NameCensus.

UK surname

Spillane

An Irish occupational surname referring to a fiddler or a player of woodwind instruments.

In the 1881 census there were 165 people recorded with the Spillane surname, ranking it #14,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 786, ranked #7,024, up from #14,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Merthyr Tydfil and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Cardiff and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spillane is 813 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 376.4%.

1881 census count

165

Ranked #14,559

Modern count

786

2016, ranked #7,024

Peak year

2000

813 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spillane had 165 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 786 in 2016, ranked #7,024.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 285 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Spillane surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spillane surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spillane 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 73 #20,581
1861 historical 78 #23,836
1881 historical 165 #14,559
1891 historical 184 #15,869
1901 historical 183 #15,996
1911 historical 285 #11,837
1997 modern 744 #6,926
1998 modern 794 #6,788
1999 modern 805 #6,754
2000 modern 813 #6,693
2001 modern 784 #6,748
2002 modern 784 #6,893
2003 modern 750 #7,018
2004 modern 755 #6,988
2005 modern 755 #6,921
2006 modern 756 #6,942
2007 modern 761 #6,971
2008 modern 760 #7,040
2009 modern 750 #7,248
2010 modern 779 #7,175
2011 modern 756 #7,261
2012 modern 784 #6,968
2013 modern 801 #6,945
2014 modern 809 #6,925
2015 modern 791 #7,000
2016 modern 786 #7,024

Geography

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Where Spillanes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Merthyr Tydfil, Lambeth and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Cardiff, Camden, Boston and Conwy. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 106 Leeds
2 Cardiff 040 Cardiff
3 Camden 001 Camden
4 Boston 008 Boston
5 Conwy 009 Conwy

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spillane

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spillane

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Spillane surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Spillane household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Spillane is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Spillane 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

Spillane falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Spillane is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Spillane

The surname Spillane originated in Ireland, with its earliest recorded roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word 'Spiolán,' which means 'explorer' or 'wanderer.' The name was initially found in County Cork, particularly in the areas around Duhallow and Muskerry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Spillane can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a medieval Irish chronicle spanning from the 5th to the 13th century. The annals mention a "Spillán mac Conmaic," who was a notable figure in the region during that time.

The Spillane name has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Spillane's Cross and Spillane's Bridge, located in County Cork. These place names suggest that the Spillane family had a significant presence and influence in the area.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Spillane. One of the earliest recorded was Dermot Spillane (c. 1460 - 1525), an Irish chieftain and lord of the manor of Clogheen, County Cork. Another prominent figure was Edmond Spillane (1676 - 1738), an Irish Jacobite and member of the Parliament of Ireland.

In more recent times, the Spillane name has been carried by several accomplished individuals, including Mickey Spillane (1918 - 2006), an American crime novelist widely known for his series featuring the detective Mike Hammer. Another notable bearer of the name was Brendan Spillane (1920 - 2011), an Irish professional footballer who played for several clubs in England during the 1940s and 1950s.

The name Spillane has also been prominent in the field of literature, with authors such as Michael Spillane (1939 - ), an American novelist and playwright, and Camilla Spillane (1924 - 2008), an Irish novelist and short story writer.

While the Spillane surname originated in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Australia, and other English-speaking countries, due to immigration patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spillane families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spillane 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. Glamorgan leads with 34 Spillanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.06x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 34 12.06x
Kent 32 5.79x
Middlesex 31 1.91x
Surrey 27 3.42x
Lancashire 20 1.04x
Monmouthshire 12 10.25x
Renfrewshire 4 3.19x
Hampshire 3 0.90x
Essex 1 0.31x
Royal Navy 1 5.18x
Staffordshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cardiff St Mary in Glamorgan leads with 21 Spillanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 135.22x.

Place Total Index
Cardiff St Mary 21 135.22x
Newington 16 26.75x
Deptford St Paul 13 30.51x
Deptford St Nicholas 9 205.48x
Westminster St 9 150.75x
Merthyr Tydfil 7 25.83x
Ratcliffe London 7 78.30x
Abergavenny 6 136.99x
Liverpool 6 5.14x
Rotherhithe 6 29.99x
St Woollos 6 45.94x
Camberwell 5 4.83x
Hackney London 5 5.51x
Hammersmith London 5 12.53x
Roath 5 39.03x
West Derby 5 8.89x
Oswaldtwistle 4 58.91x
Paisley High Church 4 40.04x
Canterbury Holy Cross 3 566.04x
Salford 3 5.31x
Greenwich 2 7.76x
Rochester St Margaret 2 34.31x
Woolwich 2 9.80x
Aldershot 1 8.99x
Cardiff St John 1 10.86x
Farnborough 1 28.65x
Hendon 1 17.15x
Hulme 1 2.49x
Isleworth 1 13.89x
Maidstone 1 6.08x
Royal Navy 1 6.06x
St Anne Soho London 1 10.81x
St Pancras London 1 0.77x
Tichborne 1 526.32x
Wavertree 1 16.26x
West Ham 1 1.42x
Westminster St James 1 6.01x
Wolverhampton 1 2.38x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Spillane surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spillane surname in 1881?

In 1881, 165 people were recorded with the Spillane surname. That placed it at #14,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spillane surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 786 in 2016. That gives Spillane a modern rank of #7,024.

What does the Spillane surname mean?

An Irish occupational surname referring to a fiddler or a player of woodwind instruments.

What does the Spillane map show?

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