NameCensus.

UK surname

Roney

An Irish surname, likely derived from the Gaelic "Ó Rónaigh," meaning "descendant of Rónach" (a personal name meaning "champion").

In the 1881 census there were 541 people recorded with the Roney surname, ranking it #6,379 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 433, ranked #11,120, down from #6,379 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, Rutherglen and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Drongan, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Coylton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roney is 632 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.0%.

1881 census count

541

Ranked #6,379

Modern count

433

2016, ranked #11,120

Peak year

1861

632 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roney had 541 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,379 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 433 in 2016, ranked #11,120.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 632 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Roney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roney surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Roney 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 494 #5,061
1861 historical 632 #4,239
1881 historical 541 #6,379
1891 historical 543 #6,951
1901 historical 492 #8,149
1911 historical 385 #9,551
1997 modern 481 #9,584
1998 modern 483 #9,853
1999 modern 497 #9,698
2000 modern 469 #10,105
2001 modern 450 #10,226
2002 modern 444 #10,553
2003 modern 421 #10,844
2004 modern 427 #10,749
2005 modern 435 #10,480
2006 modern 424 #10,748
2007 modern 429 #10,747
2008 modern 422 #10,992
2009 modern 442 #10,844
2010 modern 453 #10,858
2011 modern 430 #11,178
2012 modern 421 #11,245
2013 modern 433 #11,184
2014 modern 430 #11,323
2015 modern 424 #11,364
2016 modern 433 #11,120

Geography

Back to top

Where Roneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Bees, Rutherglen, London parishes, Manchester 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 Drongan, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Coylton, Wyre and Doon Valley South. 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 St Bees Cumberland
2 Rutherglen Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Drongan East Ayrshire
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 001 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Coylton South Ayrshire
4 Wyre 001 Wyre
5 Doon Valley South East Ayrshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Roney

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Roney

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Roney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Roney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Roney 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

Roney is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Roney 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 Roney 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Roney

The surname Roney is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "rongneux," meaning "mangy" or "scabby." The name likely emerged in the medieval period, referring to someone with a skin condition or possibly as a nickname for someone with an unpleasant appearance or character.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where a John Roney is listed. The name also appears in various parish records and court rolls throughout the 15th and 16th centuries in counties like Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, and Lincolnshire.

During the 16th century, the name Roney was particularly prevalent in the village of Worksop, Nottinghamshire. Records from the time show several variations of the spelling, including Ronie, Ronye, and Ronay. One notable bearer was Robert Roney, a prominent landowner in Worksop who lived in the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, the name spread to other parts of England, with records showing Roneys in places like Derbyshire and Staffordshire. One notable individual from this era was William Roney, a Puritan minister born in Derbyshire in 1625, who later emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1640s.

The 18th century saw the Roney name continue to grow in England, with pockets of the surname found in various counties. A notable figure was Sir John Roney, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire, born in 1712. He was knighted by King George III in 1762 for his services to the Crown.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, many Roneys migrated to urban centers like London, Manchester, and Birmingham in search of work. One notable individual from this era was James Roney, a successful industrialist from Birmingham, born in 1832, who made his fortune in the iron and steel industry.

Throughout its history, the Roney surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Roney Green in Staffordshire and Roney's Field in Nottinghamshire, further reinforcing its long-standing roots in the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Roney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roney 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. Cumberland leads with 103 Roneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.58x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 103 20.58x
Lancashire 81 1.17x
Isle of Man 56 51.87x
Lanarkshire 46 2.45x
Ayrshire 40 9.19x
Durham 39 2.25x
Surrey 38 1.34x
Middlesex 36 0.62x
Wigtownshire 31 40.16x
Angus 19 3.53x
Sussex 16 1.63x
Yorkshire 16 0.28x
Lincolnshire 13 1.40x
West Lothian 10 11.42x
Northumberland 7 0.81x
Stirlingshire 7 3.26x
Derbyshire 5 0.55x
Glamorgan 5 0.49x
Midlothian 5 0.64x
Cheshire 4 0.31x
Hampshire 3 0.25x
Dumfriesshire 2 1.56x
Gloucestershire 2 0.18x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.26x
Staffordshire 2 0.10x
Warwickshire 2 0.14x
Argyllshire 1 0.62x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.64x
Kent 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.28x
Royal Navy 1 1.44x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Onchan in Isle of Man leads with 43 Roneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 138.26x.

