NameCensus.

UK surname

Skelly

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Scealaigh," meaning "descendant of the storyteller."

In the 1881 census there were 508 people recorded with the Skelly surname, ranking it #6,704 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,417, ranked #4,303, up from #6,704 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tameside, Cornwall and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Skelly is 1,426 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 178.9%.

1881 census count

508

Ranked #6,704

Modern count

1,417

2016, ranked #4,303

Peak year

2011

1,426 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Skelly had 508 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,704 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,417 in 2016, ranked #4,303.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 759 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Skelly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Skelly surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Skelly 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 305 #7,542
1861 historical 307 #8,262
1881 historical 508 #6,704
1891 historical 627 #6,172
1901 historical 759 #5,884
1911 historical 576 #7,056
1997 modern 1,338 #4,300
1998 modern 1,368 #4,354
1999 modern 1,366 #4,402
2000 modern 1,365 #4,387
2001 modern 1,335 #4,383
2002 modern 1,376 #4,351
2003 modern 1,325 #4,414
2004 modern 1,351 #4,350
2005 modern 1,371 #4,263
2006 modern 1,343 #4,333
2007 modern 1,347 #4,360
2008 modern 1,366 #4,337
2009 modern 1,379 #4,383
2010 modern 1,424 #4,348
2011 modern 1,426 #4,305
2012 modern 1,381 #4,348
2013 modern 1,404 #4,357
2014 modern 1,414 #4,359
2015 modern 1,412 #4,332
2016 modern 1,417 #4,303

Geography

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Where Skellys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Bees, Govan Combination, Gateshead, London parishes and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tameside, Cornwall, Copeland, Northumberland and Denbighshire. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Gateshead Durham
4 London parishes London 3
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tameside 027 Tameside
2 Cornwall 001 Cornwall
3 Copeland 005 Copeland
4 Northumberland 002 Northumberland
5 Denbighshire 004 Denbighshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Skelly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Skelly

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

Skelly 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

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

Meaning and origin of Skelly

The surname Skelly originated in Scotland in the late 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic word "sgoilteach," which means "split" or "cloven." This likely refers to someone who lived near a split or cloven rock formation or a geographical feature with a similar characteristic.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Skelly appears in the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland in 1597, where a man named John Skelly is mentioned as a resident of Ayrshire. In the 17th century, the name was also found in various parish records in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the counties of Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire.

One notable early bearer of the name was Robert Skelly, a Scottish merchant and ship owner who lived in the late 17th century. He was involved in the lucrative trade between Scotland and the West Indies and is mentioned in several historical documents related to shipping and commerce.

In the 18th century, the name Skelly began to appear in Irish records as well, likely due to migration from Scotland to Ireland. One of the earliest Irish references to the name is found in the parish records of County Antrim, where a family named Skelly is recorded as living in the town of Ballymoney in the 1720s.

A prominent figure with the surname Skelly was Sir Robert Skelly (1760-1841), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Carrickfergus in the early 19th century. He was a influential figure in Ulster politics and played a role in the debates surrounding the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland.

Another noteworthy individual with the surname Skelly was James Skelly (1807-1878), a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor. He was involved in several expeditions to map and explore the interior of Western Australia in the mid-19th century and contributed significantly to the understanding of the region's geography and natural resources.

Over time, the name Skelly has been found in various spellings, such as Skellie, Skeely, and Skeillie, reflecting regional variations and phonetic adaptations. While the name originated in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and beyond, carried by the descendants of early Scottish and Irish bearers of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Skelly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Skelly 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. Northumberland leads with 98 Skellys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.93x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 98 11.93x
Devon 61 5.31x
Lancashire 58 0.89x
Isle of Man 53 51.69x
Lanarkshire 42 2.35x
Angus 39 7.62x
Yorkshire 31 0.57x
Ayrshire 29 7.02x
Durham 24 1.46x
Middlesex 20 0.36x
Midlothian 19 2.57x
Cumberland 18 3.79x
Warwickshire 14 1.01x
Renfrewshire 12 2.80x
Glamorgan 9 0.94x
Wigtownshire 9 12.28x
Channel Islands 5 3.06x
Cheshire 4 0.33x
Hampshire 4 0.35x
Worcestershire 4 0.55x
Cornwall 3 0.48x
Staffordshire 3 0.16x
Shropshire 2 0.42x
Derbyshire 1 0.12x
Essex 1 0.09x
Gloucestershire 1 0.09x
Perthshire 1 0.40x
Royal Navy 1 1.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alnwick in Northumberland leads with 47 Skellys recorded in 1881 and an index of 332.86x.

