NameCensus.

UK surname

Omeara

Descendant of Meadhra, an Irish given name meaning "merry" or "joyful," or from Ó Meadhra, meaning "descendant of Meadhra."

In the 1881 census there were 99 people recorded with the Omeara surname, ranking it #19,877 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,221, ranked #4,877, up from #19,877 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Huntingdonshire, Cardiff and Bromsgrove.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Omeara is 1,233 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1133.3%.

1881 census count

99

Ranked #19,877

Modern count

1,221

2016, ranked #4,877

Peak year

2010

1,233 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Omeara had 99 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,877 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,221 in 2016, ranked #4,877.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 217 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Omeara surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Omeara surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Omeara 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 36 #26,838
1861 historical 30 #30,188
1881 historical 99 #19,877
1891 historical 108 #22,828
1901 historical 171 #16,689
1911 historical 217 #14,214
1997 modern 1,118 #4,998
1998 modern 1,182 #4,940
1999 modern 1,201 #4,930
2000 modern 1,185 #4,958
2001 modern 1,166 #4,936
2002 modern 1,189 #4,936
2003 modern 1,153 #4,978
2004 modern 1,175 #4,899
2005 modern 1,168 #4,871
2006 modern 1,160 #4,905
2007 modern 1,153 #4,976
2008 modern 1,158 #4,979
2009 modern 1,183 #4,996
2010 modern 1,233 #4,932
2011 modern 1,228 #4,886
2012 modern 1,206 #4,894
2013 modern 1,221 #4,919
2014 modern 1,226 #4,928
2015 modern 1,217 #4,906
2016 modern 1,221 #4,877

Geography

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Where Omearas are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Huntingdonshire, Cardiff, Bromsgrove, Manchester and Rugby. 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 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Huntingdonshire 001 Huntingdonshire
2 Cardiff 036 Cardiff
3 Bromsgrove 005 Bromsgrove
4 Manchester 009 Manchester
5 Rugby 006 Rugby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Omeara

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Omeara

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

Omeara 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

Omeara falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Omeara

The surname OMEARA has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the 12th century. It is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Meachair, which means "descendant of Meachar". The name Meachar itself is derived from the Old Irish word "mechar", meaning "hospitable" or "generous".

The OMEARA family was originally based in County Tipperary, particularly in the baronies of Ikerrin and Eliogarty. They were a prominent clan in the region, holding significant territory and influence. The name can be found in various ancient Irish manuscripts and records from this time period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the OMEARA name appears in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, in the year 1201. This entry refers to a certain Donnchadh Ó Meachair, who was the chief of the clan at that time.

The OMEARA name is also mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters, another important source of Irish history, in the year 1376. Here, it refers to Diarmaid Ó Meachair, who was described as a "learned poet and historian".

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the OMEARA clan was involved in various conflicts and upheavals in Ireland, particularly during the Elizabethan and Cromwellian conquests. One notable figure from this period was Donogh OMEARA, who was born in 1550 and served as a member of the Irish Parliament.

Another prominent individual with the OMEARA surname was Dermod OMEARA, who lived in the late 16th century and was a celebrated poet and writer. He is known for his work "The Chase", which is considered one of the earliest examples of Irish literary prose.

In the 18th century, a member of the OMEARA family named John OMEARA (1700-1778) gained recognition as a Catholic priest and theologian. He was a vocal opponent of the Penal Laws that discriminated against Catholics in Ireland at the time.

The surname OMEARA has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Ballymacomeara (meaning "town of the OMEARA family") and Clonomeara, both located in County Tipperary. These place names reflect the historical presence and influence of the OMEARA clan in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Omeara families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Omeara 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 12 Omearas recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.60x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 12 1.60x
Middlesex 10 1.58x
Gloucestershire 9 7.24x
Cheshire 7 5.00x
Surrey 7 2.27x
Devon 5 3.79x
Lanarkshire 5 2.44x
Yorkshire 5 0.80x
Buckinghamshire 3 7.83x
Dorset 1 2.40x
Kent 1 0.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stapleton in Gloucestershire leads with 9 Omearas recorded in 1881 and an index of 381.36x.

Place Total Index
Stapleton 9 381.36x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 83.75x
Colyton 5 980.39x
Govan 5 9.86x
Birkenhead 4 35.84x
Kensington London 4 11.35x
Lambeth 4 7.24x
Camberwell 3 7.41x
Datchet 3 1153.85x
Sculcoates 3 30.12x
St Anne Soho London 3 82.87x
Burnley 2 31.60x
Higher Bebington 2 222.22x
Hulme 2 12.74x
Liverpool 2 4.38x
Bow London 1 12.39x
Hackney London 1 2.81x
Hampreston 1 333.33x
Leeds 1 2.82x
Nether Hallam 1 11.76x
Prestwich 1 53.19x
St Marylebone London 1 2.95x
Tranmere 1 19.46x
Woolwich 1 12.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 5
Mary 4
Bridget 3
Maria 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Frances 1
Helen 1
Hester 1
Julia 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 4
John 3
Alfred 2
Frederick 2
James 2
Michael 2
Ann 1
Charles 1
Clement 1
Cornelius 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Eugene 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Jeremiah 1
Martin 1
Patrick 1
Richard 1
Rowland 1
Terrance 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Omeara surname: questions and answers

How common was the Omeara surname in 1881?

In 1881, 99 people were recorded with the Omeara surname. That placed it at #19,877 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Omeara surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,221 in 2016. That gives Omeara a modern rank of #4,877.

What does the Omeara surname mean?

Descendant of Meadhra, an Irish given name meaning "merry" or "joyful," or from Ó Meadhra, meaning "descendant of Meadhra."

What does the Omeara map show?

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