NameCensus.

UK surname

Sheekey

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Sichí meaning descendant of the watchful one.

In the 1881 census there were 43 people recorded with the Sheekey surname, ranking it #27,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 324, ranked #13,966, up from #27,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Greenock Town Centre and East Central and Tower Hamlets.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sheekey is 327 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 653.5%.

1881 census count

43

Ranked #27,575

Modern count

324

2016, ranked #13,966

Peak year

2014

327 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sheekey had 43 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 324 in 2016, ranked #13,966.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 78 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Sheekey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sheekey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sheekey 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 43 #27,575
1891 historical 72 #27,804
1901 historical 75 #25,852
1911 historical 78 #25,013
1997 modern 286 #13,942
1998 modern 307 #13,690
1999 modern 318 #13,444
2000 modern 304 #13,791
2001 modern 304 #13,619
2002 modern 306 #13,835
2003 modern 305 #13,662
2004 modern 307 #13,685
2005 modern 296 #13,947
2006 modern 311 #13,577
2007 modern 309 #13,760
2008 modern 314 #13,720
2009 modern 317 #13,899
2010 modern 321 #14,066
2011 modern 320 #13,976
2012 modern 308 #14,259
2013 modern 314 #14,273
2014 modern 327 #13,976
2015 modern 326 #13,898
2016 modern 324 #13,966

Geography

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Where Sheekeys 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 County Durham, Greenock Town Centre and East Central, Tower Hamlets, Middlesbrough and Tendring. 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 County Durham 010 County Durham
2 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde
3 Tower Hamlets 014 Tower Hamlets
4 Middlesbrough 005 Middlesbrough
5 Tendring 016 Tendring

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sheekey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sheekey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Sheekey, 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 Sheekey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Sheekey 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Sheekey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sheekey 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

Sheekey 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 Sheekey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sheekey

The surname Sheekey is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Ó Síocháin, meaning "descendant of Síochán." Síochán was a personal name that originated as a diminutive of the word "síoch," meaning "peaceful" or "tranquil."

The Sheekey surname first appeared in County Galway, located in the western province of Connacht, Ireland. It is believed to have emerged as a distinct surname in the 11th or 12th century, when hereditary surnames became more commonly used in Irish culture.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Sheekey name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals reference a "Tadhg O'Sheekey" who was involved in a conflict in County Galway in the year 1336.

In the 16th century, the Sheekey family was well-established in the Galway region, with several members holding prominent positions in local government and the Catholic Church. Notably, Ambrose Sheekey (c. 1550-1620) was a prominent Franciscan friar and writer who served as the Bishop of Loughrea.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, many Sheekeys were forced to anglicize their surname due to the oppressive Penal Laws against Catholics in Ireland. This led to various spelling variations, such as Sheehy, Sheehan, and Sheahan.

Notable individuals with the Sheekey surname include:

1. John Sheekey (1789-1863), an Irish Catholic priest and educator who founded several schools in County Galway. 2. Michael Sheekey (1835-1901), an Irish-American politician and businessman who served as the Mayor of Omaha, Nebraska. 3. John Sheekey (1872-1942), an Australian businessman and philanthropist who established the Sheekey Trust for the benefit of Catholic education. 4. Bridget Sheekey (1892-1978), an Irish-American labor organizer and activist who fought for better working conditions for women. 5. Patrick Sheekey (1912-1997), an Irish politician and member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament.

The Sheekey surname has a rich history deeply rooted in Irish culture and heritage, with many bearers of the name making significant contributions across various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sheekey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sheekey 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 30 Sheekeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.16x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 30 7.16x
Yorkshire 5 1.20x
Lancashire 3 0.60x
Renfrewshire 3 9.23x
Cumberland 2 5.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westminster St John in Middlesex leads with 13 Sheekeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 254.40x.

Place Total Index
Westminster St John 13 254.40x
Mile End Old Town 11 166.16x
Shoreditch London 5 27.52x
Bradford 4 39.76x
Abbey 3 60.48x
Colne 3 202.70x
Distington 2 1052.63x
Southowram 1 78.74x
St Pancras London 1 2.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Eliza 3
Emma 2
Jane 2
Matilda 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Elizabeth 1
Fanny 1
Margaret 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 3
Frederick 2
James 2
John 2
Arthur 1
Danial 1
Eugene 1
George 1
Henry 1
Joseph 1
Owen 1
Robert 1
William 1
Willm. 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 Sheekey households.

FAQ

Sheekey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sheekey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 43 people were recorded with the Sheekey surname. That placed it at #27,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sheekey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 324 in 2016. That gives Sheekey a modern rank of #13,966.

What does the Sheekey surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Sichí meaning descendant of the watchful one.

What does the Sheekey map show?

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