NameCensus.

UK surname

Okeeffe

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Caoimh, meaning "descendant of Caomh" (a personal name meaning "gentle, kind").

In the 1881 census there were 184 people recorded with the Okeeffe surname, ranking it #13,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,836, ranked #2,370, up from #13,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw, Merton and Woking.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Okeeffe is 2,870 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1441.3%.

1881 census count

184

Ranked #13,551

Modern count

2,836

2016, ranked #2,370

Peak year

2013

2,870 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Okeeffe had 184 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,836 in 2016, ranked #2,370.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 628 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Okeeffe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Okeeffe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Okeeffe 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 106 #16,512
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 184 #13,551
1891 historical 192 #15,383
1901 historical 317 #11,213
1911 historical 628 #6,604
1997 modern 2,399 #2,611
1998 modern 2,536 #2,577
1999 modern 2,569 #2,559
2000 modern 2,556 #2,563
2001 modern 2,512 #2,551
2002 modern 2,607 #2,524
2003 modern 2,541 #2,533
2004 modern 2,532 #2,539
2005 modern 2,463 #2,570
2006 modern 2,424 #2,612
2007 modern 2,484 #2,579
2008 modern 2,581 #2,515
2009 modern 2,660 #2,502
2010 modern 2,794 #2,451
2011 modern 2,768 #2,445
2012 modern 2,779 #2,401
2013 modern 2,870 #2,370
2014 modern 2,861 #2,387
2015 modern 2,805 #2,413
2016 modern 2,836 #2,370

Geography

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Where Okeeffes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, St Pancras 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 Bassetlaw, Merton, Woking, Wolverhampton and Brent. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 001 Bassetlaw
2 Merton 021 Merton
3 Woking 002 Woking
4 Wolverhampton 007 Wolverhampton
5 Brent 032 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Okeeffe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Okeeffe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Okeeffe, 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 Okeeffe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Okeeffe 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Okeeffe 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

Okeeffe 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

Okeeffe falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Okeeffe

The surname OKEEFFE is of Irish origin, with its roots dating back to the ancient Gaelic Ó Caoimh clan in County Cork, Ireland. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "caomh," meaning "gentle" or "kind," and "ó," signifying "descendant of."

The OKEEFFE name can be traced back to the 11th century, when it was first recorded in the Annals of Innisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The name was prominent among the ruling families of the Uí Ímhair and Uí Laoghaire dynasties in the region of West Munster.

One of the earliest known references to the OKEEFFE surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Cloyne, a taxation record from 1285, where the name appears as "O'Kyfy." Over the centuries, various spellings emerged, including O'Keyffe, O'Keefe, and the modern OKEEFFE.

In the 16th century, the OKEEFFE clan played a significant role in the Desmond Rebellions against English rule in Ireland. One notable figure was Piers OKEEFFE, a military leader who fought alongside the Earl of Desmond in the Second Desmond Rebellion (1579-1583).

Another prominent individual was John OKEEFFE (1747-1833), an Irish playwright and satirist known for his comedies and farces. His most famous work, "The Agreeable Surprise," premiered in 1781 and enjoyed widespread popularity.

In the realm of art, Georgia OKEEFFE (1887-1986) remains one of the most celebrated American artists of the 20th century. She was a pioneering figure in the field of modern art, renowned for her distinctive paintings of natural forms and landscapes.

Another notable OKEEFFE was Patrick OKEEFFE (1827-1913), an Irish-born prelate who served as the second Bishop of Hartford, Connecticut, from 1888 to 1899. He played a crucial role in the growth and development of the Catholic Church in New England during his episcopacy.

The OKEEFFE name has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Kilcaskan Castle, an ancient fortress located in County Cork, which was once the seat of the OKEEFFE clan.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Okeeffe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Okeeffe 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 21 Okeeffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.33x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 21 2.33x
Middlesex 15 1.97x
Cheshire 14 8.34x
Yorkshire 10 1.33x
Devon 3 1.89x
Gloucestershire 3 2.01x
Surrey 3 0.81x
Kent 2 0.77x
Angus 1 1.42x
Derbyshire 1 0.84x
Essex 1 0.67x
Glamorgan 1 0.75x
Lanarkshire 1 0.41x
Royal Navy 1 11.03x
Warwickshire 1 0.52x

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 11 Okeeffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.07x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 11 20.07x
Birkenhead 8 59.75x
Bromley London 7 41.82x
Everton 6 20.86x
Saddleworth 5 86.06x
Bradford 4 21.92x
Chester St John Baptist 4 132.45x
Lambeth 3 4.52x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 24.59x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 40.24x
Chester St Mary On Hill 2 138.89x
Deptford St Nicholas 2 97.09x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 60.79x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 5.07x
Atherstone 1 102.04x
Brentwood 1 108.70x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 6.97x
Derby St Michael 1 400.00x
Dundee 1 3.80x
Halifax 1 9.03x
Hammersmith London 1 5.34x
Islington London 1 1.36x
Lanark 1 50.51x
Llandaff 1 22.68x
Manchester 1 2.46x
Mile End Old Town London 1 6.18x
Painswick 1 94.34x
Royal Navy 1 12.90x
St George Bloomsbury 1 22.94x
St Giles In Fields London 1 26.81x
St Marylebone London 1 2.46x
Sutton 1 33.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Alice 3
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Bridget 2
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Honora 1
Jane 1
Margaret 1
Nellie 1
Nelly 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
Patrick 6
William 4
Arthur 3
Daniel 2
David 2
James 2
Maurice 2
Thomas 2
Bartholomew 1
Danl. 1
Frank 1
Joseph 1
Martin 1
Mauric 1
Michael 1
Owen 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Okeeffe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Okeeffe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 184 people were recorded with the Okeeffe surname. That placed it at #13,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Okeeffe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,836 in 2016. That gives Okeeffe a modern rank of #2,370.

What does the Okeeffe surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Caoimh, meaning "descendant of Caomh" (a personal name meaning "gentle, kind").

What does the Okeeffe map show?

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