NameCensus.

UK surname

Omalley

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Máille," meaning "descendant of Máille," a personal name meaning "prince."

In the 1881 census there were 541 people recorded with the Omalley surname, ranking it #6,379 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,937, ranked #1,715, up from #6,379 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ13, IZ15 and Winchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Omalley is 4,013 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 627.7%.

1881 census count

541

Ranked #6,379

Modern count

3,937

2016, ranked #1,715

Peak year

2014

4,013 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Omalley had 541 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,379 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,937 in 2016, ranked #1,715.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 820 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Omalley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Omalley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Omalley 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 79 #19,712
1861 historical 180 #13,057
1881 historical 541 #6,379
1891 historical 579 #6,585
1901 historical 820 #5,510
1911 historical 787 #5,536
1997 modern 3,652 #1,775
1998 modern 3,746 #1,800
1999 modern 3,742 #1,813
2000 modern 3,789 #1,782
2001 modern 3,677 #1,795
2002 modern 3,790 #1,789
2003 modern 3,691 #1,796
2004 modern 3,697 #1,787
2005 modern 3,681 #1,773
2006 modern 3,674 #1,778
2007 modern 3,721 #1,770
2008 modern 3,774 #1,757
2009 modern 3,842 #1,765
2010 modern 3,949 #1,759
2011 modern 3,905 #1,755
2012 modern 3,877 #1,735
2013 modern 3,963 #1,728
2014 modern 4,013 #1,721
2015 modern 3,954 #1,721
2016 modern 3,937 #1,715

Geography

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Where Omalleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, Toxteth Park, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ13, IZ15, Winchester, Rotherham and IZ11. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ13 West Dunbartonshire
2 IZ15 West Dunbartonshire
3 Winchester 014 Winchester
4 Rotherham 029 Rotherham
5 IZ11 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Omalley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Omalley

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

Omalley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Omalley

The surname O'Malley is of Irish origin and has its roots in the Gaelic language. It is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "Ó Máille," which means "descendant of Máille." Máille was a personal name derived from the Old Irish word "máll," meaning "leader" or "prince."

The O'Malley family hailed from County Mayo in the western province of Connacht, Ireland. They were a prominent clan and held significant power in the region during the Middle Ages. The name is associated with the Barony of Murrisk, located in the coastal area of County Mayo.

Historical records indicate that the O'Malleys were a seafaring family and played a crucial role in maritime activities along the western coast of Ireland. In the 16th century, the clan was known for their involvement in piracy and their notorious exploits on the high seas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name O'Malley can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention several members of the O'Malley clan, including Grace O'Malley (c. 1530-c. 1603), a renowned Irish pirate queen, also known as "Gráinne Mhaol" or "Granuaile."

Another notable figure with the O'Malley surname was Owen Roe O'Malley (1598-1702), an Irish soldier who fought for the Spanish against the Dutch in the Low Countries during the Eighty Years' War. He later served in the Irish Confederate Wars and played a significant role in the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

In the 18th century, Theobald O'Malley (1720-1798) was an Irish priest and mathematician who made contributions to the field of calculus. He was a member of the Royal Irish Academy and served as a professor of mathematics at the University of Dublin.

During the 19th century, the surname O'Malley was associated with several prominent figures, including William Samuel O'Malley (1827-1904), an Irish-American businessman and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for New York.

