NameCensus.

UK surname

Rielly

From an Irish surname meaning "reckless" or "impetuous."

In the 1881 census there were 433 people recorded with the Rielly surname, ranking it #7,531 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 315, ranked #14,258, down from #7,531 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craigneuk Wishaw, Copeland and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rielly is 468 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 27.3%.

1881 census count

433

Ranked #7,531

Modern count

315

2016, ranked #14,258

Peak year

1901

468 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rielly had 433 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,531 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 315 in 2016, ranked #14,258.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 468 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Rielly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rielly surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rielly 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 162 #12,215
1861 historical 200 #12,005
1881 historical 433 #7,531
1891 historical 406 #8,765
1901 historical 468 #8,458
1911 historical 164 #16,879
1997 modern 266 #14,658
1998 modern 294 #14,060
1999 modern 305 #13,808
2000 modern 308 #13,685
2001 modern 297 #13,816
2002 modern 308 #13,763
2003 modern 295 #13,964
2004 modern 301 #13,850
2005 modern 299 #13,877
2006 modern 300 #13,911
2007 modern 303 #13,965
2008 modern 302 #14,069
2009 modern 309 #14,135
2010 modern 322 #14,034
2011 modern 309 #14,322
2012 modern 307 #14,288
2013 modern 317 #14,186
2014 modern 311 #14,464
2015 modern 313 #14,313
2016 modern 315 #14,258

Geography

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Where Riellys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Craigneuk Wishaw, Copeland, County Durham, Cheshire West and Chester and Corby. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craigneuk Wishaw North Lanarkshire
2 Copeland 004 Copeland
3 County Durham 057 County Durham
4 Cheshire West and Chester 029 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Corby 004 Corby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rielly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rielly

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Rielly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Rielly household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rielly 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

Rielly is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rielly falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rielly is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Rielly

The surname RIELLY is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Ó Raghailligh, meaning "descendant of Raghaillach." The name Raghaillach is thought to have derived from the Old Irish word "raghalach," meaning "valorous" or "victorious."

The name is believed to have originated in County Cavan, Ireland, where the Ó Raghailligh clan held territories from the 12th century onwards. The earliest recorded mention of the name dates back to the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century.

In the Annals, there are several references to members of the Ó Raghailligh clan, including Áedh Ó Raghailligh, who is mentioned as the chieftain of Muintir Raghailligh in the year 1233. Another notable figure was Cú Chonnacht Ó Raghailligh, who was the Bishop of Raphoe from 1347 to 1376.

Over time, the name underwent various spelling changes, including Reilly, Rily, Riely, and Rielly. One of the earliest recorded instances of the modern spelling "Rielly" can be found in the 17th century, when a Sir John Rielly is mentioned as the owner of lands in County Cavan.

In addition to its Irish roots, the name has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Sir John Rielly (1767-1840), an Irish soldier and landowner who served as the High Sheriff of County Cavan in 1808.

Another prominent RIELLY was Michael Joseph Rielly (1828-1904), an Irish-American prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the Bishop of Buffalo, New York, from 1857 to 1892. He played a significant role in establishing several educational and charitable institutions in the region.

In the field of literature, we find James Whitcomb Rielly (1857-1916), an American poet and author best known for his children's poetry and his famous work, "The Raggedy Man."

The RIELLY name has also been associated with the world of sports, with individuals like Ambrose Rielly (1880-1950), an Irish-American baseball player who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs in the early 20th century.

Finally, a notable figure in the world of medicine was John Rielly (1878-1935), an American surgeon who made significant contributions to the field of orthopedics and served as the president of the American College of Surgeons from 1933 to 1935.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rielly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rielly 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. Lanarkshire leads with 90 Riellys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.60x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 90 6.60x
Lancashire 79 1.58x
Angus 47 12.04x
Midlothian 26 4.61x
Durham 25 1.99x
Yorkshire 25 0.60x
Anglesey 21 28.12x
Middlesex 20 0.47x
West Lothian 13 20.49x
Cheshire 9 0.97x
Hampshire 9 1.04x
Kent 8 0.56x
Selkirkshire 8 20.98x
Leicestershire 6 1.28x
Warwickshire 6 0.56x
Cumberland 5 1.38x
Renfrewshire 5 1.53x
Ayrshire 4 1.27x
Northumberland 4 0.64x
Derbyshire 3 0.45x
Shropshire 3 0.82x
Fife 2 0.80x
Northamptonshire 2 0.50x
Roxburghshire 2 2.62x
Surrey 2 0.10x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.26x
Argyllshire 1 0.85x
Berkshire 1 0.32x
Devon 1 0.11x
Monmouthshire 1 0.33x
Perthshire 1 0.53x
Somerset 1 0.15x
Wigtownshire 1 1.79x

