UK surname
A variant spelling of the Irish surname Riley, derived from the Gaelic "O'Reilly" meaning a descendant of Raghaillach (valorous).
In the 1881 census there were 149 people recorded with the Reilley surname, ranking it #15,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 45, ranked #35,162, down from #15,551 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Govan Combination and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reilley is 230 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 69.8%.
1881 census count
149
Ranked #15,551
Modern count
45
2016, ranked #35,162
Peak year
1891
230 bearers
Map years
5
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Reilley surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Reilley surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 107 | #16,402 |
| 1861 | historical | 120 | #18,255 |
| 1881 | historical | 149 | #15,551 |
| 1891 | historical | 230 | #13,494 |
| 1901 | historical | 205 | #14,884 |
| 1911 | historical | 67 | #26,152 |
| 1997 | modern | 35 | #34,174 |
| 1998 | modern | 39 | #33,967 |
| 1999 | modern | 44 | #33,601 |
| 2000 | modern | 45 | #33,526 |
| 2001 | modern | 37 | #34,082 |
| 2002 | modern | 36 | #34,480 |
| 2003 | modern | 33 | #34,773 |
| 2004 | modern | 34 | #34,868 |
| 2005 | modern | 33 | #35,119 |
| 2006 | modern | 39 | #34,932 |
| 2007 | modern | 42 | #34,905 |
| 2008 | modern | 43 | #34,931 |
| 2009 | modern | 45 | #34,972 |
| 2010 | modern | 47 | #35,009 |
| 2011 | modern | 49 | #34,868 |
| 2012 | modern | 47 | #34,992 |
| 2013 | modern | 46 | #35,110 |
| 2014 | modern | 46 | #35,155 |
| 2015 | modern | 45 | #35,161 |
| 2016 | modern | 45 | #35,162 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bothwell, Govan Combination, Toxteth Park, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bothwell | Lanark |
| 2 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 3 | Toxteth Park | Lancashire |
| 4 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 5 | Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry | Forfar |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Reilley surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Reilley, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Reilley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Reilley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Reilley is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Reilley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Reilley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Reilley is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic Ó Raghaillaigh, which translates to "descendant of Raghallach". The name is believed to have originated in County Cavan, Ireland, during the Middle Ages.
Raghallach was a personal name derived from the Irish word "ragh", meaning "to choose" or "to select". It was a common practice in ancient Ireland to adopt surnames based on the first name of a notable ancestor or chieftain.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Reilley can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a Mael Sechlainn O'Raghaillaigh in the year 1233.
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land ownership in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any entries for the surname Reilley, as it was an Irish name that emerged later.
In the 16th century, the name Reilley was recorded in various spellings, including Reilly, Reyley, and Reiley, reflecting the phonetic variations common in the transition from Gaelic to English.
One notable individual with the surname Reilley was Andrew Reilley (1786-1860), an Irish-American printer and publisher who established the first Catholic publishing house in the United States.
Another prominent figure was John Francis Reilly (1839-1921), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 26th Governor of Wisconsin from 1892 to 1896.
In the literary world, James Reilley (1860-1930) was an Irish-American author and journalist who wrote extensively about Irish culture and history.
The name Reilley also has connections to the military, with Major General James Reilley (1862-1940), a decorated officer in the United States Army during World War I.
Finally, Mary Reilley (1862-1924) was a pioneering American educator and advocate for women's rights, known for her work in establishing the Women's Trade Union League.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reilley surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 38 Reilleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.19x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 38 | 2.19x |
| Northumberland | 15 | 6.89x |
| Ayrshire | 12 | 10.96x |
| Lanarkshire | 12 | 2.54x |
| Yorkshire | 12 | 0.83x |
| Angus | 9 | 6.64x |
| Middlesex | 8 | 0.55x |
| Midlothian | 8 | 4.08x |
| Berkshire | 6 | 5.46x |
| Surrey | 6 | 0.84x |
| Staffordshire | 5 | 1.01x |
| Gloucestershire | 3 | 1.05x |
| Warwickshire | 3 | 0.81x |
| Devon | 2 | 0.66x |
| Durham | 2 | 0.46x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.40x |
| Worcestershire | 2 | 1.05x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 0.31x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.39x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.33x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 0.99x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 5.74x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 13 Reilleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.33x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Reilley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Reilley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Reilley households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 21 |
| Char Woman | 2 |
| General Labourer | 2 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| Milliner | 2 |
| Puddler ( Iron ) | 2 |
| Tailor | 2 |
| Bricklayers Laborer | 1 |
| Bricklayers Labourer | 1 |
| Brokers Wife | 1 |
| Clerk | 1 |
| Compositor | 1 |
| Cop Winder (CM) | 1 |
| Cotton Spinner | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver | 1 |
| Domestic Serv (Cook) | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Doubler (C M) | 1 |
| Drapers Porter | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| Driver R H A | 1 |
| Farm Labourer (Ag) | 1 |
| Furniture Broker | 1 |
| Gen Serv (Dom) | 1 |
| General Laborer | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| H M S Adelaide | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| House Domestic | 1 |
| Housekeeper Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Housekeepers Son | 1 |
| Ironworker | 1 |
| Laborer In Iron Works | 1 |
| Labourer Ironworks | 1 |
| Labr In Lead Works | 1 |
| Lodg | 1 |
| Mariner | 1 |
| Master Tailor Em 2 Men | 1 |
| Nurse | 1 |
| Private | 1 |
| Refreshment House Keeper | 1 |
| Retired Military Officer | 1 |
| Ry Clk | 1 |
| Ry Fireman | 1 |
| Scavenger (Corpn) | 1 |
| Scholars | 1 |
| School Mistress | 1 |
| Seamstress | 1 |
| Sorter G P O | 1 |
| Tailoress | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 149 people were recorded with the Reilley surname. That placed it at #15,551 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 45 in 2016. That gives Reilley a modern rank of #35,162.
A variant spelling of the Irish surname Riley, derived from the Gaelic "O'Reilly" meaning a descendant of Raghaillach (valorous).
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Reilley bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.