Another notable individual with the O'Malley surname was Edward O'Malley (1842-1932), an American Roman Catholic priest and journalist. He served as the editor of the Catholic newspaper, The New World, and was instrumental in promoting Catholic education in the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Omalley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Omalley 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 126 Omalleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.74x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 126 3.74x
Lanarkshire 33 3.59x
Middlesex 30 1.06x
Yorkshire 12 0.43x
Durham 10 1.18x
Fife 9 5.36x
Hampshire 9 1.55x
Kent 8 0.83x
Nottinghamshire 7 1.83x
Warwickshire 7 0.98x
Cumberland 6 2.46x
Flintshire 5 6.55x
Renfrewshire 5 2.27x
Worcestershire 5 1.35x
Angus 2 0.76x
Midlothian 2 0.53x
Northumberland 2 0.47x
Royal Navy 2 5.91x
Staffordshire 2 0.21x
Berwickshire 1 2.91x
Cornwall 1 0.31x
Dorset 1 0.54x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.31x
Isle of Man 1 1.90x
Norfolk 1 0.23x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.11x
Somerset 1 0.22x
Surrey 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 24 Omalleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.78x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 24 26.78x
Govan 19 8.37x
Liverpool 11 5.38x
Little Heaton 10 1250.00x
Aldershot 9 46.18x
Cupar 9 123.12x
Hammersmith London 9 12.87x
Gateshead 8 12.65x
Burnley 7 24.68x
Habergham Eaves 7 22.73x
Nuthall 7 486.11x
Rusholme 7 77.95x
St Pancras London 7 3.06x
Westminster St James 7 23.99x
Barony 6 2.58x
Birmingham 6 2.52x
Heaton Norris 6 31.30x
Preston Quarter 6 87.59x
Tonbridge 6 17.18x
Witton 6 141.51x
Broughton In Salford 5 16.23x
Gorton 5 15.79x
Paisley High Church 5 28.56x
Preston 5 5.55x
Blackley 4 67.80x
West Derby 4 4.06x
Whitford 4 101.27x
Bothwell 3 12.05x
Castleton 3 8.92x
Dudley 3 6.66x
Glasgow 3 1.84x
Islington London 3 1.09x
Leeds 3 1.89x
Mile End Old Town 3 6.70x
Standish With Langtree 3 72.29x
Bromsgrove 2 16.03x
Everton 2 1.86x
Halifax 2 4.84x
Keighley 2 6.67x
Liff Benvie 2 5.01x
North Meols 2 6.07x
Royal Navy 2 6.92x
South Leith 2 4.67x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 1.97x
Toxteth Park 2 1.75x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 2 20.62x
Amble 1 52.08x
Antony 1 32.26x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.36x
Atherton 1 8.16x
Barrow In Furness 1 2.18x
Battersea 1 0.96x
Bedminster 1 2.33x
Beswick 1 11.61x
Bonhill 1 8.17x
Braddan 1 34.72x
Cambuslang 1 10.81x
Canterbury St Mary 1 15.38x
Dunse 1 30.67x
Gomersal 1 7.62x
Great Yarmouth 1 2.77x
Hampole 1 833.33x
Holy Trinity 1 1.48x
Huddersfield 1 2.44x
Ilmington 1 129.87x
Kensington London 1 0.63x
Lanark 1 13.53x
Little Bolton 1 2.31x
Manchester 1 0.66x
Milton In Gravesend 1 6.89x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 4.57x
Oldham 1 0.92x
Pembroke St Mary 1 8.61x
Portland 1 9.98x
Salford 1 1.01x
Sheffield 1 1.12x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.46x
Stretford 1 5.40x
Walton Le Dale 1 11.05x
Wavertree 1 9.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 19
Patrick 12
Charles 11
Thomas 9
Michael 8
William 7
Edward 5
James 5
Martin 4
Dennis 3
Peter 3
Anthony 2
Austin 2
George 2
Henry 2
Owen 2
Thos. 2
Andrew 1
Daniel 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Jeremiah 1
Jerimiah 1
Joseph 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Patric 1
Percival 1
Philip 1
St.Claire 1
Tom 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Omalley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Omalley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 541 people were recorded with the Omalley surname. That placed it at #6,379 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Omalley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,937 in 2016. That gives Omalley a modern rank of #1,715.

What does the Omalley surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Máille," meaning "descendant of Máille," a personal name meaning "prince."

What does the Omalley map show?

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