NameCensus.

UK surname

Osullivan

A Irish surname meaning "descendant of Súileabhán," an Irish name combining the elements "súil" (eye) and "dubh" (dark).

In the 1881 census there were 503 people recorded with the Osullivan surname, ranking it #6,747 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 13,584, ranked #469, up from #6,747 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Merthyr Tydfil. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brent and Pembrokeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Osullivan is 13,887 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2600.6%.

1881 census count

503

Ranked #6,747

Modern count

13,584

2016, ranked #469

Peak year

2014

13,887 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Osullivan had 503 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,747 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 13,584 in 2016, ranked #469.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,160 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Osullivan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Osullivan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Osullivan 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 103 #16,835
1861 historical 145 #15,715
1881 historical 503 #6,747
1891 historical 534 #7,037
1901 historical 855 #5,336
1911 historical 1,160 #4,029
1997 modern 12,761 #477
1998 modern 13,448 #470
1999 modern 13,526 #468
2000 modern 13,439 #468
2001 modern 13,105 #470
2002 modern 13,352 #472
2003 modern 13,010 #472
2004 modern 12,975 #474
2005 modern 12,849 #476
2006 modern 12,676 #482
2007 modern 12,834 #483
2008 modern 12,982 #477
2009 modern 13,114 #488
2010 modern 13,685 #474
2011 modern 13,518 #473
2012 modern 13,457 #465
2013 modern 13,814 #464
2014 modern 13,887 #466
2015 modern 13,688 #468
2016 modern 13,584 #469

Geography

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Where Osullivans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Merthyr Tydfil and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brent and Pembrokeshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brent 015 Brent
2 Brent 028 Brent
3 Brent 034 Brent
4 Brent 031 Brent
5 Pembrokeshire 002 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Osullivan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Osullivan

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Osullivan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Osullivan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Osullivan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Osullivan 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

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

Meaning and origin of Osullivan

The surname OSULLIVAN originated in Ireland and dates back to the 10th century. It is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Súilleabháin, which means "descendant of Súilleabhán". The prefix "Ó" indicates "grandson" or "descendant".

The name is derived from the Old Irish personal name Súilleabhán, which is a compound of the elements "súil" meaning "eye" and "leabhán" meaning "little calf". This suggests that the original bearer of the name may have had some distinctive eye features or was particularly observant.

OSULLIVAN is a prominent surname in Ireland, particularly in the counties of Cork and Kerry. The name first appears in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, in the year 1028.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Domhnall Ó Súilleabháin, who was the chief of the OSULLIVAN clan in the 14th century. The clan was based in the Beara Peninsula and the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry.

In the 16th century, Donal Cam O'Sullivan Beare was a prominent leader of the O'Sullivan Beare clan during the Elizabethan conquest of Ireland. He led the famous O'Sullivan Beare's march in 1602, a remarkable 600-mile journey through the winter wilderness to seek refuge in Ulster.

Other notable figures with the surname OSULLIVAN include Theobald O'Sullivan, an Irish Jesuit and philosopher (1548-1608), and Owen Roe O'Sullivan, an Irish military leader who fought for the Catholic Confederation during the Irish Confederate Wars (1604-1657).

In the 18th century, Seán Ó Súilleabháin was a renowned Irish poet and scribe, also known as John O'Sullivan (1752-1809). Seamus Osullivan, an Irish writer and journalist, was born in 1879 and is known for his contributions to the Irish literary revival.

The name OSULLIVAN has also been carried by notable figures outside of Ireland, such as John L. O'Sullivan, an American writer and editor who coined the phrase "Manifest Destiny" in 1845, advocating for the annexation of Texas and the Oregon Country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Osullivan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Osullivan 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 81 Osullivans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.73x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 81 2.73x
Lancashire 50 1.42x
Glamorgan 33 6.39x
Kent 23 2.27x
Surrey 21 1.45x
Midlothian 10 2.52x
Cheshire 9 1.37x
Durham 9 1.02x
Staffordshire 9 0.90x
Essex 8 1.37x
Warwickshire 8 1.07x
Cornwall 7 2.09x
Royal Navy 6 16.98x
Yorkshire 6 0.20x
Hampshire 4 0.66x
Devon 3 0.49x
Herefordshire 3 2.47x
Berkshire 2 0.90x
Lanarkshire 2 0.21x
Northamptonshire 2 0.72x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.36x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.53x
Channel Islands 1 1.14x
Dumfriesshire 1 1.53x
Hertfordshire 1 0.49x
Isle of Man 1 1.82x
Leicestershire 1 0.30x
Norfolk 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan leads with 20 Osullivans recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.30x.