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 29 Riellys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.55x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 29 9.55x
Dundee 28 19.21x
Glasgow 27 11.16x
Bodedern 21 1428.57x
Hamilton 20 52.62x
Blantyre 17 119.80x
Linthorpe 12 48.15x
Darlington 11 22.73x
Govan 11 3.26x
Lasswade 10 77.46x
Liff Benvie 10 16.87x
Bathgate 9 65.31x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 9 3.96x
Everton 9 5.65x
Lochee 9 258.62x
Stockton On Tees 9 14.89x
Widnes 9 24.95x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 8 20.57x
Fishwick 8 258.90x
Galashiels 8 56.78x
Aldershot 7 24.19x
Birkenhead 6 8.09x
Fulham London 6 9.82x
Leamington 6 85.23x
South Leith 6 9.44x
Westminster St James 6 13.85x
Bothwell 5 13.53x
Cleator 5 33.11x
Manchester 5 2.22x
Deptford St Nicholas 4 35.06x
Longbenton 4 15.06x
Loughborough 4 18.87x
Maryhill 4 14.99x
Newton On Ayr 4 42.33x
Salford 4 2.72x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 3.78x
Coundon 3 59.06x
Manningham 3 5.83x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 3 74.63x
Stockport 3 6.27x
Uphall 3 42.98x
West Greenock 3 5.12x
Accrington 2 4.40x
Cambusnethan 2 6.61x
Elton 2 11.57x
Forgan 2 41.84x
Glen Parva 2 181.82x
Hawick 2 11.71x
Islington London 2 0.49x
Lanark 2 18.23x
Northampton St Peter 2 82.99x
Openshaw 2 8.54x
Southhampton St Mary Extra 2 212.77x
West Derby 2 1.37x
Whitechapel London 2 4.81x
Abbey 1 2.01x
Barony 1 0.29x
Bedwellty 1 1.86x
Bermondsey 1 0.80x
Blairgowrie 1 13.37x
Brandon Byshottles 1 6.37x
Broughton In Salford 1 2.19x
Canterbury St Peter 1 61.73x
Clapham 1 1.90x
Ealing 1 2.66x
Eckington 1 6.24x
Edinburgh New North 1 20.37x
Gillingham 1 3.37x
Hoyland Nether 1 9.77x
Kensington London 1 0.43x
Neilston 1 6.10x
New Monkland 1 2.48x
Normanton 1 17.95x
North Meols 1 2.04x
St Martin In Fields 1 3.96x
Stoke Damerel 1 1.63x
Stranraer 1 19.53x
Tilehurst 1 15.65x
Torphichen 1 45.25x
Wilton 1 56.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Ann 10
Bridget 9
Catherine 6
Elizabeth 6
Jane 5
Sarah 5
Ellen 4
Annie 3
Kate 3
Anne 2
Margret 2
Maria 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Allice 1
Ariminto 1
Eliz 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Honor 1
Honora 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
May 1
Mercy 1
Norah 1
Phebe 1
Rosanna 1
Rose 1
Susannah 1
Theresa 1
Theressa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 25
Patrick 15
James 12
Thomas 12
William 12
Peter 8
Edward 6
Michael 4
Francis 3
Joseph 3
Daniel 2
Hugh 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Dennis 1
Eugene 1
Florence 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Gregory 1
Lewis 1
Martin 1
Micheal 1
Nicholas 1
Philip 1
Richd. 1
Terrance 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Rielly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rielly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 433 people were recorded with the Rielly surname. That placed it at #7,531 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rielly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 315 in 2016. That gives Rielly a modern rank of #14,258.

What does the Rielly surname mean?

From an Irish surname meaning "reckless" or "impetuous."

What does the Rielly map show?

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