Place Total Index
Alnwick 47 332.86x
Cornwood 29 1318.18x
Govan 26 5.89x
Dundee 18 9.43x
Malew 16 178.57x
Berwick Upon Tweed 15 86.16x
Birmingham 14 3.02x
Tweedmouth 13 126.95x
Ayr 12 61.54x
Onchan 12 40.64x
Kilwinning 10 74.96x
Lochee 10 219.30x
Paisley Middle Church 10 40.14x
Cockpen 9 104.17x
Dalserf 9 50.51x
Neath 9 46.01x
Preston Quarter 9 67.57x
Whitehaven 9 35.52x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 15.38x
Bradford 8 6.04x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 11.25x
Liff Benvie 8 10.30x
Patrick 8 160.00x
West Alvington 8 496.89x
Barnsley 7 12.40x
German Peel 7 118.64x
Tynemouth 7 15.91x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 5.76x
Hackney London 6 1.94x
Kingsbridge 6 207.61x
Sorbie 6 186.92x
Westgate 6 11.79x
Westoe 6 6.44x
Brixton 5 384.62x
Dalrymple 5 193.05x
Darlington 5 7.88x
Glasgow 5 1.58x
Huyton With Roby 5 65.10x
St Helier 5 9.39x
Arbory 4 179.37x
Brandon Byshottles 4 19.44x
Dalton In Furness 4 15.82x
Dudley 4 4.56x
Harpurhey 4 44.00x
Kensington London 4 1.30x
Liverpool 4 1.01x
Openshaw 4 13.04x
Widnes 4 8.47x
York St Maurice 4 38.84x
Beaworthy 3 535.71x
Birkenhead 3 3.09x
Borthwick 3 90.63x
Brechin 3 14.93x
Everton 3 1.44x
German 3 53.67x
Lamerton 3 137.61x
Maker 3 51.99x
Newton 3 5.94x
Parr 3 12.80x
Penninghame 3 40.11x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 3.39x
Pontefract 3 25.45x
Sheffield 3 1.72x
St George Hanover 3 4.16x
Westminster St 3 14.74x
Broughton In Salford 2 3.34x
Burslem 2 3.75x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 0.67x
Elswick 2 3.05x
Frodesley 2 454.55x
Haydon 2 44.54x
Hulme 2 1.46x
Leeds 2 0.65x
Manchester 2 0.68x
Marown 2 106.95x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 2 4.08x
South Leith 2 2.40x
Tavistock 2 15.28x
Poplar London 1 0.96x
Tormoham 1 2.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 19
Jane 18
Margaret 18
Mary 18
Sarah 14
Catherine 9
Ann 8
Hannah 8
Ellen 7
Maria 5
Agnes 4
Amelia 4
Eliza 4
Emily 4
Isabella 4
Eleanor 3
Emma 3
Esther 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Harriet 2
Kate 2
Susan 2
Bridget 1
Catharine 1
Cathrine 1
Clara 1
Daisy 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.L. 1
Ellenor 1
Esher 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Joanna 1
Julia 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lizzy 1
Louisa 1
Mareanne 1
Marg. 1
Margellen 1
Margret 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 37
William 28
James 18
Thomas 16
George 13
Robert 12
Edward 9
Henry 6
Patrick 6
David 4
Michael 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Peter 3
Adam 2
Albert 2
Andrew 2
Charles 2
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Luke 2
Ralph 2
Thos. 2
Uriah 2
Wm. 2
Cornelias 1
Cornelius 1
Corneluis 1
Earnest 1
Evan 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Geo. 1
Hugh 1
Hy. 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Margt. 1
Marshall 1
Micheal 1
Moses 1
Richard 1
Samual 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Sylvester 1
Wallace 1
Walter 1
Wiliam 1

FAQ

Skelly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Skelly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 508 people were recorded with the Skelly surname. That placed it at #6,704 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Skelly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,417 in 2016. That gives Skelly a modern rank of #4,303.

What does the Skelly surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Scealaigh," meaning "descendant of the storyteller."

What does the Skelly map show?

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