NameCensus.

UK surname

Odoherty

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Dochartaigh" meaning "descendant of Dochartach."

In the 1881 census there were 28 people recorded with the Odoherty surname, ranking it #29,646 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 822, ranked #6,755, up from #29,646 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, Preston and Hammersmith and Fulham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Odoherty is 854 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2835.7%.

1881 census count

28

Ranked #29,646

Modern count

822

2016, ranked #6,755

Peak year

1999

854 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Odoherty had 28 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,646 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 822 in 2016, ranked #6,755.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 73 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Odoherty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Odoherty surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Odoherty 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 38 #29,216
1881 historical 28 #29,646
1891 historical 62 #28,991
1901 historical 67 #26,703
1911 historical 73 #25,541
1997 modern 817 #6,427
1998 modern 845 #6,469
1999 modern 854 #6,457
2000 modern 826 #6,608
2001 modern 808 #6,600
2002 modern 823 #6,623
2003 modern 797 #6,671
2004 modern 809 #6,609
2005 modern 802 #6,605
2006 modern 795 #6,666
2007 modern 811 #6,611
2008 modern 800 #6,743
2009 modern 803 #6,865
2010 modern 834 #6,795
2011 modern 832 #6,720
2012 modern 841 #6,580
2013 modern 853 #6,613
2014 modern 848 #6,672
2015 modern 835 #6,696
2016 modern 822 #6,755

Geography

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Where Odohertys 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 South Tyneside, Preston, Hammersmith and Fulham, Westminster and Newark and Sherwood. 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 South Tyneside 015 South Tyneside
2 Preston 017 Preston
3 Hammersmith and Fulham 004 Hammersmith and Fulham
4 Westminster 005 Westminster
5 Newark and Sherwood 011 Newark and Sherwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Odoherty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Odoherty

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

Odoherty 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

Odoherty falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Odoherty

The surname ODOHERTY originated in Ireland during the Middle Ages. It is an Anglicized version of the Old Gaelic name Ó Dochartaigh, which means "descendant of Dochartach." The name Dochartach is derived from the Irish words "dochoir," meaning "ill-luck," and "art," meaning "bear."

ODOHERTY was initially concentrated in County Donegal, located in the northwestern region of Ireland. The family was part of the Cenél Conaill dynasty that ruled over the area from the 5th to the 12th century. They were among the most prominent clans in Donegal during this period.

Some of the earliest recorded mentions of the ODOHERTY name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. For instance, the annals mention an individual named Domhnall Ó Dochartaigh, who was the Chief of Inishowen in County Donegal in the year 1257.

In the 16th century, the ODOHERTY clan played a significant role in the Nine Years' War (1593-1603), a prolonged conflict between the Gaelic Irish chieftains and the English forces seeking to establish control over Ulster. One notable figure from this era was Sir Cahir O'Doherty, who was born around 1587 and led a rebellion against the English in 1608, known as O'Doherty's Rebellion.

Another prominent individual with the ODOHERTY surname was Kevin Izod O'Doherty (1823-1905), an Irish poet and writer who was born in County Dublin. He was a member of the Young Ireland movement and authored several works, including "The Poets and Poetry of Munster" and "The Feud of the Towns."

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the ODOHERTY name gained recognition in the field of medicine. One such figure was Dr. Robert O'Doherty (1868-1938), an Irish physician who specialized in tropical diseases and served as the President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland from 1934 to 1938.

Additionally, the ODOHERTY name has been associated with various place names in County Donegal, such as Ballydoherty and Cregdoherty, which reflect the family's historical presence and influence in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Odoherty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Odoherty 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. Surrey leads with 6 Odohertys recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.05x.

County Total Index
Surrey 6 14.05x
Lanarkshire 1 3.53x
Middlesex 1 1.14x
Worcestershire 1 8.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shere in Surrey leads with 6 Odohertys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12000.00x.

Place Total Index
Shere 6 12000.00x
Govan 1 14.27x
Great Malvern 1 416.67x
St Pancras London 1 14.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizth. 1
Ethell 1
May 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Daniel 1
Frederick 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 Odoherty households.

FAQ

Odoherty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Odoherty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 28 people were recorded with the Odoherty surname. That placed it at #29,646 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Odoherty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 822 in 2016. That gives Odoherty a modern rank of #6,755.

What does the Odoherty surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Dochartaigh" meaning "descendant of Dochartach."

What does the Odoherty map show?

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