NameCensus.

UK surname

Oleary

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Laoghaire, meaning "descendant of Laoghaire," a personal name meaning "calf-herder."

In the 1881 census there were 1,157 people recorded with the Oleary surname, ranking it #3,469 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,221, ranked #1,085, up from #3,469 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, Blaenau Gwent and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oleary is 6,378 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 437.7%.

1881 census count

1,157

Ranked #3,469

Modern count

6,221

2016, ranked #1,085

Peak year

2014

6,378 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oleary had 1,157 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,469 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,221 in 2016, ranked #1,085.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,704 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Oleary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oleary surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Oleary 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 304 #7,559
1861 historical 305 #8,321
1881 historical 1,157 #3,469
1891 historical 965 #4,284
1901 historical 1,563 #3,299
1911 historical 1,704 #2,880
1997 modern 5,885 #1,112
1998 modern 6,081 #1,117
1999 modern 6,111 #1,121
2000 modern 6,153 #1,108
2001 modern 5,994 #1,107
2002 modern 6,131 #1,108
2003 modern 5,952 #1,115
2004 modern 5,997 #1,107
2005 modern 5,896 #1,104
2006 modern 5,803 #1,126
2007 modern 5,944 #1,107
2008 modern 6,024 #1,104
2009 modern 6,175 #1,104
2010 modern 6,355 #1,096
2011 modern 6,306 #1,087
2012 modern 6,202 #1,080
2013 modern 6,344 #1,074
2014 modern 6,378 #1,075
2015 modern 6,274 #1,080
2016 modern 6,221 #1,085

Geography

Back to top

Where Olearys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, St Marylebone 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 Neath Port Talbot, Blaenau Gwent, Camden and Caerphilly. 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 Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 017 Neath Port Talbot
2 Blaenau Gwent 003 Blaenau Gwent
3 Camden 007 Camden
4 Blaenau Gwent 004 Blaenau Gwent
5 Caerphilly 019 Caerphilly

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Oleary

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Oleary

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Oleary surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Oleary household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Oleary is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Oleary 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

Oleary falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Oleary

The surname O'Leary is an ancient Irish Gaelic name that originated in County Cork, Ireland. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic words 'O Laoghaire', meaning 'descendant of Laoghaire'. Laoghaire was a popular personal name in ancient Ireland, stemming from the word 'laogh' meaning 'calf' or 'wether'.

The O'Leary name has a long and distinguished history in Ireland, with many references to notable figures bearing the name in ancient texts and manuscripts. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the O'Leary name can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, dating back to the 12th century.

The O'Leary clan was one of the most powerful and influential families in the medieval Kingdom of Desmond, which encompassed much of what is now County Cork and parts of neighboring counties. They held vast estates and played a significant role in the political and military affairs of the region during this period.

One of the most renowned members of the O'Leary family was Donal Cam O'Leary (1577-1660), a distinguished Irish Catholic priest and historian. He was a prominent figure during the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s and is best known for his work, the "Remonstrances of the Irish Catholics", which defended the rights of Irish Catholics during the turbulent period.

Another notable O'Leary was Arthur O'Leary (1729-1802), an Irish Franciscan friar and author. He is remembered for his work "An Interesting Tragi-Comic Pastoral Farce", a satirical play that lampooned the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland.

In the realm of literature, Ellen O'Leary (1831-1889) was a celebrated Irish poet and storyteller. She is best known for her collection of folk tales and stories, which helped to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of Ireland.

The O'Leary name has also been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, such as Matthew O'Leary (1913-1992), an American judge and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

While the O'Leary name has a rich and storied history in Ireland, it has also spread to other parts of the world through emigration. Today, people bearing the O'Leary surname can be found in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, where descendants of Irish emigrants have settled and thrived.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Oleary families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oleary 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. Middlesex leads with 168 Olearys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.86x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 168 2.86x
Lancashire 135 1.93x
Surrey 45 1.57x
Yorkshire 37 0.63x
Kent 34 1.69x
Glamorgan 29 2.83x
Gloucestershire 23 1.99x
Monmouthshire 19 4.47x
Berkshire 13 2.94x
Somerset 12 1.27x
Lanarkshire 9 0.47x
Cornwall 8 1.20x
Durham 8 0.46x
Sussex 8 0.81x
Devon 7 0.57x
Channel Islands 6 3.44x
Essex 6 0.52x
Dunbartonshire 5 3.16x
Wiltshire 5 0.96x
Herefordshire 4 1.66x
Midlothian 4 0.51x
Carmarthenshire 3 1.21x
Cheshire 3 0.23x
Hampshire 2 0.17x
Warwickshire 2 0.13x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.28x
Leicestershire 1 0.15x
Lincolnshire 1 0.11x
Norfolk 1 0.11x
Perthshire 1 0.38x
Royal Navy 1 1.43x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

