NameCensus.

UK surname

Omara

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Meadhra," meaning "descendant of Meadhair" (a personal name meaning "merry").

In the 1881 census there were 202 people recorded with the Omara surname, ranking it #12,753 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,238, ranked #4,818, up from #12,753 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ibstock, London parishes and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Three Rivers, Dalbeattie and Tameside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Omara is 1,290 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 512.9%.

1881 census count

202

Ranked #12,753

Modern count

1,238

2016, ranked #4,818

Peak year

2014

1,290 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Omara had 202 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,753 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,238 in 2016, ranked #4,818.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 306 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Omara surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Omara surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Omara 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 35 #27,037
1861 historical 58 #26,585
1881 historical 202 #12,753
1891 historical 205 #14,649
1901 historical 294 #11,805
1911 historical 306 #11,281
1997 modern 1,149 #4,886
1998 modern 1,151 #5,053
1999 modern 1,165 #5,054
2000 modern 1,168 #5,017
2001 modern 1,122 #5,080
2002 modern 1,169 #5,015
2003 modern 1,179 #4,875
2004 modern 1,172 #4,910
2005 modern 1,156 #4,920
2006 modern 1,157 #4,913
2007 modern 1,181 #4,876
2008 modern 1,210 #4,810
2009 modern 1,213 #4,896
2010 modern 1,228 #4,947
2011 modern 1,232 #4,874
2012 modern 1,222 #4,841
2013 modern 1,266 #4,775
2014 modern 1,290 #4,713
2015 modern 1,253 #4,794
2016 modern 1,238 #4,818

Geography

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Where Omaras are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ibstock, London parishes, Wigan, Whitwick and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Three Rivers, Dalbeattie, Tameside, Walsall and North West Leicestershire. 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 Ibstock Leicestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Whitwick Leicestershire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Three Rivers 012 Three Rivers
2 Dalbeattie Dumfries and Galloway
3 Tameside 001 Tameside
4 Walsall 012 Walsall
5 North West Leicestershire 007 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Omara

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Omara

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Omara, 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 Omara surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Omara 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, Omara 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

Omara 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

Omara falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Omara

The surname OMARA has its origins in the Gaelic language of Ireland. It is believed to have originated in the region of County Clare during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "O'Mara," which translates to "descendant of the sea-battler" or "descendant of the sea-warrior."

This surname is thought to have first appeared in ancient Irish texts and manuscripts dating back to the 10th century. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention several individuals with the surname OMARA participating in various battles and conflicts during that time.

In the 12th century, the OMARA family established themselves as a prominent clan in County Clare, particularly in the region known as Thomond. They held significant influence and power in the area, and their name became associated with various place names, such as Mara and Maratown.

One notable member of the OMARA clan was Donough O'Mara, who lived in the 14th century and served as the Chief of the Name. He was renowned for his military prowess and leadership during the conflicts between the Irish clans and the Anglo-Norman invaders.

Another prominent figure with the surname OMARA was Dermot O'Mara, who lived in the 16th century. He was a renowned poet and scholar, and his works are preserved in the Book of Fermoy, a collection of Irish poetry from that era.

In the 17th century, the OMARA family faced significant challenges during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Many members of the clan were forced to flee or had their lands confiscated. However, the name endured, and individuals with the surname OMARA continued to play important roles in Irish society and culture.

One such individual was Turlough O'Mara, who lived in the late 17th century and was a prominent member of the Jacobite movement, which aimed to restore the Catholic Stuart monarchy to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the OMARA surname spread beyond Ireland as many individuals emigrated to other parts of the world, particularly to the United States, Canada, and Australia. Notable individuals from this period include John O'Mara (1796-1880), an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of New York.

Throughout history, the surname OMARA has maintained its strong connection to its Irish roots and the rich cultural heritage of County Clare. While the spelling and pronunciation may have evolved over time, the name continues to hold a significant place in the annals of Irish history and tradition.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Omara families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Omara 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 53 Omaras recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.53x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 53 4.53x
Middlesex 14 1.42x
Yorkshire 10 1.02x
Cheshire 6 2.76x
Leicestershire 6 5.49x
Durham 4 1.36x
Kent 3 0.89x
Channel Islands 2 6.85x
Royal Navy 2 17.04x
Stirlingshire 1 2.75x

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 12 Omaras recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.90x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 12 16.90x
Sutton 10 255.10x
Golborne 8 526.32x
Bradford 7 29.62x
Everton 7 18.79x
Dukinfield 6 59.70x
Whitwick 6 431.65x
West Derby 5 14.62x
Wigan 5 30.62x
St Pancras London 4 5.04x
Tudhoe 4 156.25x
Whitechapel London 4 41.19x
Horsforth 3 140.19x
Salford 3 8.73x
Royal Navy 2 19.94x
St Helier 2 21.05x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 3.91x
Chatham 1 10.81x
Falkirk 1 11.76x
Fulham London 1 7.00x
Hackney London 1 1.81x
Heston 1 30.58x
Hulme 1 4.10x
Minster In Sheppey 1 17.95x
North Meols 1 8.74x
Shoreditch London 1 2.34x
St Giles In Fields 1 29.41x
St Marylebone London 1 1.90x
Woolwich 1 8.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Margaret 5
Ann 2
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Kate 2
Agnis 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Lizzie 1
Margeret 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Margt.M. 1
Maria 1
Sarah 1
Theresa 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
James 7
William 6
Michael 5
Thomas 4
Patrick 3
Peter 3
Philip 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Andrew 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk.H.L. 1
Jeremiah 1
Joseph 1
Martin 1
Richard 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Omara surname: questions and answers

How common was the Omara surname in 1881?

In 1881, 202 people were recorded with the Omara surname. That placed it at #12,753 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Omara surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,238 in 2016. That gives Omara a modern rank of #4,818.

What does the Omara surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Meadhra," meaning "descendant of Meadhair" (a personal name meaning "merry").

What does the Omara map show?

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