NameCensus.

UK surname

Oshaughnessy

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Seachnasaigh," meaning "descendant of Seachnasach," a personal name meaning "evasive" or "elusive."

In the 1881 census there were 167 people recorded with the Oshaughnessy surname, ranking it #14,443 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,753, ranked #3,579, up from #14,443 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wyre Forest, West Lancashire and IZ06.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oshaughnessy is 1,769 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 949.7%.

1881 census count

167

Ranked #14,443

Modern count

1,753

2016, ranked #3,579

Peak year

2014

1,769 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oshaughnessy had 167 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,443 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,753 in 2016, ranked #3,579.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 304 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Oshaughnessy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oshaughnessy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oshaughnessy 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 37 #26,673
1861 historical 88 #22,554
1881 historical 167 #14,443
1891 historical 218 #14,023
1901 historical 304 #11,543
1911 historical 242 #13,193
1997 modern 1,580 #3,735
1998 modern 1,697 #3,637
1999 modern 1,711 #3,642
2000 modern 1,689 #3,663
2001 modern 1,629 #3,710
2002 modern 1,699 #3,654
2003 modern 1,667 #3,642
2004 modern 1,651 #3,672
2005 modern 1,619 #3,699
2006 modern 1,631 #3,684
2007 modern 1,664 #3,643
2008 modern 1,688 #3,620
2009 modern 1,724 #3,622
2010 modern 1,753 #3,641
2011 modern 1,736 #3,635
2012 modern 1,711 #3,624
2013 modern 1,739 #3,631
2014 modern 1,769 #3,592
2015 modern 1,746 #3,601
2016 modern 1,753 #3,579

Geography

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Where Oshaughnessys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Wyre Forest, West Lancashire, IZ06, Knowsley and Liverpool. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wyre Forest 006 Wyre Forest
2 West Lancashire 015 West Lancashire
3 IZ06 West Dunbartonshire
4 Knowsley 020 Knowsley
5 Liverpool 029 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oshaughnessy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oshaughnessy

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Oshaughnessy 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

Oshaughnessy 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

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

Meaning and origin of Oshaughnessy

The surname O'Shaughnessy is of Irish origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic name 'Ó Seaghnaigh', which means 'descendant of Seaghanach'. The name Seaghanach itself is believed to have originated from the old Irish word 'seangan', meaning 'ant'.

The O'Shaughnessys were a prominent family in County Galway, Ireland, and their ancestral homeland was located in the ancient territory known as Cenél Áedha or Kinelea. This area encompassed parts of modern-day County Galway and County Roscommon. The name is also associated with the Baronies of Kinelea and Longford in County Galway.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name O'Shaughnessy appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention an Aedh O'Shaughnessy who was slain in 1237 during a conflict between rival Irish clans.

In the 16th century, the O'Shaughnessy family was prominent in the region and held significant landholdings. Notable members from this period include Sir Roebuck O'Shaughnessy (c. 1566-1635), who was knighted by King James I of England, and his son Sir Roger O'Shaughnessy (c. 1600-1670), who served as a Colonel in the Irish Confederate Wars.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the O'Shaughnessy name can be found in various legal documents and land records in County Galway. Some variations in spelling include O'Shaughnussey, O'Shaughnessy, and O'Shanecy.

In more recent history, several notable individuals have borne the O'Shaughnessy surname. These include Arthur O'Shaughnessy (1844-1881), an English poet known for his work "Ode" and his connections to the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Another prominent figure was Sir William O'Shaughnessy (1809-1889), an Irish physician who served as the Director-General of Telegraph Operations in British India and made significant contributions to the field of telegraphy.

Other notable O'Shaughnessys include Eliza O'Shaughnessy (1829-1900), an Irish-American religious leader and founder of the Sisters of Providence; Michael O'Shaughnessy (1864-1934), an Irish-American civil engineer who oversaw the construction of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in California; and James O'Shaughnessy (1810-1889), an Irish-American lawyer and politician who served as the United States Secretary of the Interior under President James Buchanan.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oshaughnessy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oshaughnessy 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 28 Oshaughnessys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.52x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 28 2.52x
Lancashire 26 1.97x
Yorkshire 14 1.27x
Hampshire 8 3.51x
Surrey 8 1.48x
Renfrewshire 7 8.12x
Somerset 7 3.91x
Lanarkshire 4 1.11x
Staffordshire 3 0.80x
Devon 2 0.86x
Northumberland 2 1.21x
Royal Navy 2 15.09x
Ayrshire 1 1.20x
Kent 1 0.26x
Shropshire 1 1.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 9 Oshaughnessys recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.46x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 9 14.46x
Chelsea London 8 23.88x
Liverpool 8 9.98x
Bedminster 7 41.62x
Camberwell 7 9.86x
Aldershot 6 78.64x
Houston Killallan 6 722.89x
Drypool 5 295.86x
Kirkdale 5 22.53x
Westminster St James 5 43.74x
Westminster St John 5 36.93x
Wigan 5 27.12x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 13.87x
Lichfield St Michael 3 254.24x
St Marylebone London 3 5.05x
Barony 2 2.20x
Cambuslang 2 55.10x
Kensington London 2 3.24x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 23.31x
Plymouth Charles The 2 19.61x
Royal Navy 2 17.65x
St George Hanover 2 13.78x
Barnes 1 43.67x
Bethnal Green London 1 2.07x
Cheriton 1 64.52x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 4.77x
Girvan 1 47.85x
Hackney London 1 1.60x
Hound 1 64.52x
Kilbarchan 1 38.17x
Manchester 1 1.69x
Newport 1 86.21x
Portsea 1 2.24x
Preston 1 2.83x
Spotland 1 6.82x
St Pancras London 1 1.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 12
Edward 4
Patrick 4
Michael 3
William 3
Denis 2
James 2
Jeremiah 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Garrett 1
George 1
Gilbert 1
Henry 1
Luke 1
Martin 1
Patsey 1
Richd. 1
Simon 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Oshaughnessy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oshaughnessy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 167 people were recorded with the Oshaughnessy surname. That placed it at #14,443 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oshaughnessy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,753 in 2016. That gives Oshaughnessy a modern rank of #3,579.

What does the Oshaughnessy surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Seachnasaigh," meaning "descendant of Seachnasach," a personal name meaning "evasive" or "elusive."

What does the Oshaughnessy map show?

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