NameCensus.

UK surname

Quilty

An English surname derived from a medieval nickname for a dishonest or mischievous person.

In the 1881 census there were 39 people recorded with the Quilty surname, ranking it #28,137 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 201, ranked #19,525, up from #28,137 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Test Valley and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Quilty is 214 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 415.4%.

1881 census count

39

Ranked #28,137

Modern count

201

2016, ranked #19,525

Peak year

1999

214 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Quilty had 39 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,137 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 201 in 2016, ranked #19,525.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 62 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Quilty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Quilty surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Quilty 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 29 #28,082
1861 historical 46 #28,170
1881 historical 39 #28,137
1891 historical 52 #30,061
1901 historical 37 #30,009
1911 historical 62 #26,622
1997 modern 188 #18,324
1998 modern 205 #17,850
1999 modern 214 #17,494
2000 modern 195 #18,494
2001 modern 190 #18,520
2002 modern 184 #19,275
2003 modern 186 #18,928
2004 modern 187 #18,993
2005 modern 190 #18,753
2006 modern 193 #18,675
2007 modern 191 #19,031
2008 modern 203 #18,470
2009 modern 202 #18,896
2010 modern 210 #18,836
2011 modern 211 #18,630
2012 modern 214 #18,358
2013 modern 205 #19,218
2014 modern 208 #19,194
2015 modern 205 #19,269
2016 modern 201 #19,525

Geography

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Where Quiltys 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 Cheshire West and Chester, Test Valley, Manchester and Wirral. 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 Cheshire West and Chester 012 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Test Valley 002 Test Valley
3 Manchester 047 Manchester
4 Wirral 001 Wirral
5 Cheshire West and Chester 022 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Quilty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Quilty

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Quilty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Quilty household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Quilty 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

Quilty 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

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

Meaning and origin of Quilty

The surname Quilty is of Irish origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in the 12th and 13th centuries. It is believed to have originated in County Leitrim, Ireland, where it was initially derived from the Gaelic words "cill" meaning "church" and "tuath" meaning "territory" or "people." The name likely referred to someone who lived near or was associated with a particular church or religious community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Quilty can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where a person named "Muiredach Ua Cellaig" is mentioned in the year 1169. This individual's surname, "Ua Cellaig," is believed to be an earlier form of the modern Quilty name.

In the 16th century, the name Quilty appeared in various records and documents, such as the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which were letters patent issued by the English monarchs during their reign over Ireland. One notable individual from this period was John Quilty, a landowner from County Leitrim mentioned in the Fiants in the year 1588.

The Quilty surname can also be traced back to the Gaelic-Irish clan system, where it was associated with the Ó Ceallaigh sept (family) of County Leitrim. This clan was known for their involvement in local politics and conflicts during the medieval and early modern periods.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Quilty surname. One such person was Patrick Quilty (1809-1890), an Irish Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States from 1854 to 1890. Another notable figure was Michael Quilty (1769-1831), an Irish scholar and writer who published works on Irish grammar and literature.

In the realm of literature, the Quilty surname is associated with the Irish poet and playwright Thomas Quilty (1894-1962), who was born in County Sligo and gained recognition for his works exploring Irish culture and identity. Additionally, John Quilty (1907-1998), an Irish-American author and journalist, is known for his writings on Irish history and politics.

The Quilty name has also been present in other parts of the world due to Irish emigration. For instance, John Quilty (1883-1969) was an Australian politician and trade unionist who served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1929 to 1940, representing the Labor Party.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Quilty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Quilty 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 19 Quiltys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.99x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 19 4.99x
Gloucestershire 6 8.04x
Lancashire 6 1.33x
Devon 3 3.79x
Surrey 3 1.62x
Essex 1 1.33x
Royal Navy 1 22.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 8 Quiltys recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.13x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 8 26.13x
Crumpsall 5 471.70x
St Andrew Holborn 5 387.60x
Clifton 4 106.10x
St Marylebone London 4 19.69x
Stoke Damerel 3 54.15x
Lambeth 2 6.03x
Paddington London 2 14.30x
Bristol Christchurch 1 909.09x
Camberwell 1 4.12x
Liverpool 1 3.65x
Royal Navy 1 25.84x
Stapleton 1 70.42x
Wimbish 1 909.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Ellen 4
Sarah 2
Ann 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Helen 1
Johanna 1
Kathleen 1
M. 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Nelly 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Patrick 3
William 3
Thomas 2
Arthur 1
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Francis 1
James 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 Quilty households.

FAQ

Quilty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Quilty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 39 people were recorded with the Quilty surname. That placed it at #28,137 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Quilty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 201 in 2016. That gives Quilty a modern rank of #19,525.

What does the Quilty surname mean?

An English surname derived from a medieval nickname for a dishonest or mischievous person.

What does the Quilty map show?

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