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 39 Olearys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.20x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 39 9.20x
St Marylebone London 20 6.37x
Manchester 17 5.42x
St Giles In Fields London 16 55.44x
Ratcliffe London 14 43.10x
St Pancras London 14 2.96x
Camberwell 13 3.46x
St George Martyr London 13 109.15x
Westminster St James 13 21.50x
Cardiff St Mary 12 21.27x
Salford 12 5.85x
Bristol St James In 11 64.82x
Toxteth Park 11 4.65x
Everton 10 4.50x
Southwark St John 10 55.59x
Chepstow 9 124.31x
Gravesend 9 52.97x
Sheffield 9 4.85x
Whitechapel London 9 15.52x
Bedminster 8 8.99x
Leeds 8 2.43x
North Cray 8 625.00x
Pendleton In Salford 8 9.62x
Wigan 8 8.20x
Brightside Bierlow 7 6.12x
Darlington 7 10.36x
Kensington London 7 2.14x
Kirkdale 7 5.96x
Litherland 7 47.98x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 7.42x
St Woollos 7 14.75x
Barony 6 1.25x
Bethnal Green London 6 2.35x
Hurley 6 260.87x
Keighley 6 9.66x
Newington 6 2.76x
Old Windsor 6 117.42x
Preston 6 3.21x
Roath 6 12.90x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 5.07x
St Sampson 6 76.43x
Cardross 5 26.34x
Chelsea London 5 2.82x
Deptford St Nicholas 5 31.39x
Llantwit Vairdre 5 43.44x
Marlborough St Mary Virgin 5 136.24x
Middlesbrough 5 6.59x
Newhaven 5 62.03x
St George In East London 5 9.04x
St Gilesin Fields London 5 100.40x
Bermondsey 4 2.28x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 3.68x
Chadwell St Mary 4 336.13x
Forrabury 4 666.67x
Fulham London 4 4.69x
Islington London 4 0.70x
Lower Bullingham 4 416.67x
Perranzabuloe 4 69.69x
St Andrew Holborn London 4 15.70x
St Anne Soho London 4 11.91x
St Luke London 4 4.24x
Bathwick 3 28.63x
Elmstone Hardwick 3 468.75x
Llanelly 3 5.37x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 3.05x
North Leith 3 8.23x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.89x
Stockport 3 4.49x
Worsley 3 6.97x
Ashford 2 10.23x
Canterbury St George 2 82.99x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.29x
Eastbourne 2 4.38x
Hackney London 2 0.61x
Lewisham 2 1.87x
Llantwit Lower 2 22.22x
Plumstead 2 2.99x
Rutherglen 2 7.17x
Shoreditch London 2 0.78x
Stoke Newington London 2 4.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 60
Ellen 26
Margaret 19
Elizabeth 16
Bridget 11
Catherine 11
Ann 10
Annie 9
Sarah 7
Julia 6
Kate 6
Agnes 5
Maria 5
Alice 4
Hannah 4
Anastasia 3
Anne 3
Eliza 3
Frances 3
Helen 3
Jane 3
Johanna 3
Lucy 3
Norah 3
Emily 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Honoria 2
Johannah 2
Katherine 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Nora 2
Rebecca 2
Winifred 2
Albina 1
Caroline 1
Catherin 1
Cecilia 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Hanora 1
Harriet 1
Kathleen 1
Lassy 1
Mageret 1
Maggie 1
Margam 1
Margt. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 51
Daniel 23
Thomas 23
Michael 16
Jeremiah 15
James 13
Patrick 13
Arthur 12
Cornelius 12
Timothy 10
Dennis 9
Edward 9
William 9
Joseph 7
Richard 6
Andrew 5
Charles 5
George 4
Peter 4
Francis 3
Benjamin 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Eugene 2
Anthony 1
Arthr. 1
Augustine 1
Bernard 1
Con 1
Connie 1
Danl. 1
Denis 1
Eligstan 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
G. 1
Henry 1
Jane 1
Jas. 1
Keady 1
Lawrence 1
Louis 1
Martin 1
Mary 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Oleary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oleary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,157 people were recorded with the Oleary surname. That placed it at #3,469 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oleary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,221 in 2016. That gives Oleary a modern rank of #1,085.

What does the Oleary surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Laoghaire, meaning "descendant of Laoghaire," a personal name meaning "calf-herder."

What does the Oleary map show?

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