Place Total Index
Merthyr Tydfil 20 40.30x
Westminster St James 15 49.20x
Islington London 13 4.52x
Liverpool 13 6.08x
Deptford St Nicholas 12 149.44x
Habergham Eaves 9 27.99x
Tranmere 9 37.41x
St Pancras London 8 3.35x
Camberwell 7 3.70x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 4.38x
Oldham 7 6.16x
Paddington London 7 6.42x
Fulwood 6 157.89x
Harborne 6 18.70x
Madron Penzance 6 49.14x
Prittlewell 6 73.98x
Royal Navy 6 19.86x
St Giles In Fields 6 58.65x
Swansea Town 6 14.17x
Wapping London 6 265.49x
Clerkenwell London 5 7.14x
Aston 4 1.94x
Bishopwearmouth 4 5.28x
Cardiff St Mary 4 14.06x
Clapham 4 10.79x
Kensington London 4 2.43x
Lambeth 4 1.55x
Milton In Gravesend 4 26.37x
St George In East 4 19.83x
Stockton On Tees 4 9.41x
Aldershot 3 14.73x
Birmingham 3 1.20x
Lower Bullingham 3 625.00x
Newbattle 3 88.24x
Newington 3 2.74x
St John Near Swansea 3 47.02x
St Marylebone London 3 1.89x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.55x
Kirkdale 2 3.38x
Lythe 2 170.94x
Manchester 2 1.26x
Minster In Sheppey 2 11.93x
North Meols 2 5.81x
St Martin In Fields 2 11.27x
Birtle Cum Bamford 1 43.48x
Brixham 1 13.99x
Camborne 1 7.23x
Cannock 1 5.72x
Carisbrooke 1 11.85x
Chapel Allerton 1 22.73x
Chipping Barnet 1 27.93x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.79x
Colchester St Botolph 1 20.08x
Corby 1 129.87x
Devonport 1 14.10x
Garston 1 9.62x
Gate Fulford 1 14.58x
Gillingham 1 4.79x
Gravesend 1 11.67x
Great Crosby 1 10.43x
Great Yarmouth 1 2.65x
Hackney London 1 0.60x
Handsworth 1 4.05x
Ilkley 1 20.83x
Lambourne 1 114.94x
Linthorpe 1 5.70x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 7.05x
Norwood 1 14.75x
Parr 1 7.94x
Putney 1 7.40x
Rotherhithe 1 2.73x
Sittingbourne 1 12.52x
Solihull 1 18.59x
St Helier 1 3.50x
Tilehurst 1 22.22x
Toxteth Park 1 0.84x
Ulverston 1 9.76x
Whitwick 1 23.92x
Wolverhampton 1 1.30x
Woolhampton 1 200.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Daniel 20
John 19
Michael 16
Patrick 12
Timothy 12
James 7
Thomas 7
William 6
Eugene 5
Joseph 5
Denis 4
Jeremiah 3
Maurice 3
Christopher 2
David 2
Edward 2
Eugen 2
Humphrey 2
Humphry 2
Owen 2
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Borray 1
Charles 1
Cornelius 1
Corneluis 1
Dennis 1
Desmond 1
Ernest 1
Florence 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Hump.S. 1
Jeremih 1
Jerry 1
Laurence 1
Lawrence 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Morty 1
Peter 1
Phillip 1
Sidney 1
T. 1
Thos.P. 1
Wo. 1

FAQ

Osullivan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Osullivan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 503 people were recorded with the Osullivan surname. That placed it at #6,747 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Osullivan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 13,584 in 2016. That gives Osullivan a modern rank of #469.

What does the Osullivan surname mean?

A Irish surname meaning "descendant of Súileabhán," an Irish name combining the elements "súil" (eye) and "dubh" (dark).

What does the Osullivan map show?

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