NameCensus.

UK surname

Obyrne

A Gaelic surname meaning "descendant of Byrne" or "son of Byrne".

In the 1881 census there were 69 people recorded with the Obyrne surname, ranking it #23,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 878, ranked #6,413, up from #23,816 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dorking, Govan Combination and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Townhead, North Kesteven and Galston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Obyrne is 883 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1172.5%.

1881 census count

69

Ranked #23,816

Modern count

878

2016, ranked #6,413

Peak year

2015

883 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Obyrne had 69 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,816 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 878 in 2016, ranked #6,413.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 109 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Obyrne surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Obyrne surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Obyrne 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 33 #29,814
1881 historical 69 #23,816
1891 historical 58 #29,439
1901 historical 109 #21,712
1911 historical 100 #22,717
1997 modern 770 #6,736
1998 modern 781 #6,890
1999 modern 801 #6,782
2000 modern 826 #6,608
2001 modern 803 #6,634
2002 modern 844 #6,496
2003 modern 803 #6,630
2004 modern 812 #6,589
2005 modern 798 #6,626
2006 modern 809 #6,570
2007 modern 839 #6,442
2008 modern 846 #6,451
2009 modern 855 #6,543
2010 modern 865 #6,603
2011 modern 836 #6,699
2012 modern 848 #6,539
2013 modern 862 #6,562
2014 modern 878 #6,492
2015 modern 883 #6,401
2016 modern 878 #6,413

Geography

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Where Obyrnes are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Townhead, North Kesteven, Galston, Wyre and Sunnyside and Cliftonville. 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 Dorking Surrey
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Townhead North Lanarkshire
2 North Kesteven 012 North Kesteven
3 Galston East Ayrshire
4 Wyre 013 Wyre
5 Sunnyside and Cliftonville North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Obyrne

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Obyrne

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

Obyrne 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

Obyrne falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Obyrne

The surname OBYRNE originated in Ireland, with its earliest known references dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic Ó Broin, meaning "descendant of Bron." The name Bron is believed to have been a personal name derived from the Old Irish word "bron," meaning "a mourner" or "a sorrowful person."

The OBYRNE surname was particularly prevalent in County Wicklow, where the family was among the most powerful septs (clans) in the region. They held significant lands and influence in the medieval period. The name is also found in various historic records, such as the Annals of the Four Masters, which chronicle Irish history from the earliest times to the 17th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the OBYRNE surname was Domhnall Ó Broin, who was mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters as the Lord of Uí Felmeda (a territory in County Wicklow) in 1170. Another notable figure was Muircheartach Ó Broin, who served as the Chief of Uí Felmeda in the late 12th century.

In the 14th century, the OBYRNE family played a significant role in the ongoing conflicts between the Anglo-Norman settlers and the native Irish clans. Fearghal Ó Broin, who was born around 1300, was a prominent leader of the OBYRNE sept and fought against the English forces during the Irish Bruce Wars.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, many members of the OBYRNE family were involved in the ongoing struggles for control of Ireland. Fiach Ó Broin (c. 1560-1629) was a notable figure who served as the Chief of Uí Felmeda and fought against the English during the Nine Years' War (1594-1603).

Other notable individuals with the OBYRNE surname include:

1. Donal Cam Ó Broin (c. 1550-1612), a military leader who fought against English forces in the Battle of Glenmalure in 1580. 2. Aodh Ó Broin (c. 1570-1635), a poet and historian who wrote extensively about the history and genealogy of the OBYRNE family. 3. Seán Ó Broin (c. 1620-1693), a Catholic priest and scholar who wrote several theological works. 4. Piaras Ó Broin (1774-1857), a renowned Irish language scholar and lexicographer who compiled an important dictionary of the Irish language. 5. Éamonn Ó Broin (1857-1935), a prominent Irish language revivalist and writer who published several works promoting the preservation of Irish culture and language.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Obyrne families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Obyrne 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. Lanarkshire leads with 8 Obyrnes recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.04x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 8 7.04x
Lancashire 6 1.44x
Middlesex 6 1.71x
Dunbartonshire 5 52.97x
Stirlingshire 4 30.89x
Nottinghamshire 2 4.23x
Staffordshire 2 1.69x
Cheshire 1 1.29x
Kent 1 0.83x
Surrey 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 7 Obyrnes recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.92x.

Place Total Index
Govan 7 24.92x
Kensington London 6 30.74x
Old Kilpatrick 5 446.43x
Everton 4 30.12x
Falkirk 4 132.01x
Radford 2 83.33x
Stone 2 131.58x
Glasgow 1 4.96x
Liverpool 1 3.95x
Minster In Sheppey 1 50.51x
Newington 1 7.71x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 1 112.36x
West Derby 1 8.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Catherine 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Joanna 1
Mary 1
Muriel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 2
James 1
John 1
Patrick 1
Robert 1
Thos. 1
William 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 Obyrne households.

FAQ

Obyrne surname: questions and answers

How common was the Obyrne surname in 1881?

In 1881, 69 people were recorded with the Obyrne surname. That placed it at #23,816 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Obyrne surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 878 in 2016. That gives Obyrne a modern rank of #6,413.

What does the Obyrne surname mean?

A Gaelic surname meaning "descendant of Byrne" or "son of Byrne".

What does the Obyrne map show?

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