Place Total Index
Onchan 43 138.26x
Cleator 38 182.43x
Blackburn 24 13.08x
Manchester 21 6.77x
Shoreditch London 18 7.14x
Camberwell 15 4.04x
Brighton 14 7.08x
Lambeth 13 2.56x
Workington 13 45.36x
Rutherglen 12 43.51x
Whitehaven 12 44.98x
Gorton 11 16.96x
Blantyre 10 51.10x
Boness 10 82.85x
Kirkinner 10 313.48x
Westminster St 10 46.66x
Wigtown 10 226.76x
Liff Benvie 9 11.01x
Penninghame 9 114.36x
Kilmarnock 8 15.45x
Westoe 8 8.16x
Dalmellington 7 54.73x
German Peel 7 112.54x
Millom 7 45.63x
St Quivox 7 47.59x
Wakefield 7 15.83x
Barony 6 1.26x
Barrow In Furness 6 6.39x
Everton 6 2.73x
Hensingham 6 146.70x
Holy Trinity 6 4.33x
Polmont 6 75.76x
Preston Quarter 6 42.77x
St Cuthbert Within 6 103.45x
Stair 6 324.32x
Avondale 5 45.50x
Benfieldside 5 43.94x
Bermondsey 5 2.89x
Coxhoe 5 101.83x
Coylton 5 81.04x
Dundee 5 2.49x
German 5 84.89x
Hedleyhope 5 166.67x
Maryhill 5 13.58x
Newcastle On Tyne St 5 11.15x
St Vigeans 5 17.20x
Staveley 5 30.94x
Swansea Town 5 6.02x
Ardrossan 4 26.56x
Arlecdon 4 30.05x
Binbrooke 4 172.41x
Clee With Weelsby 4 19.66x
Edinburgh New North 4 59.00x
Old Monkland 4 5.36x
Oswaldtwistle 4 16.41x
Cornforth 3 58.94x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 4.00x
Kelloe 3 161.29x
Tanfield 3 14.58x
Aston 2 0.50x
Battersea 2 0.93x
Caldewgate 2 7.29x
Cheltenham 2 2.27x
Cockermouth 2 18.98x
Dumfries 2 15.79x
Govan 2 0.43x
Haslingden 2 7.00x
Haworth 2 14.61x
Islington London 2 0.35x
Kirkcolm 2 54.05x
Liverpool 2 0.48x
Monks Coppenhall 2 4.13x
Monkton Prestwick 2 47.28x
Newington 2 0.93x
Seaton 2 34.25x
Southampton St Mary 2 2.67x
St Swithin Lincoln 2 13.68x
Stockport 2 3.03x
Stockton On Tees 2 2.40x
St Luke London 1 1.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Elizabeth 20
Margaret 17
Sarah 10
Ellen 9
Jane 9
Ann 8
Catherine 8
Hannah 8
Eliza 6
Agnes 4
Annie 4
Bridget 4
Eleanor 4
Emma 4
Isabella 4
Alice 3
Louisa 3
Ada 2
Francis 2
Helen 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Margt. 2
Martha 2
May 2
Rose 2
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Christine 1
Cleina 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Kitty 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Marion 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 50
James 19
William 19
Henry 10
Hugh 10
Thomas 10
Patrick 9
Arthur 8
Daniel 8
George 8
Joseph 7
Richard 6
Charles 5
Albert 3
Edward 3
Francis 3
Michael 3
Peter 3
Austin 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Michl. 2
Robert 2
Alber. 1
Alfred 1
Benjamin 1
David 1
Dennis 1
Dick 1
Ernest 1
Felix 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
Jas. 1
Jos. 1
Julian 1
Laurence 1
Martin 1
Mathew 1
Percy 1
Rob. 1
Roger 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Roney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 541 people were recorded with the Roney surname. That placed it at #6,379 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 433 in 2016. That gives Roney a modern rank of #11,120.

What does the Roney surname mean?

An Irish surname, likely derived from the Gaelic "Ó Rónaigh," meaning "descendant of Rónach" (a personal name meaning "champion").

What does the Roney map show?

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