane 6
Maria 6
Charlotte 4
Hannah 4
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Catharine 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Johanna 3
Katherine 3
Winifred 3
Agnes 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Helen 2
Kathleen 2
Lucy 2
Marcella 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Norah 2
Bridgett 1
Briget 1
Catheran 1
E.A. 1
Eleanor 1
Elise 1
Elizebeth 1
Honor 1
Honora 1
Janette 1
Johannah 1
Johoanna 1
Joseph 1
Jubeay 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 96
James 51
Thomas 43
Patrick 35
William 28
Michael 24
Daniel 16
Edward 10
Joseph 10
George 8
Martin 8
Timothy 6
Charles 5
Jeremiah 5
Cornelius 4
Francis 4
Richard 4
Andrew 3
Denis 3
Frederick 3
Nicholas 3
Wm. 3
Arthur 2
David 2
Edwd. 2
Florence 2
Frank 2
Henry 2
Jerimiah 2
Michal 2
Morris 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
C. 1
Chas. 1
Edwin 1
F. 1
Humphrey 1
Jno. 1
Lawrence 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Mike 1
Miles 1
Patric 1
Philip 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Obrian surname: questions and answers

How common was the Obrian surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,869 people were recorded with the Obrian surname. That placed it at #2,332 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Obrian surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 482 in 2016. That gives Obrian a modern rank of #10,255.

What does the Obrian surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Briain, meaning "descendant of Brian," a name derived from an Old Celtic word for "high" or "noble."

What does the Obrian map show?

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