NameCensus.

UK surname

Ogrady

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Grádaigh," meaning "descendant of Grádaigh" (an old Irish personal name).

In the 1881 census there were 489 people recorded with the Ogrady surname, ranking it #6,883 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,487, ranked #1,943, up from #6,883 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and St George the Martyr. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Manchester, Swansea and Halton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ogrady is 3,553 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 613.1%.

1881 census count

489

Ranked #6,883

Modern count

3,487

2016, ranked #1,943

Peak year

2013

3,553 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ogrady had 489 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,883 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,487 in 2016, ranked #1,943.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 784 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Ogrady surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ogrady surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Ogrady 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 69 #21,148
1861 historical 118 #18,512
1881 historical 489 #6,883
1891 historical 518 #7,216
1901 historical 699 #6,295
1911 historical 784 #5,554
1997 modern 3,216 #2,003
1998 modern 3,414 #1,960
1999 modern 3,447 #1,966
2000 modern 3,372 #1,999
2001 modern 3,321 #1,987
2002 modern 3,423 #1,982
2003 modern 3,408 #1,945
2004 modern 3,396 #1,951
2005 modern 3,344 #1,952
2006 modern 3,273 #2,002
2007 modern 3,335 #1,979
2008 modern 3,385 #1,965
2009 modern 3,463 #1,967
2010 modern 3,535 #1,968
2011 modern 3,473 #1,975
2012 modern 3,456 #1,952
2013 modern 3,553 #1,934
2014 modern 3,540 #1,952
2015 modern 3,513 #1,942
2016 modern 3,487 #1,943

Geography

Back to top

Where Ogradys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, St George the Martyr and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Manchester, Swansea, Halton, Solihull and West Dorset. 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 Manchester Lancashire
4 St George the Martyr London (South Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Manchester 013 Manchester
2 Swansea 010 Swansea
3 Halton 006 Halton
4 Solihull 010 Solihull
5 West Dorset 001 West Dorset

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Ogrady

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Ogrady

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

Challenged Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Ogrady 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

Ogrady 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

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

Meaning and origin of Ogrady

The surname O'Grady is of Irish origin, tracing its roots back to County Limerick in Ireland. It is derived from the Gaelic name "O'Gradaigh," which means "descendant of Grádaigh." The prefix "O'" indicates that it is a patronymic surname, indicating the descendant of an individual named Grádaigh.

The name Grádaigh is believed to have originated from the Irish word "gráda," which means "illustrious" or "noble." This suggests that the O'Grady family may have held a prominent position or status in their local community during the early days of Irish history.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the O'Grady surname can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of Irish history dating back to the 12th century. The annals mention an individual named Aedh O'Grady, who was described as the "chief professor of Munster" in 1151.

Another notable historical reference to the O'Grady name comes from the Annals of the Four Masters, a 17th-century chronicle of medieval Irish history. In these annals, there is a record of Dermot O'Grady, who was appointed as the Bishop of Elphin in 1416.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the O'Grady family was prominent in County Limerick, where they held significant landholdings and estates. One notable member of the family was Darby O'Grady, who was born in 1590 and served as a member of the Irish Parliament.

In the 18th century, the O'Grady family continued to play a prominent role in Irish society. Standish O'Grady, born in 1766, was a renowned historian and author who wrote extensively about Irish history and mythology.

Other notable individuals with the O'Grady surname include Hardress O'Grady (1866-1944), an Irish-Australian journalist and writer; Thomas O'Grady (1859-1935), an Irish-American educator and politician; and James O'Grady (1866-1934), an Irish-American journalist and author.

