NameCensus.

UK surname

Ofarrell

A surname of Irish origin meaning "descendant of Fearghal," derived from the Gaelic elements "fear" (man) and "ghal" (valor).

In the 1881 census there were 163 people recorded with the Ofarrell surname, ranking it #14,689 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,187, ranked #5,011, up from #14,689 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coventry, Great Junction Street and Old Shettleston and Parkhead North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ofarrell is 1,211 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 628.2%.

1881 census count

163

Ranked #14,689

Modern count

1,187

2016, ranked #5,011

Peak year

2010

1,211 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ofarrell had 163 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,689 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,187 in 2016, ranked #5,011.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 225 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Ofarrell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ofarrell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ofarrell 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 26 #28,667
1861 historical 38 #29,216
1881 historical 163 #14,689
1891 historical 157 #17,778
1901 historical 213 #14,563
1911 historical 225 #13,874
1997 modern 1,100 #5,065
1998 modern 1,172 #4,975
1999 modern 1,190 #4,966
2000 modern 1,196 #4,922
2001 modern 1,147 #5,000
2002 modern 1,166 #5,030
2003 modern 1,118 #5,110
2004 modern 1,105 #5,167
2005 modern 1,118 #5,070
2006 modern 1,090 #5,178
2007 modern 1,106 #5,163
2008 modern 1,132 #5,102
2009 modern 1,139 #5,171
2010 modern 1,211 #5,003
2011 modern 1,188 #5,026
2012 modern 1,165 #5,032
2013 modern 1,195 #4,999
2014 modern 1,206 #4,997
2015 modern 1,206 #4,948
2016 modern 1,187 #5,011

Geography

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Where Ofarrells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coventry, Great Junction Street, Old Shettleston and Parkhead North, North Devon and Daventry. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Coventry 007 Coventry
2 Great Junction Street City of Edinburgh
3 Old Shettleston and Parkhead North Glasgow City
4 North Devon 002 North Devon
5 Daventry 008 Daventry

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ofarrell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ofarrell

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Ofarrell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Ofarrell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Ofarrell is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ofarrell 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

Ofarrell falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ofarrell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ofarrell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ofarrell

The surname O'Farrell has its origins in Ireland and is derived from the Gaelic name Ó Faracháin, which means "descendant of Farachán." Farachán is an Irish personal name that may be a diminutive of the name Fearghus, meaning "man of vigor" or "virile man."

The O'Farrells were part of the Uí Bairrche, a powerful ancient Irish dynasty that ruled over the territory of Tír Chonaill, now known as County Longford and parts of County Westmeath. The name first appeared in historical records in the 11th century, when the O'Farrells were mentioned as chieftains and lords of their territories.

One of the earliest recorded O'Farrells was Muircheartach O'Farrell, who was the Lord of Annaly (a territory in County Longford) in the late 11th century. He is mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, for his involvement in battles and conflicts during that period.

Another notable O'Farrell was Fergal O'Farrell, who was the Abbot of the Cistercian Abbey of Laraghbrien in County Kildare in the 13th century. He is recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters as having died in 1287.

In the 16th century, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, the O'Farrells were among the Irish clans that resisted the English colonization of their lands. One of the most famous O'Farrells from this period was Felim O'Farrell, who was a leader of the Irish forces during the Nine Years' War (1593-1603) against the English.

Another notable O'Farrell was Daniel O'Farrell, an Irish Franciscan friar who lived in the 17th century. He was a renowned scholar and author, known for his work "The Lives of the Irish Saints" published in 1647.

In more recent history, one of the most famous O'Farrells was William O'Farrell (1833-1915), an Australian politician and businessman who served as the Premier of New South Wales from 1899 to 1904.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ofarrell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ofarrell 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 17 Ofarrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.99x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 17 4.99x
Middlesex 17 1.61x
Lancashire 11 0.88x
Aberdeenshire 9 9.23x
Hampshire 8 3.70x
Midlothian 8 5.67x
Ayrshire 7 8.88x
Berkshire 7 8.85x
Warwickshire 6 2.26x
Surrey 5 0.97x
Herefordshire 3 6.94x
Stirlingshire 3 7.72x
Fife 2 3.21x
Oxfordshire 2 3.07x
Durham 1 0.32x
Somerset 1 0.59x
Staffordshire 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rutherglen in Lanarkshire leads with 10 Ofarrells recorded in 1881 and an index of 200.00x.

Place Total Index
Rutherglen 10 200.00x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 44.18x
Toxteth Park 8 18.90x
Newbury 7 276.68x
Southampton St Mary 7 51.55x
Edinburgh Canongate 6 167.13x
Mile End Old Town London 6 26.76x
St Quivox 6 224.72x
Birmingham 5 5.65x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 23.58x
St Marylebone London 5 8.89x
Govan 4 4.75x
Barony 3 3.48x
Denny 3 144.93x
Ross 3 174.42x
St Luke London 3 17.75x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 3.52x
Kensington London 2 3.41x
Oxford St Giles 2 64.52x
Alverstoke 1 12.79x
Aston 1 1.37x
Ayr 1 26.88x
Bedminster 1 6.28x
Bradford 1 17.09x
Dairsie 1 400.00x
Dysart 1 23.81x
Harrow 1 62.11x
Kirkdale 1 4.76x
Manchester 1 1.78x
Stone 1 21.98x
Windlestone 1 1111.11x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Edward 4
James 4
Joseph 4
Francis 3
Henry 2
Patrick 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Hugh 1
Hume 1
Lewis 1
Michael 1
Nicholas 1
Parker 1
Roderick 1

FAQ

Ofarrell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ofarrell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 163 people were recorded with the Ofarrell surname. That placed it at #14,689 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ofarrell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,187 in 2016. That gives Ofarrell a modern rank of #5,011.

What does the Ofarrell surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin meaning "descendant of Fearghal," derived from the Gaelic elements "fear" (man) and "ghal" (valor).

What does the Ofarrell map show?

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