NameCensus.

UK surname

Oriley

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Raghallaigh" meaning "descendant of Raghallach".

In the 1881 census there were 92 people recorded with the Oriley surname, ranking it #20,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 129, ranked #26,270, down from #20,709 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Plymouth, Brentwood and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oriley is 133 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.2%.

1881 census count

92

Ranked #20,709

Modern count

129

2016, ranked #26,270

Peak year

1999

133 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oriley had 92 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,709 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016, ranked #26,270.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 92 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Oriley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oriley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Oriley 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 23 #29,205
1861 historical 59 #26,466
1881 historical 92 #20,709
1891 historical 81 #26,632
1901 historical 89 #24,154
1911 historical 46 #28,224
1997 modern 114 #24,967
1998 modern 126 #24,094
1999 modern 133 #23,487
2000 modern 129 #23,901
2001 modern 123 #24,242
2002 modern 125 #24,492
2003 modern 112 #25,948
2004 modern 117 #25,448
2005 modern 109 #26,583
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 109 #27,253
2008 modern 113 #26,920
2009 modern 110 #27,991
2010 modern 114 #28,017
2011 modern 112 #28,117
2012 modern 124 #26,432
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 126 #26,781
2015 modern 125 #26,808
2016 modern 129 #26,270

Geography

Back to top

Where Orileys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Plymouth, Brentwood and Knowsley. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Plymouth 021 Plymouth
2 Brentwood 009 Brentwood
3 Plymouth 028 Plymouth
4 Knowsley 016 Knowsley
5 Plymouth 029 Plymouth

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Oriley

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Oriley

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Oriley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Oriley 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 predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Oriley 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

Oriley is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Oriley 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 Oriley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Oriley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Oriley

The surname ORILEY is of Irish origin, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. It is a variant of the more common Irish surname O'Reilly, which means "descendant of Riaghail" or "descendant of the royal one." The name is derived from the Old Irish word "rí," meaning "king," and was likely originally bestowed upon someone with royal lineage or connections.

The ORILEY surname is particularly associated with County Cavan in the Irish province of Ulster, where the O'Reilly clan was once a prominent and influential family. Historical records show that the O'Reilly clan played a significant role in the politics and conflicts of the region during the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of the earliest known references to the ORILEY surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention several members of the O'Reilly clan, including Aodh O'Reilly, who was appointed Bishop of Clogher in 1491.

Another notable historical figure bearing the ORILEY surname was Andrew O'Reilly (1742-1832), an Irish-born military officer who served in the Spanish Army during the American Revolutionary War. He played a crucial role in the Siege of Gibraltar and was later appointed Governor of Louisiana and West Florida during the Spanish rule over those territories.

In the realm of literature, the Irish poet and novelist Patrick Kavanagh (1904-1967) was born with the surname ORILEY but later changed it to Kavanagh. His works, such as the novel "The Green Fool" and the poetry collection "The Great Hunger," are considered seminal works in modern Irish literature.

Another prominent figure with the ORILEY surname was John O'Reilly (1844-1890), an Irish-American poet, journalist, and novelist. He was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and was exiled to Western Australia for his involvement in the Fenian movement. After his release, he emigrated to the United States, where he became a prominent literary figure and advocate for Irish nationalism.

Lastly, Hugh O'Reilly (1914-2000) was an Irish-American labor leader who served as the president of the United Steelworkers of America from 1977 to 1983. He played a significant role in negotiating labor contracts and advocating for workers' rights during his tenure.

Throughout history, the ORILEY surname has been associated with various prominent figures, spanning the realms of religion, literature, politics, and labor movements, all contributing to the rich tapestry of Irish cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Oriley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oriley 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 22 Orileys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.97x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 22 2.97x
Northumberland 15 16.15x
Lanarkshire 9 4.46x
Yorkshire 7 1.13x
Middlesex 4 0.64x
Glamorgan 3 2.76x
East Lothian 2 24.18x
Berkshire 1 2.13x
Surrey 1 0.33x

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 10 Orileys recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.23x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 10 22.23x
Elswick 7 94.47x
Leeds 7 20.04x
Barony 5 9.78x
Byker 5 108.93x
Windle 4 95.92x
Bedlington 3 96.77x
Islington London 3 4.96x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 28.71x
Dunbar 2 172.41x
Glasgow 2 5.58x
Kirkdale 2 16.05x
Barrow In Furness 1 9.92x
Bromley London 1 7.28x
Everton 1 4.24x
Maryhill 1 25.32x
New Windsor 1 63.29x
Old Monkland 1 12.48x
Salford 1 4.59x
Southwark Christchurch 1 34.13x
Toxteth Park 1 3.99x
Walton On Hill 1 24.94x
Warrington 1 11.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Maria 2
Anne 1
Cath. 1
Cathrine 1
Dora 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Martha 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 6
James 2
John 2
Joseph 2
Michael 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Edward 1
Gregor 1
Henry 1
Micheal 1
Patk. 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Oriley households.

FAQ

Oriley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oriley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 92 people were recorded with the Oriley surname. That placed it at #20,709 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oriley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016. That gives Oriley a modern rank of #26,270.

What does the Oriley surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Raghallaigh" meaning "descendant of Raghallach".

What does the Oriley map show?

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