While the O'Grady name has its origins in County Limerick, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through Irish immigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Ogrady families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ogrady 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 77 Ogradys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.69x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 77 2.69x
Middlesex 46 1.91x
Surrey 33 2.81x
Lanarkshire 25 3.21x
Yorkshire 18 0.75x
Staffordshire 10 1.23x
Cheshire 7 1.32x
Derbyshire 6 1.59x
Devon 4 0.80x
Essex 3 0.63x
Somerset 3 0.77x
Bedfordshire 2 1.60x
Hampshire 2 0.41x
Kent 2 0.24x
Berkshire 1 0.55x
Durham 1 0.14x
Glamorgan 1 0.24x
Lincolnshire 1 0.26x
Oxfordshire 1 0.67x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.31x
Renfrewshire 1 0.54x
Sussex 1 0.25x
Warwickshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 19 Ogradys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.64x.

Place Total Index
Barony 19 9.64x
Southwark St George Martyr 19 39.19x
Liverpool 16 9.22x
Bethnal Green London 14 13.38x
Kirkdale 10 20.79x
Leeds 10 7.42x
Salford 9 10.70x
Chelsea London 8 11.02x
Birkenhead 7 16.51x
Garston 7 82.94x
Manchester 7 5.44x
Kensington London 6 4.48x
Sheffield 6 7.89x
Toxteth Park 6 6.20x
Blackburn 5 6.57x
Burton Upon Trent 5 26.27x
Derby St Werburgh 5 22.96x
Hornsey 5 16.41x
Newington 5 5.62x
Southwark St Saviour 5 40.39x
St Marylebone London 5 3.89x
Wigan 5 12.52x
Wolverhampton 5 8.00x
Govan 4 2.08x
Exeter St David 3 70.09x
Taunton St James 3 53.00x
West Ham 3 2.86x
Bedford St Mary 2 62.31x
Bury 2 6.12x
Glasgow 2 1.45x
Mile End Old Town London 2 3.90x
Windle 2 12.43x
Wortley In Bramley 2 10.58x
Aldershot 1 6.05x
Aston 1 0.60x
Broughton In Salford 1 3.83x
Chatham 1 4.42x
Croydon 1 1.53x
Devonport 1 17.36x
Eastwood 1 8.70x
Enstone 1 109.89x
Finchley 1 10.82x
Folkestone 1 6.27x
Foulridge 1 136.99x
Gateshead 1 1.86x
Godalming 1 13.53x
Hackney London 1 0.74x
Hastings St Clement 1 26.18x
Little Crosby 1 217.39x
Longeaton 1 625.00x
Paddington London 1 1.13x
Pembroke St Mary 1 10.14x
Penge 1 6.50x
Pinchbeck 1 40.49x
Preston 1 1.31x
Reading St Mary 1 6.90x
Richmond 1 6.08x
Roath 1 5.25x
Ryde 1 9.43x
Shoreditch London 1 0.96x
Spitalfields London 1 5.52x
Walmersley Cum 1 21.88x
Walton On Hill 1 6.46x
Wavertree 1 10.93x
Westminster St James 1 4.04x
Whittingham 1 79.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Margaret 11
Ellen 9
Elizabeth 6
Sarah 6
Kate 5
Bridget 3
Catherine 3
Winifred 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Louisa 2
Norah 2
Adeline 1
Alex 1
Anastatius 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Augusta 1
Betsey 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Deborah 1
Dowager 1
Elizth. 1
Florence 1
Gerald 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Margt 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Sophia 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
Patrick 14
James 10
Thomas 8
William 6
George 5
Richard 5
Edward 4
Michael 4
Edmund 3
Joseph 3
Stephen 3
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Francis 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Cornelius 1
Dan 1
Frank 1
Gerald 1
Herbert 1
Luke 1
M. 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Maurice 1
Peter 1
R. 1
Robt.J. 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Ogrady surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ogrady surname in 1881?

In 1881, 489 people were recorded with the Ogrady surname. That placed it at #6,883 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ogrady surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,487 in 2016. That gives Ogrady a modern rank of #1,943.

What does the Ogrady surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Grádaigh," meaning "descendant of Grádaigh" (an old Irish personal name).

What does the Ogrady map show?

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